I've been dealing with an annoying issue where a new Firefox shortcut shows up on my desktop every Friday. I don't even use Firefox! I checked and found that Firefox and AdBlock Plus for Internet Explorer were automatically installed. I uninstalled them, thinking that would solve it, but the same thing happens the following Friday. I've scanned my computer with Malware Bytes, and it didn't find anything. I primarily use Edge and have Chrome as a backup, but this issue keeps recurring. Has anyone else experienced this? What can I do to stop it?
3 Answers
It sounds like there might be another program you’re installing on Fridays that triggers the installation of Firefox. I haven’t heard of any malware that specifically installs Firefox on a schedule, so maybe it’s something else? Think back on what you might be running or installing weekly.
Yeah, but it’s strange that it’s consistently every Friday. You might want to dive into your scheduled tasks just to be sure.
Consider the possibility of adware instead of outright malware. It might be worth doing a virus scan just in case, and if that doesn't help, backing up your files for a clean installation of Windows could be a last resort. Also, for a better browsing experience, I’d recommend using browsers like Brave that have adblockers built in, or considering other options like uBlock Origin or AdGuard.
I don’t use AdBlock Plus; that’s part of the problem! It keeps getting installed without my permission. Also, I’m careful about what I click on and install.
I totally get that. It’s frustrating when things install themselves without any approval. Maybe there’s something sneaky going on behind the scenes.
You should definitely check the Windows Task Scheduler. There could be a task set up that installs Firefox on a schedule without you even realizing it. It’s worth a look!
That makes sense! If you're running a routine task every Friday, it could be linked to that. It's a good idea to check what programs you’re using at that time.