GrandBurst

GrandBurst – also known as Grand Burst – is an extension that allegedly can enhance web browsing for you. At the moment, this application is officially promoted at grandburst.com, but the installer is available at chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/grand-burst/mllhnlpgjighmgnmcjabealfmihkmjhi. According to the data provided to us via the Chrome web store, this application does not have many users, which is strange considering that its last update was released quite a long time ago. Hopefully, this adware (more about this later on) is not spreading across the web, and, hopefully, this report will help warn users who could become victims of the threat in the future. If you have not encountered this suspicious extension yet, you have to be most cautious about software bundles, as they are likely to be used for the distribution. In case you have already let it into your operating system, we can show you how to delete it. If you are no sure why removing GrandBurst is advised, find the answer in this report.

According to our malware researchers, GrandBurst is only compatible with Google Chrome. Well, this add-on appears to have been created by the same company that stands behind WinterWaldo, and this add-on was also compatible with the Mozilla Firefox browser. Is it possible that the extension will cross over to other browsers? Sure it is. Once the extension is installed, it should change the homepage and new tab to home.grandburst.com, and the default search provider should also be replaced. Have you witnessed these modifications as well? Were they initiated without your permission? If they were, you probably need no explanation why the adware deserves removal. Of course, it is most likely that you have been warned about the changes, but that does not make the search tool any less suspicious. The most disconcerting thing is that it redirects to Google Search at google.com/search. Needless to say, this search engine is well-known, popular, and trusted; however, when it is exploited by suspicious software – and this happens more and more nowadays – you have to be cautious. What if the search results are modified to showcase promotional links? And what if these links route to malicious websites?

The Terms of Use statement supporting GrandBurst informs that all kinds of third-party content could be delivered to you, including links, feeds, offers, promotions, and even sounds. Did you install this add-on to present you with advertisements? We are sure that you have not, and you definitely should not put up with ads. At the end of the day, GrandBurst does not offer beneficial services, and it is unlikely that anything is tying you up to it. Do you like that your homepage displays an image or that it provides a list of easy-access links to popular websites? While it is fun to have a more colorful homepage, and the links are useful, you should not put your virtual security at risk just because of that. If you choose to ignore our warnings, at least employ trusted security software to ensure that your virtual security is strong at all times. Of course, do not get surprised when this software suggests deleting the suspicious ad-supported program.

Have you ever removed unwanted Chrome extensions? If you have, you know what to do. Go to the chrome://extensions/ menu and erase the undesirable add-on. The guide below offers a different approach, but it is just as effective at deleting GrandBurst. You have one more option, and it is automated removal. As you probably realize by now, your virtual security is not up to par. You need to strengthen it if you wish to keep it ¬malware-free in the future. Legitimate, up-to-date anti-malware software is excellent at keeping the operating systems protected, and it can also eliminate threats that are already active on your PC. If you want to practice your manual removal skills – which is very important – you can follow the guide below and then install an anti-malware tool. Remember that if the adware was downloaded via a software bundle, other threats might be active, and if you do not employ anti-malware software, you will have to erase all of these threats yourself.

GrandBurst Removal

1. Launch Windows Explorer by tapping keys Win+E on the keyboard.
2. Enter %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\ (enter %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\ if you work on Windows XP) into the bar at the top.
3. Open the folder called Default or – if multiple profiles exist – your {Chrome profile} folder.
4. Delete the files called Preferences and Secure Preferences.
5. Open the Extensions folder.
6. Delete the folder named mllhnlpgjighmgnmcjabealfmihkmjhi.
7. Go back to the Default/{profile} folder and then open the Local Storage folder.
8. Delete the files called chrome-extension_mllhnlpgjighmgnmcjabealfmihkmjhi_0.localstorage-journal and chrome-extension_mllhnlpgjighmgnmcjabealfmihkmjhi_0.localstorage.