In June 2025, a wave of deceptive websites began masquerading as legitimate CAPTCHA checks, tricking users into granting push-notification permissions. One such domain, ecaptewos.co.in, employs a fake reCAPTCHA prompt, coercing visitors to click “Allow.” What happens next? Endless streams of misleading system alerts and offers flood the desktop, luring victims toward phishing sites and unwanted software.
Threat Overview
Push-notification adware like Ads by ecaptewos.co.in exploits browser notification APIs. Once granted permission, it relentlessly delivers:
- Fake system warnings urging urgent “cleanups”
- Phishing prompts soliciting credentials or payments
- Redirects to scam domains or unwanted installs
These tactics aim to erode trust, harvest sensitive data, and potentially install more harmful software on compromised machines.
In-Depth Analysis
Infection Vector
Victims typically encounter ecaptewos.co.in through deceptive advertisements embedded in torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, or via shady ad networks. A fake reCAPTCHA popup appears, claiming to verify users as human. Clicking the “Allow” button does not solve any CAPTCHA; it merely grants the site permission to send browser notifications.
Behavioral Profile
- Initialization: Browser records permission flag for ecaptewos.co.in.
- Notification Burst: At intervals, the domain pushes alerts styled as system warnings, urging users to “Clean the computer.”
- Redirection: Clicking any notification leads to phishing pages requesting payment or credentials.
- Persistence: Even after closing the browser, notifications may continue until permissions are revoked.
Risk Assessment
Unchecked, this adware can:
- Erode system responsiveness under constant ad bombardment.
- Expose users to identity theft via phishing forms.
- Serve as a gateway for downloading more severe malware.
In one documented incident, a user allowed notifications and subsequently fell prey to a fake tech-support scam, losing both time and sensitive banking information. Such real-world cases place Ads by ecaptewos.co.in at a medium threat level, warranting prompt action.
Artifact Text
Below is a typical notification pushed by ecaptewos.co.in:
“⚠️ Windows Security Alert: Your PC is infected with 3 viruses. Click here to clean your system immediately!”
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
Ads by ecaptewos.co.in exemplifies how innocuous-looking web pages can weaponize browser notifications. Early detection—recognizing the fake CAPTCHA prompt—and swift permission revocation are critical. Users should block or remove ecaptewos.co.in from browser settings and scan their systems with reputable anti-malware tools like SpyHunter to prevent further intrusion.