Cybercriminals constantly evolve their tactics to manipulate unsuspecting users, and one recent example is the rogue webpage apptrue[.]monster. This deceptive site is known for promoting fraudulent content, triggering unwanted redirects, and bombarding users with intrusive browser notifications. Disguised under the façade of legitimate-looking download prompts, apptrue[.]monster can lure users into granting permissions or downloading malicious software that leads to privacy breaches, financial losses, and even identity theft.
Let’s take a closer look at this digital threat and understand why it’s essential to steer clear of it.
What is Apptrue[.]monster?
Apptrue[.]monster is a rogue webpage primarily involved in push notification ad scams. When accessed—often through deceptive redirects from untrustworthy sites like torrent platforms or streaming pages—it displays convincing messages such as “Your download is ready.” These messages attempt to coerce the visitor into interacting with the page or enabling browser notifications.
Once notifications are enabled, users can become victims of aggressive ad campaigns, promoting:
- Online scams (e.g., fake giveaways)
- Bogus software (e.g., fake antivirus tools)
- PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications)
- Malware including ransomware, Trojans, and droppers for payloads like Legion Loader
Additionally, rogue pages like apptrue[.]monster may behave differently depending on the visitor’s geolocation or IP address, further complicating threat detection and removal.
Threat Summary Table
Attribute | Details |
---|---|
Name | Ads by apptrue[.]monster |
Threat Type | Push notifications ads, pop-up ads, unwanted ads |
Detection Names | Not currently listed on VirusTotal |
Associated Email Addresses | Not identified |
Symptoms of Infection | Intrusive pop-ups, unwanted browser redirects, slower browsing, suspicious ads |
Damage | Decreased computer performance, privacy violations, malware infection risk |
Distribution Methods | Fake download prompts, deceptive advertising networks, adware |
Danger Level | High – due to potential malware payloads and phishing |
Serving IP Address | 172.67.194.203 |
Observed Domains | api.apptrue[.]monster |
Recommended Removal Tool | SpyHunter |
Why Is Apptrue[.]monster Dangerous?
Apptrue[.]monster is more than just an annoying website—it’s a potential gateway to severe cybersecurity threats. Users who are tricked into enabling browser notifications from this domain can end up:
- Seeing persistent scam ads even when not browsing the page
- Being exposed to fraudulent offers or phishing attempts
- Downloading malware-disguised PUAs
- Falling victim to identity theft through compromised personal information
Moreover, many users don’t realize that their browser is “subscribed” to this spam until they’re overwhelmed with suspicious pop-ups—even with no open tabs.
Manual Adware Removal Process (Windows & Mac)
Step 1: Identify and Uninstall Suspicious Applications
For Windows Users
- Open Task Manager by pressing
Ctrl + Shift + Esc
. - Navigate to the “Processes” tab and search for unknown or high-resource-consuming processes.
- If you detect anything suspicious, right-click and select “End Task.”
- Go to
Control Panel
>Programs
>Programs and Features
. - Locate and uninstall any unfamiliar programs.
For Mac Users
- Open
Finder
and click onApplications
. - Identify and move any suspicious applications to the
Trash
. - Empty the
Trash
. - Check
System Preferences
>Users & Groups
>Login Items
for unknown startup programs and remove them.
Step 2: Remove Malicious Browser Extensions
Google Chrome
- Open Chrome, click
Menu
(three dots) >Extensions
. - Locate and remove unknown extensions.
- Reset Chrome:
Settings
>Reset settings
> “Restore settings to their original defaults.”
Mozilla Firefox
- Click
Menu
>Add-ons and themes
. - Remove suspicious extensions.
- Reset Firefox:
Help
>More troubleshooting information
> “Refresh Firefox.”
Safari (Mac)
- Open Safari, go to
Preferences
>Extensions
. - Delete unknown extensions.
- Reset Safari:
History
> “Clear History.”
Microsoft Edge
- Click
Menu
>Extensions
. - Remove any unfamiliar extensions.
- Reset Edge:
Settings
>Reset settings
> “Restore settings to their default values.”
Step 3: Delete Adware-Associated Files and Folders
For Windows Users
- Press
Win + R
, type%AppData%
, and press Enter. - Locate and delete suspicious folders.
- Repeat for
%LocalAppData%
,%ProgramData%
, and%Temp%
.
For Mac Users
- Open Finder and press
Shift + Command + G
, then enter~/Library/Application Support/
. - Remove any suspicious folders.
- Repeat for
~/Library/LaunchAgents/
,~/Library/LaunchDaemons/
, and~/Library/Preferences/
.
Step 4: Flush DNS Cache to Remove Adware Traces
For Windows Users
- Open
Command Prompt
as Administrator. - Type
ipconfig /flushdns
and press Enter.
For Mac Users
- Open
Terminal
. - Enter
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
and press Enter.
Step 5: Restart Your System
Perform a reboot to apply the changes and ensure the removal process is complete.
Automatic Adware Removal Using SpyHunter (Windows & Mac)
For an effortless and effective solution, use SpyHunter, a powerful anti-malware tool designed to detect and remove adware completely.
Step 1: Download SpyHunter
Click the link to download SpyHunter: Download SpyHunter Here.
Step 2: Install SpyHunter
Follow the installation guide based on your operating system:
For Windows Users
- Run the downloaded
.exe
file. - Follow the installation instructions.
- Launch SpyHunter and allow it to update its malware database.
For Mac Users
- Open the downloaded
.dmg
file. - Drag and drop SpyHunter into
Applications
. - Open SpyHunter and let it update its database.
Step 3: Scan and Remove Adware
- Open SpyHunter.
- Click
Start Scan
. - Wait for the scan to complete.
- Click
Fix Threats
to remove detected malware.
Step 4: Restart Your Computer
After SpyHunter removes all threats, restart your system to ensure all adware components are fully removed.
Conclusion
The dangers of rogue webpages like apptrue[.]monster lie in their deceptive nature and persistent intrusions. What starts as a simple redirection or fake “download ready” message can end in device infection, data theft, or financial loss. Avoid interacting with such pages, and if you suspect infection or see suspicious ads and pop-ups, use a reputable anti-malware tool like SpyHunter to scan and remove all associated threats.