What is BetterSurf and How to remove it?

What is bettersurf?

Better is a malicious adware application installed on internet browsers (Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox) as extension or browser helper object. It is usually comes as a complimentary to a free application software. Some software may provide the options to exclude it during installation process but others are directly forced to installed without warning. The common installation directory located at the C:\Program Files\Better-Surf or C:\Program Files\BetterSurf where it folders for each of the browser with acronym (ch = google chrome, ff = firefox, ie = internet explorer). The primary file responsible for executing the ads is the Bettersurf.dll



The Bettersurf behavior

When user visiting any website the ads such as banners, text-link ads, and pops up automatically executed on the site. It adds the load of the browser and making it slower as a result more CPU usage incurred. This can be viewed on the Windows System Performance Monitor whenever bettersurf is running on the website you are visiting. In Google Chrome it installed one extension whereas Firefox and Internet Explorer at least two or three of them.

One of the popup ads shows as below with Affilliate ID 195299 which clearly intended to promote affiliate programs.

http://www.freelotto.com/register.asp?skin=CertifiedWinnerRSP&noepu=1&partner=1063817&affiliateid=195299&tid=29452683531386668782&utm_source=AdCash&utm_medium=Display&utm_term=CPA&utm_content=CertifiedWinnerRSP&utm_campaign=EveryoneWinsTV

BetterSurf Detection:

• On windows startup any antivirus (i.e. Avira) programs will detect the Bettersurf extension running on Mozilla firefox.
• Windows Defender will detect it running on Internet Explorer
• High usage of CPU when visiting websites and it slows down the browser when Bettersurf is running on the foreground.

How to remove BetterSurf from each browsers:

1. Google Chrome: Click Customize and Control icon>>Tools>>Extensions>>search Better Surf Plus 1.1 and click on the recycle bin icon to uninstall
2. Mozilla Firefox: Click on Tools>>Add-ons and Uninstall the Better Surf
3. Internet Explorer: In Windows 7 click Start>>Control Panel>>Programs (Uninstall Programs)>>Better Surf then right click mouse and uninstall.

After uninstalled for each of the browsers the extensions could still be there especially Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer. To remove it completely you will need to clean up the registry manually by doing the following

1. In Windows 7 – Click Start and Type “regedit” and press ENTER on the keyboard. The registry edit screen will popup
2. Click on the Edit tab and Find or press CTRL + F on the keyboard. Search “Bettersurf” keyword and delete each of the registry. Once deleted keep searching by pressing F3 on the keyboard and delete until it is no longer be found.
3. By deleting the registry the extension should be completely eliminated from Internet Explorer and Firefox