Shmokiads Removal Guide

Do you know what Shmokiads is?

Shmokiads is an ad server whose purpose is to host commercial advertisements on its domain and show the ads to you while you browse the web. It mainly promotes shady software and generates revenue per install. In short, it offers nothing but annoying and intrusive ads that can even be malicious as this ad server can promote websites that feature downloads of malware and potentially unwanted programs. Without a doubt, this ad server can jeopardize your computer’s security and infect it with malware. Therefore, you have to remove the desktop application or browser extension that has entered your PC secretly and is showing you ads.

Shmokiads is an adware server similar to Movie2k Ads, Youfreenews.net, and Hophitnews.ru. It is dedicated to hosting ads on its domain at Shmokiads.com. The reason our researchers consider it malicious is that it can enter your PC by stealth via software and promote questionable applications that include games, browser toolbars, rogue applications, and so on. While conducting their research, our cyber security experts have found that this server currently promotes potentially unwanted programs called Screen Addict and FromDocToPDF Toolbar. These two programs are not malicious per se, but both of them have been designed to replace your browser’s default homepage address with a search engine that shows ad-supported search results. Shmokiads redirects to, for example, http://free.fromdoctopdf.com/index.jhtml, the site that hosts the download of FromDocToPDF Toolbar, but will not install it automatically. However, the website will convince you to install it, provided that you believe what it says.

Needless to say that its promotional links are unreliable and can compromise your computer’s security with even more malware downloads. Shmokiads is all about generating advertising revenue, so do not expect it to be useful. The bad news is that, apart from being intrusive, the ads can pose a threat to your computer’s security. The ads can manifest in the form of redirections, pop-ups, coupons, banners, and so on.

While there is not much information on how this ad server is distributed, our researchers are positive that its owners must use a desktop application or browser extension to show the ads. A browser extension is more likely, but they do not rule out the possibility that the developers use an app instead. Regardless of the type of software used, our researchers say that the software is most likely distributed on freeware downloads hosting websites that bundle freeware with shady software to make an extra buck. We are talking about low-grade, poor-reputation freeware sites that configure software installers to install additional software without your consent. Some installers may not disclose the presence of additional software and install it secretly while other installers can disclose information about it and allow you to uncheck its installation if you select advanced or custom installation settings.

If Shmokiads has somehow mysteriously ended up on your PC, then you ought to take action and remove it at your earliest convenience, it is not like it will definitely jeopardize your computer’s security, but clicking its ads and downloading promoted software is a bad idea because there is no telling when it will promote programs that are malicious. Therefore, to be on the safe side of things and to avoid intrusive and annoying ads, we recommend that you delete whatever desktop application or browser extension is showing you ads from Shmokiads.

Uninstall malicious software from Control Panel

Windows XP

  1. Click the Start menu button and select Control Panel.
  2. Click Add or Remove Programs.
  3. Find the application.
  4. Right-click it and click Remove.

Windows Vista and Windows 7

  1. Click the Start menu button.
  2. Open Control Panel.
  3. Go to Uninstall a program.
  4. Find the malicious program.
  5. Right-click it and click the Uninstall button.

Windows 8/8.1/10

  1. Press Windows+R keys.
  2. Type Control Panel in the Run command Prompt and click OK.
  3. Click Uninstall a program.
  4. Find the program.
  5. Right-click it and click Uninstall.

Remove malicious extension from the browser

Microsoft Internet Explorer

  1. Press Alt+X.
  2. Select Manage Add-ons.
  3. Select Toolbars and Extensions.
  4. Disable/Remove the Shmokiads related extension.

Google Chrome

  1. Press Alt+F.
  2. Select More tools.
  3. Select Extensions.
  4. Find the Shmokiads related extension.
  5. Click trash can icon to remove it.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+A.
  2. Select Extensions.
  3. Find the Shmokiads related extension.
  4. Click trash can icon to remove it.

In non-techie terms:

Shmokiads is an ad server dedicated to promoting all kinds of browser toolbars, extensions, potentially unwanted programs, and, sometimes, malicious software. Therefore, we recommend that you remove the program or extension that may have been installed on your PC secretly and is showing you ads hosted by Shmokiads. We also suggest getting an anti-malware program to protect your PC from malicious software installers secretly installing malware.