Geek Dashboard

How-To's, Smartphones, News and Reviews

  • Home
  • News
  • Smartphones
    • Android
    • iOS
  • Computers
    • Windows
    • macOS
  • Internet
  • Reviews
You are at Home » Mobiles

Android Browser Redirects: What Are They and Why Does It Happen in Android?

Last Updated on April 9, 2020 by Jaskaran Singh Leave a Comment

From the past few days, you might have noticed some odd changes in your Android Phone. It could be an extra background running process or some strange ads showing on your Android’s locked screen. And when you try to unlock your phone, your browser automatically opens and lands you a sketchy website such as “Lucky Draw Winner” or a web page with a catchy title e.g. “load your Chrome faster, Download now”. This is one of the annoying things an Android user can face and these are Android Browser redirects.

Now you’re probably wondering what are these redirects, how they work, and what I can do to stop them. Just relax, we are here to answer all these curiosities. Also to explain how to get rid of this little, but annoying and cruel trouble.

Malware on Android
Image Credit: ArsTechnica

Android Browser redirects: How they work?

Android Browser redirects work as an evil freebie of spammers. The redirections primarily use URL shortening, to prevent broken links, targeting device or its location and advertising. However, spammers use it only to send tons of traffic to a specific website, usually a spammy one.

A spammer creates a redirect load inside of a web page’s Inline frame. As a result, the user ends up redirecting to the same web page again and again. Even if he tries to return the previous web page.

Sometimes a user redirects to a specific app’s download page in Google Play Store. Also, these redirects can install a third-party app with nasty malware to damage Android’s functionality.

Android Browser redirects: Why Does It Happen in Android?

There are a few reasons that your Android is facing browser redirects. So, it is wise to play a safe side if you’ve not caught up with it yet. You can prevent your Android from Android browser redirects by following these tips or installing apps like AdLock.

If you don’t know what AdLock is, it is an app available for Android and Windows which can block ads from any app that connects to the internet. Every best thing comes for a price and so does the AdLock. It costs just $1.27/month (billed annually) for each device and you can try it for free with their 14-days free trial.

Tip 1: Never visit a pirated or non-verified website. Pirated websites provide paid content for free e.g. movies, software, and videos. These websites’ owners download or record paid content and post it on their websites for free. These websites get an enormous amount of traffic, but because of Google’s strict behavior, they don’t get lots of ad revenue. As a result, they try to spam their visitors by installing malware/app on their phones, such as Agent Smith malware. That malware/app redirects users to an ad or a web page, including ads. The more views they get, the more ad revenue there will be.

    • Don’t visit websites with cheesy names such as “sys#########20.xyz” in the picture below.

non verified site with cheesy name

    • Also, beware of websites that have a “red warning sign” and “Not secure” text in front of their URL.

non verified site

Tip 2: The other reason you’re facing Android browser redirects because you might have permitted them by yourself with the push notification feature. Genuine websites use it to notify their user whenever they post something new on them. On the flip side, a spammer uses this feature to show ads on the user’s phone.

When you visit a non-verified, untrusted or malicious website, they’ll show you an error and warning such as “Your PC got 5 viruses, download the best antivirus to remove them” or “Your PC is outdated, update these 8 drivers, Press allow to continue”. Check the below image for reference.

 

Android Browser redirects Fake Virus pop up

Whenever you see this kind of fake pop-up, close that page, immediately. Also, never press the “yes” “allow” or “download update” or similar buttons. This action will allow these websites to download malware on your Android to show all the irrelevant ads.

Tip 3: Don’t download an unknown or less known app on your Android, even from Google Play Store. Yes, the Play store still has lots of useless apps that do nothing but play pointless ads on your phone. Also, don’t install apps from various third-party websites. You may end up downloading a malicious one, especially if an app’s size is less than 2 MB but you are downloading a huge game like PUBG.

However, in rare cases, few apps will not be available on the Play Store and you need to download and install the APK file directly. For instance, previously mentioned AdLock and AnTuTu apps are the best examples. Currently, these apps are not available on the Play Store for plenty of reasons yet they can be trusted. Make sure you are downloading the APK files only from the official websites to be on the safer side.

Tip 4: Check apps permissions before downloading it from the Google Play Store.  You can also check the permissions of a pre-installed app by going into the Phone Settings > Apps > choosing the app > and pressing the Permission option.

Also, if there is an app for listening to songs, and it wants to access your Android’s contact list and call history, then something is wrong with it. Besides, you can search for the app with “no name” in the Phone Settings > Apps section, especially if you’re facing Android Browser redirects. If you find one, Uninstall it after clearing all the cache data of this app.

Tip 5: Don’t open spam emails with headlines like “Congratulations, you won 1 Bitcoin”, or “You reached me, I was missing you too”. If you have already opened this kind of email, please don’t reply to them, even not an alphabet. The spammer will know that your Email or IP address is working. And they’ll target them to uncover all the synced information with this Email address such as card numbers, phone numbers, and living addresses.

Conclusion

Android Browser redirects is an unwanted activity loop in the system which spammers use to their benefits. However, it is an annoying and stubborn act. So, it is advisable to follow the above precautions to prevent this evil trouble.

I hope this guide helped you to know about the Android browser redirects. Let’s know if you found an easy way to get rid of these redirects. And don’t forget to share this guide with someone who got sick by suffering from this ill problem.

#Android#Browser#malware
Posted inMobiles

Spread the Word!

Avatar for Jaskaran Singh

Jaskaran Singh Facebook LinkedIn

A passionate writer and a keen observer of things. Besides his work, Jaskaran loves to spend a good time with his closed ones. In his free time, He likes to read books, gain knowledge around digital marketing, and watch anime.

Related articles

News

Xiaomi Launches Redmi K20 Series in India Starting at Rs. 21,999 With Triple Rear Cameras

Xiaomi Redmi K20 series
News

OnePlus 7T Pro Live Images Leaked; No Design Overhauls

Mobiles

How to Install and Update Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2 to Android Lollipop

how to install lolliop on galaxy s duos

Comment Policy:

The comments section is aimed to help our readers in case of any questions or you can even appreciate us for our hard work. Every comment is strictly moderated before approving it.

Your name and comment will be visible to the public. Never share your personal information in the comments section.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Over 1,30,286+ Followers

Join to get latest updates from Geek Dashboard

Facebook Twitter Telegram Pinterest YouTube Instagram

Recently Published

  1. Nokia T21 Tablet with Unisoc T612 Chipset and 2K Display Launched in India

  2. Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Laptop with 13th Gen Intel Core i7 Launched in India

  3. Lenovo Tab P11 5G Launched with 11-inch 2K Display and Snapdragon 750G SoC in India

  4. How To Select All Photos on iPhone and iPad Quickly

  5. iQOO 11 5G with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and 120W Fast Charging Launched in India

Geek Dashboard Placeholder

Download the apps and never miss a story from us

We put a lot effort and resources in writing our articles and we believe it is our responsibility to satisfy your tech hunger. We will keep you filled forever!

  • Get Geek Dashboard App from Google Play
  • Get Geek Dashboard App from Chrome Web Store
Geek Dashboard Logo

At Geek Dashboard, we are dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest in technology news, reviews, and how-to guides. From smartphones to laptops, and everything in between, we've got you covered.

Got a Tip? Write In tip@geekdashboard.com

© 2012 - 2023 · Geek Dashboard, product of ikva eSolutions

Blog Advertise About Jobs Contact Privacy Policy Write For Us T&C Office Setup

No dogs were injured while working on this website because we love them