If your screen is suddenly flooded with pop-up ads — even though you’ve installed a trusted ad blocker — you might be dealing with something far more deceptive. Giantadblocker is a piece of adware that pretends to block ads while secretly injecting even more into your browser. It hijacks your browsing experience, slows down your system, and could even put your privacy at risk. This guide will show you exactly how to identify and remove Giantadblocker adware before it causes deeper damage.
Threat Summary
| Threat Type | Adware |
|---|---|
| Detection Names | Adware.GiantAdblocker, PUA:Win32/GiantAdblocker, OSX/GiantAdblocker.A |
| Symptoms | Pop-up ads, fake alerts, browser slowdowns, redirects to shady pages |
| Damage & Distribution | Bundled with free software, deceptive ads, fake “Adblock” tools |
| Danger Level | Moderate |
| SpyHunter Removal Tool → |
How Giantadblocker Affects Your Browser
Despite its name, Giantadblocker isn’t a legitimate ad blocker. It pretends to be one but actually injects ads into websites, disrupts your browsing, and slows down your system. Once installed, it latches onto your browser and modifies settings to push pop-up ads, banner replacements, and redirect links — all disguised as legitimate ad content.
This adware can target popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. You may notice ads even on sites that normally don’t display them — that’s a red flag.
Where Giantadblocker Comes From
Giantadblocker typically sneaks in through software bundles, shady websites offering “free ad blockers,” or misleading update prompts. It’s often disguised as a helpful browser extension or part of an installation wizard that doesn’t make its presence obvious.
Some users also report seeing the infection after clicking fake “Your Ad Blocker is Outdated” messages, which lead to the Giantadblocker installer.
Once in, it can change homepage settings, install rogue extensions, and connect to ad-serving servers in the background.
Is Giantadblocker a Real Threat?
While not as dangerous as ransomware or Trojans, Giantadblocker is more than just annoying — it’s a privacy risk. Adware like this can:
- Track your browsing habits
- Harvest search data
- Lead you to scam pages
- Open backdoors for more serious malware
It also creates persistence mechanisms, meaning it reinstalls itself if you delete only part of its files or extensions. To fully remove Giantadblocker, you need to clean your browser, system files, and potentially your registry or macOS launch agents.
Manual Adware Removal (Windows & Mac)
Step 1: Identify Suspicious Applications
For Windows Users
- Press
Ctrl + Shift + Escto open the Task Manager. - Check the “Processes” tab for unfamiliar or suspicious programs consuming excessive CPU or memory.
- If you find any, note their names and close them.
- Open
Control Panel>Programs>Programs and Features. - Locate the suspicious application, right-click it, and select “Uninstall.”
For Mac Users
- Open
Finderand navigate toApplications. - Look for any suspicious or unknown applications.
- Drag them to the
Trash, then right-click on theTrashand selectEmpty Trash. - Open
System Preferences>Users & Groups>Login Itemsand remove any unrecognized startup programs.
Step 2: Remove Adware-Related Browser Extensions
Google Chrome
- Open Chrome and go to
Menu(three dots in the top-right corner) >Extensions. - Locate suspicious extensions and click “Remove.”
- Reset Chrome: Go to
Settings>Reset settings> “Restore settings to their original defaults.”
Mozilla Firefox
- Open Firefox and go to
Menu(three lines in the top-right corner) >Add-ons and themes. - Locate and remove suspicious extensions.
- Reset Firefox: Go to
Help>More troubleshooting information> “Refresh Firefox.”
Safari (Mac)
- Open Safari and go to
Preferences>Extensions. - Locate and remove any unknown extensions.
- Reset Safari: Go to
History> “Clear History.”
Microsoft Edge
- Open Edge and go to
Menu(three dots in the top-right corner) >Extensions. - Remove suspicious extensions.
- Reset Edge: Go to
Settings>Reset settings> “Restore settings to their default values.”
Step 3: Delete Adware-Related Files and Folders
For Windows Users
- Press
Win + R, type%AppData%, and press Enter. - Look for suspicious folders and delete them.
- Repeat for
%LocalAppData%,%ProgramData%, and%Temp%.
For Mac Users
- Open Finder, press
Shift + Command + G, and enter~/Library/Application Support/. - Locate and delete suspicious folders.
- Repeat for
~/Library/LaunchAgents/,~/Library/LaunchDaemons/, and~/Library/Preferences/.
Step 4: Flush DNS Cache (Recommended)
For Windows Users
- Open
Command Promptas Administrator. - Type
ipconfig /flushdnsand press Enter.
For Mac Users
- Open
Terminal. - Type
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponderand press Enter.
Step 5: Restart Your Computer
Restart your device to complete the manual removal process.
Automatic Adware Removal Using SpyHunter (Windows & Mac)
For a hassle-free and effective removal, use SpyHunter, a robust anti-malware tool designed to detect and remove adware efficiently.
Step 1: Download SpyHunter
Download SpyHunter from the official website: Click here to download SpyHunter.
Step 2: Install SpyHunter
Follow the installation instructions based on your operating system:
For Windows Users:
- Open the downloaded
.exefile. - Follow the on-screen installation instructions.
- Launch SpyHunter and allow it to update its malware definitions.
For Mac Users:
- Open the downloaded
.dmgfile. - Drag and drop SpyHunter into the Applications folder.
- Launch SpyHunter and allow it to update its malware definitions.
Step 3: Perform a System Scan
- Open SpyHunter.
- Click on
Start Scan. - Wait for the scan to complete.
- Review the detected threats and click
Fix Threatsto remove adware.
Step 4: Restart Your Device
After SpyHunter removes the threats, restart your computer to finalize the process.
For the most secure and effective removal, we recommend downloading and using SpyHunter: Download SpyHunter Here.
Stay safe and keep your system clean!
Conclusion
Giantadblocker may masquerade as an ad-blocking tool, but its true goal is to push ads, track your activity, and generate revenue through intrusive tactics. If you see ads bypassing your legitimate ad blocker or your browser has become sluggish and unpredictable, this adware could be the root cause.
Use a trusted anti-malware tool like SpyHunter to remove Giantadblocker thoroughly, including hidden components and browser changes.
