The problem with advertising is that because we are all confronted with it in a myriad of forms all day, every day, it can be tempting to see computer generated advertising - i.e. adware, or to give it its full name advertising supported software - as part of the furniture. Something that is merely there and, unlike other forms of malware, something that won't do us any harm. However this is not the case and simply by virtue of being Ge-Force adware, it doesn't mean that a program is, or isn't, malicious in nature.
It's true that Ge-Force is definitely not the worst of the bunch: you can point the finger at Trojan Horses and spyware and their ilk for that. But having said that it can have a detrimental affect on your user experience as a whole and even cause you serious damage by making your computer susceptible to attack by other types of more serious malware.
On the flip side of the coin, there are numerous legitimate programs - from useful lifestyle apps to games - that also display adverts either on your device or within the software. In its most innocent incarnation, this adware has been created purely to generate revenue for the programmer or to try and entice you to download an upgrade or another software program that they are actually selling. Often, the income garnered from displaying adverts allows the programmer to further develop, maintain and upgrade the software.
Oftentimes the software developer will give you the option of continuing to use the program, but without being exposed to the (often annoying) ads by Ge-Force and you will be able to pay a registration fee that will upgrade you to an advert free version.
Ge-Force in a more sinister format is normally considered to be malware. This type of adware has usually been snuck onto your computer without your permission and can be a lot more aggressive - besieging you with banner and pop up adverts. Unlike the adware above which will usually have a simple 'uninstall' feature, Ge-Force has been designed to be more difficult to uninstall. Obviously the developer has a financially motivated reason for wanting you to keep the adware on your computer for as long as possible so they can continue raking in the revenue. This sort of adware installs a component on your computer that spies on your Internet browsing habits and relays data back to the programmer so they can customize the adverts that they are showing you.
So as we can see there really are two sides to Ge-Force adware: the adverts that generate income for their developer thus allowing you to download programs and software for free from the Internet (freeware). And the more clandestine version that watches your every online move to be able to market more effectively to you for someone else's gain.
To stop 'Powered by Ge-Force' ads popping up on your computer, please follow the steps in the removal guide below. If you have any questions, please leave a comment down below. Good luck and be safe online!
Written by Michael Kaur, http://delmalware.blogspot.com
Ge-Force Adware Removal Guide:
1. First of all, download anti-malware software and run a full system scan. It will detect and remove this infection from your computer. You may then follow the manual removal instructions below to remove the leftover traces of this malware. Hopefully you won't have to do that.
2. Remove Ge-Force related programs from your computer using the Add/Remove Programs control panel (Windows XP) or Uninstall a program control panel (Windows 7 and Windows 8).
Go to the Start Menu. Select Control Panel → Add/Remove Programs.
If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, select Control Panel → Uninstall a Program.
If you are using Windows 8, simply drag your mouse pointer to the right edge of the screen, select Search from the list and search for "control panel".
Or you can right-click on a bottom left hot corner (formerly known as the Start button) and select Control panel from there.
3. When the Add/Remove Programs or the Uninstall a Program screen is displayed, scroll through the list of currently installed programs and remove the following:
- Ge-Force
- and any other recently installed application
Simply select each application and click Remove. If you are using Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, click Uninstall up near the top of that window. When you're done, please close the Control Panel screen.
Remove Ge-Force related extensions from Google Chrome:
1. Click on Chrome menu button. Go to Tools → Extensions.
2. Click on the trashcan icon to remove Ge-Force, MediaPlayerV1, HD-Plus 3.5 and other extensions that you do not recognize.
If the removal option is grayed out then read how to remove extensions installed by enterprise policy.
Remove Ge-Force related extensions from Mozilla Firefox:
1. Open Mozilla Firefox. Go to Tools → Add-ons.
2. Select Extensions. Click Remove button to remove Ge-Force, MediaPlayerV1, HD-Plus 3.5 and other extensions that you do not recognize.
Remove Ge-Force related add-ons from Internet Explorer:
1. Open Internet Explorer. Go to Tools → Manage Add-ons. If you have the latest version, simply click on the Settings button.
2. Select Toolbars and Extensions. Click Remove/Disable button to remove the browser add-ons listed above.