PUP.Optional.AceBrowser
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Short bio
PUP.Optional.AceBrowser is Malwarebytes’ detection name for an AI assisted browser that changes settings on Windows systems without the user’s consent.
Type of infection
The Ace browser reportedly gets installed under false pretences and as part of bundlers.
Malicious behavior
The Ace browser sets itself as the default browser and is hard to remove due to the “Managed by your organization” setting.
Protection
Malwarebytes blocks the AceBrowser installer to give users a chance to make an informed decision.
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.