Safari Redirects All My Web Tabs To Spam Or Popups

Question

Level 1

8 points

Safari Redirects All My Web Tabs To Spam Or Popups

Got an iPhone 5S, iOS 9.3.1. Ever since yesterday when I was casually browsing Facebook Safari started to redirect 50% of my web browser requests to some ad site called oneclick.com, which then directly redirects me to various annoying popus stating that "OMG YOU WON THE LOTTERY CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR 100 MILLION PRIZE" or some other scamp > : (

I have tried:

- updating to latest iOS

- tried turning phone on and off

- updated all apps on the phone to latest versions

- made sure all popup-blockers in Safaris app settings are turned on,

But nothing 😟

My phone is becoming useless by now. Only thing that's helping a little bit is using the AdBlocker app, which at least only makes the site completely blank when I'm forcefully redirected to a scam site.

What can I do?

iPhone 5s, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on Apr 22, 2016 12:48 PM

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Answer 1

razmee209

Level 10

191,304 points

Apr 22, 2016 12:50 PM in response to Sara_C

settings - safari - clear history and website data

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Answer 2

Sara_C Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 22, 2016 12:53 PM in response to razmee209

Hello : )

Thank you for the suggestion. Tried this as well, did not help : /

Any other suggestions?

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Answer 3

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

Apr 22, 2016 1:10 PM in response to Sara_C

Try it this way in this order:

Close Safari completely from the app switcher window by double clicking the Home button and swiping up the Safari preview pane until it disappears from the screen. You may have to look for the Safari pane by scrawling to the left. Then go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. Then do a forced restart. Hold down the Home and Wake/Sleep buttons at the same time for about 15-20 seconds until the Apple logo appears.

If that does not help, try turning off Safari Suggestions. Settings > Safari > Safari Suggestions to Off (not green).

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Answer 4

Sara_C Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 22, 2016 2:08 PM in response to Sara_C

EDIT:

Have tried:

- Erase All ettings

- Have tried a factory reset

- Network reset

- Erase iPhone

Still the same problem when iPhone is restored from my backup 😟

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Answer 5

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

Apr 22, 2016 2:15 PM in response to Sara_C

Restore from backup would not work as it will restore the cookies in the backup. Your choices are to try the steps I posted previously (exactly in that order) and if that does not help, restore as new. Restoring as new is a pain as all has to be configured from scratch.

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Answer 6

Sara_C Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 23, 2016 2:14 AM in response to elcpu

Hi elcpu,

Thank you! I tried all of your suggestions, but it did not help : (

However, I found this thread from earlier this year: iphone 5s safari redirects to ad/popup sites

I turned off my WiFi and the problem went away! So, it seems as if there's a virus on the router. Time to nuke the router from orbit I guess...

Will get back and say if it helped to get a new router!

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Answer 7

Kiki.Kiko

Level 1

132 points

Apr 23, 2016 2:33 AM in response to Sara_C

Maybe your router has been infected, try to reset modem and change all of passwords (Admin and WiFi Password) with strong password combinations

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Answer 8

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

Apr 23, 2016 7:51 AM in response to Sara_C

You did restore as New, not from backup, and it did not help, is that correct?

Viruses in routers are not common but they do occur. Try re-flashing the firmware on the router by downloading a fresh copy of the firmware to a computer through a different wif-fi network not using the infected router. Then after re-flashing use strong passwords for both the router access and the wifi network as kiko suggested. Good luck.

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Answer 9

Sara_C Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 23, 2016 11:12 AM in response to elcpu

Thank you! I did not restore as new since it's such a hassle.

Nemas problemas as long as I surf on 3G, but as soon as I connect to WiFi and open up Safari the pop-up problem starts. Does not seem to affect the two other PCs or the Android in the household. Tried turning the PCs off and removing their Network cables, but does not remove the problem on my iPhone, so it seems to be the router, not one of the PCs infecting the router then casting it on to the iPhone at least.

Changed WiFi password and did some digging but does not help and there were no other unknown entities using my WiFi without me knowing.

Strange thing, this all started right after our ISPs Internet broke down for a few hours and then came back up this week. We called them when it happened and they said they had been experiencing big interference in our part of the town : /

Will run antivirus on both PCs and change router. Updates to follow.

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Answer 10

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

Apr 23, 2016 11:26 AM in response to Sara_C

There are mixed signals here. The fact that "no tienes problemas" on 3G but you do on your Wi-Fi points to your router. The fact that other devices on the same router are not affected points away from the router. So what gives ??? I would try the phone with another Wi-Fi (a coffee shop ?) to see if it happens there as well.

If all else fails and no other devices are affected, you may have to bite the bullet and restore as new, a pain I know. Good luck.

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Answer 11

Sara_C Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 24, 2016 8:18 AM in response to elcpu

Update time! I'm posting my steps if somebody else ever encounter the same problem : )

- I have tried connecting to 2 new separate WiFis at Starbucks and Espresso House: no problems! No ads!

- Changed password to the router at home. Result: my PCs and Androids accept the new password (made it really easy like 1234567ABCÖ just for the experiment's sake).

- Closed Safari on my iPhone, deleted history and cookies, pressed "forget this network". Here's the chocker: despite carefully typing the correct password when trying to connect my Iphone to the home WiFi it just states "wrong password". Tried typing password 10 times just to be sure, to eliminate spelling mistakes. It just doesn't want to.

- Have performed virus scans on PCs using the same router, using Avira and Malwarebytes, will continue with Kaspersky and RKill today, then replace the router.

More updates to follow 🙂

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Answer 12

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

Apr 24, 2016 8:33 AM in response to Sara_C

Thanks for the update. With the plethora of devices not all routers/iPhones combos work as they should. The fact that the phone connected ok at Starbucks and Espresso does point to your router. Good luck.

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Answer 13

Sara_C Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 24, 2016 1:34 PM in response to Sara_C

Update:

WOOOW is my iPhone posessed?! : P

- Kaspersky and HitmanPro found a few minor things like cookies, deleted them, but did not fix the problem

THIS:

- Did a complete "Reset All Network Settings" of Safari (and a reboot of iPhone). Tried to log in to the WiFi using the new password everybody else are using the the household. Does not work. Used the old WiFi password that doesn't work for anybody else anymore AND I GOT CONNECTED TO THE WIFI. WOOOT? Went online, popup ads are back.

So I can now connect my iPhone to the router even if we changed the password and no other device can use that password anymore.

Updates will follow.

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Answer 14

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

Apr 24, 2016 2:10 PM in response to Sara_C

Sara_C wrote:

Tried to log in to the WiFi using the new password everybody else are using the the household. Does not work. Used the old WiFi password that doesn't work for anybody else anymore AND I GOT CONNECTED TO THE WIFI. WOOOT? Went online, popup ads are back.

So I can now connect my iPhone to the router even if we changed the password and no other device can use that password anymore.

What ??? Dump that router!!!!

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Answer 15

Sara_C Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2016 2:00 PM in response to Sara_C

Problem solved! My router was infected with some junk. To fix this problem please throw away your old router and get a new one.

To follow up on the mystical WiFi connection: my iPhone had connected to the 5 GHz on my router, which I hadn't changed passwords to, so that was why it managed to seemingly connect to the WiFi even when I believed I had changed the password. Changed the 5 GHz and it could not connect with old pass anymore. However the popup-problem as still present at that time. New router did the trick.

Thanks for the input all!

Cheers

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