Spacerin is a browser hijacker that arrives on the computer uninvited. Makers of this application are applying different deployment techniques to reach random users. In most infection cases, web users often obtain Spacerin during the installation of malicious software installer, which they download from a questionable source. Other methods that spreads Spacerin includes malicious advertisements, pirated software, and referrals from social engineering attacks.
Learn more about Spacerin
Because this browser extension is relying on misleading tactics to reach the target, it was presently listed under the category of potentially unwanted program (PUP). Most of the time, Spacerin is embedded to freeware or shareware currently being offered on file download websites. When user installs the freeware, Spacerin runs own setup process and instantly merge its code to the target browser program. If not Spacerin, similar embedded apps like VideosSearches or AllStreamSearch may be installed on the browser during the setup proceedings of malicious freeware.
Although sources as malicious ads, social media links, and software piracy are employing different method to spread Spacerin, executing any files from these origin loads the threat in the same manner. Once active on the browser, Spacerin executes unnecessary modifications that literally replaces the homepage with Spacerin.com URL. The same thing will happen to default search tool. So, every inquiry of web users are rerouted first to Spacerin.com, prior to the display of the actual search results on Yahoo search.
Diverting any browser inputs to Spacerin.com meant to collect browsing details from web user. Search keywords, favorite websites, visited pages, IP address, and similar are things that Spacerin adware loves to collect. Sooner, attackers will exploit the amass data for their own advertising scheme. After analyzing the gathered data, user’s browser application may get bombarded with advertisements that are significant to their preferences.
What to do with Spacerin?
After knowing that Spacerin is a threat to ones online security and privacy, computer user should deal with its removal as soon as possible. The longer it stays on the browser, the more sensitive data it can collect and soon, this will lead to privacy theft. As such, gathered credentials from web user may be used by attackers on other illicit activities like scams and phishing.
On the next section, we have simple but effective instructions to remove Spacerin adware from the computer. Also included are virus and malware removal tools to help with the eradication of malicious hidden items associated with Spacerin adware.
Spacerin Removal Procedure for PC
Below is a systematic instruction that is very useful in getting rid of the potentially unwanted program (PUP) from compromised Windows computer. Aside from removing the malicious browser extension, this guide is also helpful in deleting Spacerin.com hijacker and pop-ups.
In order to totally eliminate the threat, it is vital to follow the process in exact manner.
Step 1 : Delete Spacerin Browser Extension
Most adware and unwanted programs use an application called a "browser extension" to be able to take over the settings of internet applications. Therefore, we highly recommend checking and removing the extension that is closely related to Spacerin. If it is not present, look for and delete any suspicious browser extension.
Remove the Spacerin Extension from Google Chrome
1. Open your Google Chrome browser.
2. Type chrome://extensions/ in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard.
3. Find Spacerin or any relevant entry and remove it from the Google Chrome browser.
Uninstall the Spacerin Extension from Mozilla Firefox
1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:addons in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard.
3. Choose Extensions from the sidebar menu.
4. Look for an object that pertains to Spacerin and remove it from the browser.
After deleting the malicious browser extension, it is expected that pop-ups and other troubles will be gone from the internet browser.
Remove Spacerin from Microsoft Windows and Edge Browser
1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key + R and then, type the appwiz.cpl command.
2. The Program and Features window will open. Arrange the list in a chronological manner, with recently installed applications on top. To do this, click on the 'Installed On' column.
3. Select Spacerin or a recently installed unwanted entry. Then, click on Uninstall to remove it from the Windows system.
If Spacerin is still present on the browser and there are still homepage and pop-ups, another option is to remove the adware from the browser settings.
4. Open the Microsoft Edge program.
5. Input edge://extensions/ in the URL bar and press Enter on the keyboard.
6. Look for and Remove or Disable entries for Spacerin from the Installed Extensions area. Additionally, delete the same object from the Search Providers section by executing the Hijacker Removal Procedure for Edge.
7. Close the window and restart Microsoft Edge.
Step 2 : Scan the computer with Sophos Antivirus
To remove Spacerin automatically, scanning the computer with this powerful malware and virus removal tool is recommended. This scanner does not just uncover known threats like viruses or malware, it is also effective in discovering browser hijacker like Spacerin that assigns Spacerin.com as the homepage URL.
1. Download Sophos Virus Removal Tool from the link below. Save the file on your computer where you can easily access it.
2. Once the download completes, browse the location of the file. Double-click to run the program and begin the install process.
3. On first windows of installation wizard, click Next to continue. Then, it will display the program’s License Agreement. You need to Accept the terms in order to proceed. If Windows prompts for User Account Control, please click Yes to proceed.
4. On succeeding windows, click Next or Continue to carry on with the installation. After completing the installation process, Launch Sophos Virus Removal Tool.
5. Internet connection is required when running this scanner in order to download important updates. Make sure that everything is up-to-date to effectively remove malicious program like Spacerin.
6. Click the button to carry out the Scan. This will check the system for presence of malicious objects, malware, and viruses. The tool reveals items that were found linked to Spacerin and other suspicious entities. Be sure to remove all identified threats.
The chances of stopping Spacerin.com pop-ups or redirects is also possible after the threat removal. If it still remains, please follow the Spacerin.com pop-up removal guide.
The above procedures should have totally eliminated the Spacerin browser hijacker. However, if you found that there are still remnants of the threat and Spacerin.com still exists on internet application, please proceed to manual removal of associated objects as outlined below.
Step 3 : Scan and Delete Adware with AdwCleaner
In addition to the procedure, we suggest scanning the computer with AdwCleaner tool. Possibly, there are some traces of Spacerin on the browser that was not deleted during the preceding steps. This tool will scan the computer and check for presence of malicious applications as well as invalid browser entries that produces Spacerin.com pop-ups.
1. Follow the link below to download the tool called AdwCleaner.
2. When the download has completed, please close all running programs on the computer especially browsers affected by Spacerin.
3. Browse the location of the downloaded file and double-click on adwcleaner_Ver.exe to start running the tool. Then, click on Scan button.
4. AdwCleaner searches the computer for malicious programs, extensions, plug-ins, adware, and any items that may be associated to Spacerin. It will also check for suspicious entries on browser settings that is associated with Spacerin.com.
5. Clean or Remove all suspicious and harmful items identified after the thorough scan.
6. After the cleanup procedure, rebooting the computer is required to finalize the removal of detected threats.
In addition to the procedures above, resetting the affected browser program and clearing the cache are extra methods to completely eliminate Spacerin. You can execute the guide on resetting internet browser below.
Procedures to Remove Spacerin from Mac
This section contains comprehensive guide for Mac users. It will help you remove the subject malicious browser extension from internet software. In the same manner, the procedure is helpful in stopping Spacerin.com pop-ups and browser hijacking activities.
Procedures on this page are written in a manner that can be easily understand and execute by Mac users.
Quick Fix - Scan the System with Combo Cleaner
Combo Cleaner is a trusted Mac utility application with complete antivirus and optimization features. It is useful in dealing with adware, malware, and PUP's. Moreover, it can get rid of malicious browser extension like Spacerin that is responsible for displaying Spacerin.com homepage and pop-ups. You may need to purchase full version if you require to maximize its premium features.
1. Download the tool from the following page:
2. Double-click the downloaded file and proceed with the installation.
3. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon onto your Applications folder icon.
4. Open your Launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon.
5. Wait until antivirus downloads its latest virus definition updates and click on "Start Combo Scan" to start removing Spacerin.
6. Free features of Combo Cleaner include Disk Cleaner, Big Files finder, Duplicate files finder, and Uninstaller. To use antivirus and privacy scanner, users have to upgrade to a premium version.
Proceed with the rest of the removal steps if you are comfortable manually removing malicious objects associated with the threat. The following guides are also vital in deleting Spacerin.com from the browser configuration.
Step 1 : Delete Spacerin from Mac Applications
1. Go to Finder.
2. On the menu, click Go and then, select Applications from the list to open Applications Folder.
3. Find Spacerin or any unwanted program.
4. Drag Spacerin to Trash Bin to delete the application from Mac.
5. Right-click on Trash icon and click on Empty Trash.
Step 2 : Remove Browser Extensions that belongs to Spacerin
1. Locate the add-on or extension that is relevant to the hijacker. To do this, please follow the following depending on affected browser.
Safari - Choose Preferences from the Safari menu, then click the Extensions icon. This will open a window showing all installed extensions.
Chrome - Select Preferences from the Chrome menu, and then click the Extensions link found on the left pane.
Firefox - Choose Add-ons from the Menu. Look at both the Extensions and Plug-ins lists when it opens a new window.
2. Once you have located Spacerin or any relevant item like Spacerin.com, click on Remove or Uninstall, to get rid of it.
3. Close the browser and proceed to the next steps.
Step 3 : Delete Malicious Files that have installed Spacerin
1. Select and copy the string below to your Clipboard by pressing Command + C on your keyboard.
~/Library/LaunchAgents
2. Go to your Finder. From the menu bar please select Go > Go to Folder...
3. Press Command + V on your keyboard to paste the copied string. Press Return to go to the said folder.
4. You will now see a folder named LaunchAgents. Take note of the following files inside the folder:
- unknown.download.plist
- unknown.ltvbit.plist
- unknown.update.plist
- com.unknown
The term unknown is just a representation of the actual malware name. It is normally an unfamiliar file name such as the following:
- Spacerin
On some occassions, the malware is represented by a domain name that is closely related to the subject. Like in this case, it can be Spacerin.com.
If you cannot find the specified file, please look for any unfamiliar or suspicious entries. It may be the one causing Spacerin to be present on your Mac. Arranging all items to see the most latest ones may also help you identify recently installed unfamiliar files. Please press Option + Command + 4 on your keyboard to arrange the application list in chronological order.
Important: Take note of all the suspicious files as you may also delete the same item on another folder as we go on.
5. Drag all suspicious files that you may find to Trash.
6. Please restart the computer.
7. Open another folder using the same method as above. Copy and Paste the following string to easily locate the folder.
~/Library/Application Support
8. Look for any suspicious items that are similar to the ones in Step 4. Drag them to the Trash.
9. Repeat the process on the following non-hidden folders (without ~):
/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
/Library/Application Support
/Library/Preferences
Optional : For locked files that cannot be removed, do the following:
1. Go to Launchpad and open Activity Monitor (Under Utilities or Other Folder).
2. Select the process you want to quit.
3. Click on Force Quit button.
4. You may now delete or remove locked files that belongs to Spacerin browser extension or Spacerin.com homepage hijacker.
Step 4 : Double-check with MBAM Tool for Mac
1. Download Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac from the link below.
2. Run Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac. It will check for updates and download if most recent version is available. This is necessary in finding recent malware threats including the Spacerin malware and Spacerin.com browser hijacker and pop-up provider.
3. If it prompts to close all running web browser, please do so. Thus, we advise you to PRINT this guide for your reference before going offline.
4. Once it opens the user interface, please click on Scan button to start scanning your Mac computer.
5. After the scan, Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac will display a list of identified threats, Spacerin is surely part of it. Be sure to select all items in the list. Then, click Remove button to clean the computer.
Step 5 : Delete Spacerin Login Items
Some browser hijacker may also install login item into compromised account under System Preferences. This object automatically runs Spacerin during user log in.
1. Go to Apple menu and choose System Preferences.
2. Select Users & Groups from the preferences window.
3. You may need to Unlock this area in order to make changes. Click on the Lock icon on lower left corner of the window.
4. Next, select user account that runs Spacerin.
5. Click on Login Items tab.
6. Select Spacerin, , or any suspicious entries from the list and click on the minus [-] button and confirm your actions. Please see image below for reference.
Optional : If unable to change browser settings, execute these steps:
Some user complains that there is no way to change browser settings because it is grayed out by Spacerin. In such situation, it is important to check if there is unwanted profile. Please do the following:
1. Quit any running applications and launch System Preferences from your Dock.
2. Under System Preferences, click Profiles.
3. Select , Spacerin or any relevant profile from the left pane. See image below.
4. At the bottom of this window, click minus [-] button to delete the account. Please refer to image above.
5. Close the Profiles window and open the affected browser to change all settings associated with Spacerin.
There's More... Reset Internet Browser Apps (PC and Mac)
Cleaning your internet browser from clutter and unwanted add-on/extension is a must when dealing with Spacerin. The procedure below discusses on resetting various browsers to their default state.
Restore Google Chrome to Default Settings
Resetting Google Chrome to its default settings is helpful in deleting hard-to-remove extensions, such as Spacerin. This method is highly advisable to perform if you have difficulty removing unwanted extensions.
1. Open the Google Chrome internet browser.
2. On the address bar, type chrome://settings/reset and press the Enter key.
3. Click on Reset Settings on the sidebar and choose Restore settings to their original defaults.
4. On the confirmation window, click the Reset settings button to clear all entries for Spacerin.
5. Close the existing tab and restart Google Chrome. That should have removed the Spacerin extension and associated objects.
Reset Mozilla Firefox to Default
This section describes how to remove unwanted extensions from Firefox that may be related to Spacerin. This process can fix many browser issues by restoring Firefox to factory settings without affecting your essential information (bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, and Internet cookies) on the browser. If you desire to remove only a specific extension, please see the manual removal of add-ons from Firefox.
1. Input the string about:support on the Firefox web address and press Enter on the keyboard.
2. You will now see the Troubleshooting Information page of Mozilla Firefox.
3. You will notice a section in the upper-right corner of the screen stating, Give Firefox a tune-up. Click the Refresh Firefox button.
4. If a confirmation window appears, click Refresh Firefox to continue.
5. Firefox browser will close and start the resetting process. When done, it will display a list of restored data. Spacerin should be gone by now. Click Finish to open a fresh version of Firefox.
Restore Microsoft Edge to Default Settings
1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. On the address bar, please input edge://settings/reset and press Enter on the keyboard.
3. Once you are on the Reset Settings page, click on Restore settings to their default values.
4. A confirmation window will appear; click on the Reset button to continue.
Your data, like favorites, bookmarks, and history, will remain in the browser. However, this process will delete add-ons by Spacerin and other unknown objects.
Clear the Safari Internet Browser (Mac)
1. Open your Safari browser application.
2. In the Safari menu, click on Preferences from the drop-down list.
3. On the Preferences window, please select the Privacy tab.
4. Click on the Manage Website Data button.
5. Select an unwanted entry, like Spacerin and click the Remove button. If you choose to Remove All, you may be logged out of your most visited websites and online services. Therefore, we advise removing suspicious items one at a time to prevent changing your behavior towards your favorite websites.
6. If it prompts you, please confirm your actions.
7. Next, we will need to clear the Cache. Back in the Safari Preferences window, choose the Advanced tab.
8. Navigate to the bottom and activate the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
9. Go to the Safari menu, choose Develop from the drop-down list, and click on Empty Caches.
10. The next thing to do is restore the Homepage to your preference and remove the one from Spacerin.
11. Back in the Safari Preferences window, click on the General tab.
12. Under the Homepage section, type your desired URL to be the default start-up page.
13. Lastly, make sure to have the right Search Engine.
14. Go back to the Safari Preferences window and click on the Search tab.
15. Select your desired Search tool under the Search Engine section.
16. You may now restart the Safari browser.
How to remove Spacerin.com Pop-ups (Notification)
Most of the time, browser hijackers are combined with intrusive pop-up ads originating from the source website Spacerin.com. It is taking advantage of push notification feature of popular internet programs like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Edge. These pop-up ads from Spacerin.com are extra ordinary as it exceeds the normal display volume and they are certainly annoying.
Normally, Spacerin.com pop-ups will start to bombard internet browser screen with pop-ups if web user was deceived to click “Allow” button that triggers the said website to send push notification. To stop Spacerin.com from showing the pop-ups, please execute the procedures below. Remember, these steps may only be successful after the removal of the main component or dubious browser extension.
Google Chrome
1. On Google Chrome browser, input the following in the address bar and press Enter:
chrome://settings/content/notifications
2. Navigate to the list under "Allow" section and look for Spacerin.com.
3. Click the ellipses (3 dots) beside Spacerin.com list to reveal the options.
4. Click on Block or Remove to stop Spacerin.com from displaying pop-up ads on Google Chrome browser.
6. Please restart Google Chrome browser.
Mozilla Firefox
1. On Mozilla Firefox browser, type the following in the address bar and press Enter key:
about:preferences#privacy
2. Navigate below to Permission area and look for Notifications.
3. Click the Settings button aligned with the Notifications.
4. Look for Spacerin.com entry and change the Status to Block.
5. Click on Save Changes and restart Mozilla Firefox and check if Spacerin.com pop-up is gone.
Safari (Mac)
1. On top menu, click on Safari and then, select Preferences from the drop-down list.
2. Click on Websites tab to open its settings.
3. Select Notifications from the left sidebar.
4. On right panel, it will display a list of websites with "Allow" attribute.
5. Find and click on Spacerin.com.
6. You may choose to Deny or Remove it from the notification list.
7. You may now restart Safari browser and see if Spacerin.com pop-up is gone.
Microsoft Edge
1. Assuming that Edge browser is open, click on the ellipses (3 dots) on upper right corner to open the Settings. Alternatively, you can press Alt + X on the keyboard.
2. Select Settings from the drop-down list.
3. Click on Advanced.
4. Under Website Permissions area, click on Manage Permissions button.
4. Find and select Spacerin.com from the list. Click on X button to stop it from showing pop-up ads or notifications.
5. You may now restart Edge browser.
