PUP.Optional.Iminent.A, What Is PUP Virus and How to Remove PUP.Optional Virus

About PUP.Optional.Iminent.A

PUP.Optional.Iminent.A belongs to PUP which includes spyware, dialer and especially refers to adware. PUP.Optional.Iminent.A is actually an adware helping marketing companies with promotion that settles on a machine through drive-by method. Due to the explanation on such kind of adware has been made on “Download Agreement”, marketing companies refuse the appellation as “spyware”. As a result, McAfee creates the term PUP for harmful software PC users download unwittingly without carefulness to divide from Trojan, warm and the like. PUP stands for “PowerLinux Ultra Platform”, a virtualization resources management platform developed based on Integrated Virtualization Manager(IVM) featuring flexibility, lightweight, ease of use and open, which enhances considerably the efficiency on both operation and maintenance, becoming the ideal solution to the easy and quick use of virtualization for enterprises.

In short, PUP.Optional.Iminent.A is capable of triggering pop-ups promoting random products with the same method as Trojan to modify registry keys and subsequently post harms to a target machine. To know more about the vicious capability of PUP.Optional.Iminent.A and the way to remove it, it is better to finish the left paragraphs. Should there be any requirement of consult or help, please live chat with computer experts at VilmaTech Online Support with a vision of helping PC users to solve various PC problems.

 

Dangers Posted by PUP.Optional.Iminent.A

When in, PUP.Optional.Iminent.A scans all keys in Database to find the ones mainly referencing start-up, security defense and browsers(including Firefox, Chrome, IE, Safari, Opera) before modifications. As a consequence, vulnerability would emerge since the default system configuration is programmed to be equipped with basic capability of warding average dangers off a computer.

Always remember that the task of PUP.Optional.Iminent.a is to collect the information on whereabouts and users’ preference, so that the companies employing PUP.Optional.Iminent.A would be able to know what people likes and push products accordingly for money generation. To do this, PUP.Optional.Iminent.a is allocated with tracking cookies and is programmed to be capable of redirecting to designated web site so as to transfer the collected information.

Web vulnerability is much more horrible than system vulnerability. In the age of Internet, people are connected with the World Wide Web. Putting vicious code on the Internet gains larger possibility to affect more people and filch more information for money. It is recommended to remove PUP.Optional.Iminent.a upon its detection. Follow the new Instruction to help yourself remove PUP.Optional.Iminent.a. But if the following symptoms are confirmed, it is better to ask professionals at VilmaTech Online Support for technical help since additional vicious item might have been introduced in.

• Endless pop-up ads emerge to ruin the overall surfing experience.
• Computer is becoming tardy in response.
• Search redirect issues increase in frequency.
• Some unknown web applications are installed without knowledge.
• Multiple processes are running in the background.

 

Removal Recommendation

According to the observation, failure has been found to help remove PUP.Optional.Iminent.a with the following listed methods:

• Run full scan with installed anti-virus programs only to remove some innocuous items.
• Remove the program that brings pup.optional.iminent.a in the target machine.
• Access browser settings to find no indications related to pup.optional.iminent.a.
• Search for and delete related files in system disk only to trigger error messages when trying to remove pivotal items.

To remove PUP.Optional.Iminent.a quickly and completely, valid steps should be employed in orders; otherwise error message would occur to block the removal. Besides, as no anti-virus programs have developed capability of rectifying database automatically, it is advisable to adopt manual way to remove PUP.Optional.Iminent.a totally from a computer without re-emergence. Follow the steps below offered by computer experts at VilmaTech Online Support, a company employing technicians with rich experience. Should there be any difficulty or confusion, you are welcome to ask for help.

 

New Instruction to Remove PUP.Optional.Iminent.a from Computers

Step One – Access Registry Editor to remove associated keys and values.

• Hold Win key and R key together to enable a text box.
• Type “Regedit” into the text box and hit Enter key to bring up Registry Editor (Database).
• Navigate to the following listed entries and delete them:

HKLM\Software\Conduit
HKLM\Software\IB Updater
HKLM\Software\ImInstaller
HKLM\Software\Web Assistant
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions {336D0C35-8A85-403A-B9D2-65C292C39087}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions\dlnembnfbcpjnepmfjmngjenhhajpdfd
HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\Extensions\ebfmlbdgbekinmmpfmpjjkfclcgedhgj
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions\ebfmlbdgbekinmmpfmpjjkfclcgedhgj
HKCU\Software\Babylon
HKCU\Software\AppDataLow\Software\Conduit
HKCU\Software\AppDataLow\Software\PriceGong
HKCU\Software\AppDataLow\Software\smartbar
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\AppID\Extension.DLL
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Extension.ExtensionHelperObject.1
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Toolbar.CT2724386
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\AppID\{B302A1BD-0157-49FA-90F1-4E94F22C7B4B}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{336D0C35-8A85-403A-B9D2-65C292C39087}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{A36867C6-302D-49FC-9D8E-1EB037B5F1AB}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{1D5A4199-956E-49BC-B89F-6A35C57C0D13}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{336D0C35-8A85-403A-B9D2-65C292C39087}
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{336D0C35-8A85-403A-B9D2-65C292C39087}
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{336D0C35-8A85-403A-B9D2-65C292C39087}
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{8B63A8D6-BBED-4341-8867-790E5F524C96}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{336D0C35-8A85-403a-B9D2-65C292C39087}_is1
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Management\ARPCache\MyPC Backup

 
Step Two – Unveil virulent files and folders hidden by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a to remove them.

Windows 8

• Double click on Windows Explorer on the Start Screen and browse to View tab.
• Tick ‘File name extensions’ and ‘Hidden items’ options and press “OK” button to unveil hidden items.

Windows 7/Vista/XP

• Spread Start menu to access Control Panel.
• Double click on ‘Folder Options’ and browse to View tab.
• Hit View tab to tick ‘Show hidden files and folders and non-tick Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)’ and then click ‘OK’.

When hidden items are unveiled, navigate to the following listed directories and remove the files and folders:

C:\Program Files\Conduit
C:\Program Files\ConduitEngine
C:\Program Files\Web Assistant
C:\Program Files\Common Files\spigot
C:\Users\AppData\Local\Conduit
C:\Users\AppData\Local\OpenCandy
C:\Users\AppData\Local\PackageAware
C:\Users\AppData\LocalLow\Conduit
C:\Users\AppData\LocalLow\ConduitEngine
C:\Users\AppData\LocalLow\PriceGong
C:\Users\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\a9vgu9ge.default\Extensions\[email protected]
C:\END

 
Step Three – Reset browsers to restore default browser settings and thus make pop-ups aroused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a disappeared.

Internet Explorer

• Click on the Tools menu to select Internet Options.
• In the Internet Options window click on the Advanced tab.
• Press “Restore Defaults” button followed by “OK” will reset IE. 

 
Mozilla Firefox

• Click on the Firefox button to put the mouse on Help option.
• Select Troubleshooting information in the drop-down list.
• A new window pops up with a box containing ‘Reset Firefox’ button on the left uppers corner of the web page.
• Press ‘Reset Firefox’ button to reset Firefox.

 
Google Chrome

• Click on ‘Customize and Control Google Chrome’ menu and select ‘Options’.
• Navigate to ‘Under the Hood’ tab on ‘Options’ window to press ‘Reset to Defaults’ button.

 
Opera

• Show hidden files and folders before navigating to “C:\Users\user_name\AppData\Roaming\Opera\Opera\”.
• Remove Operapref.ini file there will reset Opera.

 
Safari

• Spread Safari menu and choose ‘Reset Safari’.
• Tick all given options on the pop-up window and press ‘Reset’ to confirm the change.

 
Tips: if resetting browsers doesn’t workable in removing adware geared by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a, it is advisable to manually remove the related adware with manual modifications on browser settings.

Internet Explorer

• Access Tools menu and select Internet option at the bottom of the drop down list.
• Hit on General tab to remove the item caused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a from ‘Manage Add-on’ window under Search’ section.
• Remove the item caused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a from ‘Toolbars and Extensions’.
• Remove the item caused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a ‘Search Providers’.
• Hit on the tools icon in gear form and hover the mouse over Safety option to select “Delete browsing history” option in the drop-down list.
• On the pop-up window, tick the box next to Cookies and confirm by pressing on “Delete” button.

 
Mozilla Firefox

• Spread Tools menu to access “Manage Add-ons” window.
• Remove the item caused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a from Extensions section.
• Remove the item caused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a from Plugins section.
• Spread Tools menu again and access “Options”.
• Hit Privacy tab to  access “Cookies” window.
• Remove the vicious cookies or all of them.

 
Google Chrome

• Spread ‘Customize and control’ menu to access ‘Settings’ window.
• Locate “Search” section on the right pane and remove the item caused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a from “Manage search engines” section.
• Hit ‘Extension’ on the left pane and remove the item caused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a.
• Spread ‘Customize and control’ menu again to access Tools option and select “Clear Browsing Data” option.
• Tick the box next to “Delete cookies …” and confirm the change by pressing on “Clear browsing data”.

 
Opera

• Open up Opera and make it the current browser.
• Press and hold Alt+P key together will bring up a new tab to modify.
• Locate “Search” section and remove the item caused by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a from “manage search engine” option.
• Browse to Privacy and Safety on the left pane to locate “Cookie” which is on the right pane.
• Click on “all cookies and website data” button there to remove all cookies as recommended.

 
Safari

• Spread Safari menu and select Preference in the drop-down list.
• Tap “Security” tab and press “Show Cookies” button.
• Select the desired ones and press on “Remove all” to clear vicious cookies.

 
Step Four – Enable Popup blocker to help block vicious popup triggered by PUP.Optional.Iminent.A.

Internet Explorer

• Open Internet Explorer and bring up Tools window.
• Click Options to next navigate to Privacy tab.
• Locate pop-up Blocker section at the bottom of the Privacy tab to check “Block pop-ups” option and finish the session.                                                                                                                

 
Mozilla Firefox

• Spread Mozilla Firefox menu to click on Tools option.
• Press Web features button on the left hand side of the Options window and select the adware triggered by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a as the intended item to be blocked.

 
Google Chrome

• Access its tool menu and choose Options.
• Navigate to “Under the Hood” tab and press “Content Settings” button.
• On “Content Settings” window, please choose “Pop-ups” on the left pane and access “Exceptions” on the right pane to make sure that the adware triggered by PUP.Optional.Iminent.a is in the wanted list.

 
Opera

• Spread Opera menu on the left top of the browser and point the mouse to “settings” option to select “Preference” in the drop-down list.
• Navigate to General tab and locate “Pop-up” section there.
• Choose “Block Unwanted Pop-ups” and hit OK button to finish the session.

 
Safari

• Spread “Safari” menu and access “Preference”.
• Hit “Security” tab in “Preference” window and check the box next to the option “Block pop-up windows” to finish the session.                                                                                                                

 
Step Five – Run full scan to remove any possible items.

 

To sum up:

PUP.Optional.Iminent.A is a PUP that arouses web vulnerability to make a target machine susceptible to other deadly virus. By either exploiting vulnerability or drive-by download, PUP.Optional.Iminent.A manages to settle down on a machine and trigger adware promoting various items thereafter. All PUP.Optional.Iminent.A wants is not to damage machine but to collect information and try to make benefit. To achieve the goal, damages are inevitable to help a permanent residence. Due to the fact that no anti-virus program has developed the capability of automatically rectifying Database where pup.optional.iminent.a modifies, it is always recommended to remove the PUP manually with valid steps taken in orders. Should there be any additional problems incurred by pup.optional.iminent.a, it is wise to get professional help from VilmaTech Online Support.

Published & last updated on January 2, 2014 by Erik V. Miller