Several websites let you watch TV shows, movies, and animated films online for free. But web analysts often warned that the repeated use of such sites could inject viruses and malware entities into your device. One such popular website is Kissmanga, which lets you watch Japanese comics (Manga) online for free. However, users have complained that the site promotes adware called the Kissmanga malware.
In this article, we explain what the Kissmanga malware is, what it does, and how to remove it if it attacks your PC.
About the Kissmanga Malware
Web analysts and cybersecurity experts warn and describe the Kissmanga malware as a dangerous malware infection that you may install knowingly or unknowingly while you are browsing the Kissmanga websitesand its torrent sites.
Kissmanga is a legitimate website that streams Japanese comics (Manga). However, the site has gained many imitator sites, which provide the same Manga streaming for free. This group of imitator sites have multiple types of intrusive, dangerous pop-up ads. When the pop-ups are clicked, they redirect users to shady, deceptive, and untrustworthy websites that slither malicious adware onto computers.
How Do You Get the Kissimanga Malware?
Visitors of the Kissmanga website may end up having the malware or unwelcomed apps, such as adware installed on their PCs and browsers.
Once you visit the Kissmanga site, you may see different types of ads such as:
- Pop-ups
- Banners
- Redirects
- Highlighted text ads
- Push notifications
These ads and redirects are the primary route of starting to see the Kissmanga malware. A visit to the site may have resulted in clicking an ad or a redirect that may have slithered malware or adware onto your computer.
What Does the Kissmanga Malware Do?
The Kissmanga malware majorly injects malicious ads on your browser or PC, which redirects you to dangerous websites.
Mostly, the Kissmanga ads block your access to the site, display third-party pop-ads, and redirect you to another website. The contents of a typical Kissmanga malware redirects and the pop-up ads depend on the type of website they attack and the content.
Common contents include:
- Redirects to virus sites or websites promoting dubious products
- Phishing sites
- Promotions and suggestions to install potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), such as browser hijackers or adware in the form of Windows updates, extensions, or other software
- Scammer sites, such as offers to install computer performance optimizers that often turn out to be useless
- Sites with fake retailer domains
- Fake computer alerts suggesting system infection that needs immediate clean up and encouragement to install dubious system cleaners
- Redirects to websites with more untrustworthy and suspicious ads
The Kissmanga malware causes annoying ads and redirects that pose other threats than just computer infections. Other threats may include stealing personal information, which is sold to third-party users, such as ad companies or hackers. Once this adware or malicious ads are installed on your computer or browser, they automatically modify your browser settings.
How to Remove the Kissmanga Malware?
There are two ways to remove the Kissmanga malware:
- Automatically, using a third-party anti-malware (antivirus) software, or
- Manually using the Kissmanga malware removal guide below
How to Automatically Remove the Kissmanga Malware
We recommend that you use this method if you cannot locate the malware on your computer after visiting the Kissmanga site.
If you already have a professional malware removal software, you have an advantage. The software will scan your computer and automatically remove any unwanted apps and malware, including the Kissmanga malware.
If you do not have a malware removal software, do the following.
- Download an anti-malware software from a reputable, trusted site or company.
- Guide yourself using the download instructions provided for the specific software or browser.
- Use the install instructions to install it.
- Scan your computer to remove the Kissmanga malware and other unwanted apps.
Kissmanga Malware Removal Guide: Manual Removal
To remove and get rid of the Kissmanga malware manually, carry out the following steps:
- Back up all your files and folders in a safe storage.
- Boot your PC in Safe Mode.
- Clean all the registries created by the Kissmanga malware on your PC. The usually targeted Windows registries are:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- Open the Run Window, type “Regedit” and click OK.
- Into the registry editor, freely navigate to the Run and RunOnce keys, whose locations are shown above.
- Remove the value of the malware by right-clicking on it and removing it.
- Locate files created by the Kissmanga malware.
- Run Windows, type explorer.exe, and click OK.
- Click on This PC or My PC or My Computer from the quick access bar.
- Locate the ‘search’ box and type ‘fileextension,’ then type the file extension, for instance, “fileextension:exe.” Then leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created.
- Wait for the green loading bar to fill up as an indication that the file has been found or not.
- Delete the infected file or folder.
- Boot your PC intonormal mode.
- If you have an anti-malware tool, run the application to scan the PC of any remaining traces of the malware.
Conclusion
Malware like Kissmanga can be dangerous and can result in a variety of negative effects, such as leakage of personal information, file loss, compromised operating system, and more. We recommend that users take time to consider these consequences before visiting high-risk websites. We believe that the information in this article is of great help. If you have any other issues with ransomware attacks, alert us through the comments section.