I was tricked into installing Amazon Assitant now I can't get rid of it so I had to get rid of Firefox to make it go away. Is there a better solution?
How to get rid of Amazon Assistant.
All Replies (2)
I think that may have been an add-on. When you reinstall Firefox, unless you used an uninstaller that also deleted all your settings, you can investigate that.
Pre-Check
Open the Windows Control Panel, Uninstall a Program.
After the list loads, click the "Installed on" column heading to group the infections, I mean, additions, by date. This can help surface undisclosed bundle items that snuck in with some software you agreed to install. Be suspicious of everything you do not recognize/remember, as malware often uses important or innocent sounding names to discourage you from removing it.
Take out as much trash as possible here. If you're not sure, feel free to post program names or a screenshot of the list.
Reinstall Firefox
You can download an installer in your preferred language from this page:
https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/
Investigate Extensions
You can view, disable, and often remove unwanted or unknown extensions on the Add-ons page. Either:
- Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Command+Shift+a)
- "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
- type or paste about:addons in the address bar and press Enter/Return
In the left column of the Add-ons page, click Extensions.
Then cast a critical eye over the list on the right side. Any extensions Firefox installs for built-in features are hidden from this page, so everything listed here is your choice (and your responsibility) to manage. Anything that seems Amazon-related here? Anything suspicious or that you just do not remember installing or why? If in doubt, disable (or remove).
Any improvement? What issues remain?
Precautionary Scrubdown
You can search for remaining issues with the scanning/cleaning tools listed in this support article: Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware. These on-demand scanners are free and take considerable time to run. If they finish quickly and especially if they require payment, you may have a serious infection. I suggest the specialized forums listed in the article in that case.
