Gator

One could think that Gator is a dangerous computer infection, considering how much attention this little piece of software is getting. However, the truth is that this cookie is an annoying nuisance that should be removed from your system as soon as possible. Although it will not infect you with malware or anything like that, it could eventually expose you to corrupted content. Interacting with corrupted content can easily lead to malware infections, so you need to be careful about the websites you open on your browser. Should you have more questions about computer security and how to ensure it, please feel free to leave us a comment.

The truth about the Gator cookie is that this thing is quite old. You probably wouldn’t even notice that you have it on your computer if it weren’t for the annoying pop-ups or other disturbing occurrences. However, if your browser is suddenly acting strange or if you notice that it is quite sluggish when it comes to loading new pages, you might want to scan your computer with a security tool. It is not just the Gator cookie that could slow down your system’s performance. The point is that such applications often travel in packs, and so if you have Gator on your browser, you might as well have several others.

Now, why would we say that? We say so because we know how Gator and other similar things travel around. You don’t download them from their official sources. There is no Download or Install button that would explicitly initiate the installation. Instead, cookies like Gator slip into your browser either through bundled downloads or through various websites that are associated with freeware distribution and online marketing.

Normally, we do not think much about cookies because they are an integral part of web browsing. Whenever you access a new website, you probably see a pop-up that asks you to agree with the site’s cookie policy, and so on. And technically, cookies should improve your overall web browsing experience because they can customize the pages that you see and the content you encounter based on your likes and preferences. In other words, you should be able to access the content you want to see faster when cookies are turned on.

However, this is where we encounter Gator and other tracking cookies. Our main problem with cookies like Gator is that we can never know where such cookies send the data they have collected. Sure enough, tracking cookies cannot collect personally identifiable information, so they cannot steal stuff like banking logins and passwords, but they might still be able to grasp your web browsing patterns and then share them with unreliable third parties.

For instance, if you are looking for a particular computer monitor, a tracking cookie might see to it that for the next few days since your web search you would be seeing tons of computer monitor ads whenever you go. On the one hand, this looks convenient because maybe those ads could help you find the monitor you need. But on the other hand, you can never be sure where you will land if you click those ads because Gator does not review their content.

So it is a double-edged sword. Cookies can make your web browsing more convenient, but they might also be instrumental in redirecting you to dangerous websites. Although malware infection is a very unlikely scenario in this case, it might still be looming somewhere out there. Hence, the sooner you get rid of all the potential security threats, the better.

To remove Gator, you need to either clean your browser’s history and delete all the cookies, or simply reset your browser’s settings to default. Resetting the settings is highly recommended because you might have many other unfamiliar and unwanted apps and extensions on-board.

After manual removal, do not forget to scan your computer with the SpyHunter free scanner. Aside from browser cookies, you might also have some unwanted programs running, so the sooner you shut them all down, the better. Finally, be sure to invest in a licensed antispyware tool that will protect you from similar threats in the future. Cookies might not seem much, but even small things can eventually pile up into something big and unpleasant.

How to Remove Gator

Reset Internet Explorer

1. Press Alt+T and click Internet options.
2. Open the Advanced tab and click Reset.
3. Select Delete personal settings and click Reset.
4. Press Close.

Reset Firefox

1. Press Alt+H and click Troubleshooting information.
2. Click Refresh Firefox at the top right of the new tab.
3. Click Refresh Firefox on the confirmation box.
4. Press Finish.

Reset Chrome

1. Press Alt+F and click Settings.
2. Scroll down and click Advanced.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
4. Press Restore settings to their original defaults.
5. Click Reset settings.