PUP.Optional.Yontoo

Short bio

PUP.Optional.Yontoo is Malwarebytes’ detection name for a large family of adware that uses different methods of browser hijacking and monetizing to get their message across. Their search applications are known to bundle “Yahoo Search.”

The bundled installer is usually different from the official one. The bundled installers require arguments for a full installation and are sometimes even aware of running on a virtual machine, both to hinder researchers.

Protection

Malwarebytes protects users from PUP.Optional.Yontoo by using real-time protection.

Malwarebytes blocks PUP.Optional.Yontoo

Remediation

Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.Yontoo without further user interaction.

Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
Double-click MBSetup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
When your Malwarebytes for Windows installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
Click on the Get started button.
Click Scan to start a Threat Scan.
Click Quarantine to remove the found threats.
Reboot the system if prompted to complete the removal process.

Add an exclusion

Should users wish to keep this program and exclude it from being detected in future scans, they can add the program to the exclusions list. Here’s how to do it.

Open Malwarebytes for Windows.
Click the Detection History
Click the Allow List
To add an item to the Allow List, click Add.
Select the exclusion type Allow a file or folder and use the Select a folder button to select the main folder for the software that you wish to keep.
Repeat this for any secondary files or folder(s) that belong to the software.

If you want to allow the program to connect to the Internet, for example to fetch updates, also add an exclusion of the type Allow an application to connect to the internet and use the Browse button to select the file you wish to grant access.