What is a PUA/Linkury.Gen2?
It's a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA). Most anti-virus programs use this detection to inform users about programs that are not malicious but still can cause problems or expose your system to threats. It's a polite way of saying that one or more programs should be removed despite that they are not technically malware or spyware. Potentially unwanted simply means that you may find it useful or maybe you knowingly installed it on your computer but didn't realize what it actually does. It actually happens all the time. Users don't read End User License Agreements or other notifications about third-party programs like PUA/Linkury.Gen2 that can display ads on their computers. And indeed, this program usually comes bundled with adware and freeware. And if you don't read EULA carefully don't blame others when your computer suddenly becomes unusable. Unless, of course, it was installed without your permission.
Are there any positive aspects of PUA?
Undoubtedly the biggest, possibly the only, advantage of PUA/Linkury.Gen2 to computer users such as you and me, is that it exists as a means of creating an income for programmers who give away free software, programs or downloads. And so by very virtue of its existence, that means that we get access to a huge amount of programs, files, games and applications for free.
It's just not that black and white
The problem that the majority of people have with PUA/Linkury.Gen2 is the fact that it has been designed to monitor your Internet usage and record data about the pages you look at and the products or services contained within those pages. This data is then sent back to the owner of the PUA who will use it to send you more customized adverts reflecting the things you have been looking at online. Obviously this is an invasion of your privacy. And therein lays the dilemma: are you okay with having your every online move tracked and recorded so that you are able to download programs and software for free? Or is your online business just that – your business? PUA: friend or enemy – that's up to you to decide.
How to remove PUA/Linkury.Gen2?
If your anti-virus program keeps displaying warnings about PUA/Linkury.Gen2 then it probably can't properly remove this infection from the system. Very often, it leaves backdoor and re-installs adware and other malware that anti-virus has removed. After a restart you may get the same warnings again. That's why it's very important to remove core files of this malware. Anti-virus programs may not always be the best choice when it comes to removing PUA/Linkury.Gen2 and similar malware. To remove it from 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
PUA/Linkury.Gen2 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 PUA/Linkury.Gen2 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:
- Linkury
- GoSave
- deals4me
- Youtubeadblocker
- 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 PUA/Linkury.Gen2 related extensions from Google Chrome:
1. Click on Chrome menu button. Go to Tools → Extensions.
2. Click on the trashcan icon to remove Linkury, Youtubeadblocker, Gosave, HD-Plus 3.5, BlockkTheAds 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 PUA/Linkury.Gen2 related extensions from Mozilla Firefox:
1. Open Mozilla Firefox. Go to Tools → Add-ons.
2. Select Extensions. Click Remove button to remove Linkury, Youtubeadblocker, Gosave, HD-Plus 3.5 and other extensions that you do not recognize.
Remove PUA/Linkury.Gen2 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.