what is a pua.mindspark infection?

Hi mkoz
 
Welcome to the Community Forums.
 
Mindspark is a browser hijacker, which is promoted via other free downloads, and once installed it may xo one or more of the following; display a Mindspark toolbar, change your browser homepage, and reset your default search engine, etc.
 
It most likely got on your computer after you have installed a freeware software (video recording/streaming, download-managers or PDF creators) that had bundled into their installation this browser hijacker. This browser hijacker is also bundled within the custom installer on many download sites (examples: CNET, Brothersoft or Softonic), so if you have downloaded a software from these websites, chances are that the Mindspark tooolbar was installed during the software setup process. Very often users have no idea where did it come from, so it’s not surprising at all that most of them assume that Mindspark Toolbar is a virus.
 
We in the Community refer to as a PUA (for Potentially Unwanted Application). These are very annoying at best in that they cause pop-us, redirect your browser home page, and other behavior that may slow down the computer and direct ads your way, but they are not actually doing anything bad like damaging files or stealing information. 
 
WSA does detect and remove many PUA's, and more are being added, but WSA does not detect all of them. A simple browser add-on with PUA behavior that is easy to identify and easy to remove is not likely to be detected and removed by WSA. Those that are intentionally difficult to locate and remove are. Please see THIS LINK for more information regarding Webroot's stance on these annoying programs.
 
To make sure that your WSA is checking for PUAs proficiently, it sometimes helps to reset the PUA detection within WSA's settings. For PUA's that had previously been scanned and determined to be OK, but have since been added to detection/removal, you may want to complete the following steps:
 
? Open Webroot SecureAnywhere
? Click on ‘Advanced Settings’ from the top right
? Select ‘Scan Settings’ from the left side
? Unselect the option “Detect Potentially Unwanted Applications”
? Click on the Save button (you may have to enter in a CAPTCHA)
? Reselect the option to “Detect Potentially Unwanted Applications”
? Click on the Save button
? Run another scan with Webroot and remove any items that get detected.
 
If that does not helps and you feel or consider yourself technically proficient then you can try these steps to remove it from your system.
 
For those that are not detected by WSA, please see this KB Article. It has some easy to follow directions on locating and removing PUA's.You may also want to Open a Support Ticket, especially if you cannot remove it easily from the directions in the KB Article, to ask Webroot Support to take a look and remove these for you. There is NO CHARGE for this for valid WSA license holder.
 
Hope that helps?
 
Regards, Baldrick
 

Thanks!  Huge help!

Hi mkoz
 
Thanks for the feedback. Glad that you have found the info of use. Hope that helps you to get sorted re. this pesky issue.
 
Do let us know how things go. ;)
 
Regards, Baldrick