What is ArcadeCake?
ArcadeCake is an application developed by ArcadeCake LLC., that allows its users to play miscellaneous games right in the browser window. However, its functionality doesn’t end on providing gaming services, as ArcadeCake has side effects which include browser altering. ArcadeCake installs itself as a browser extension and then begins to spy on your in-browser activities. The data the application aims for includes web history, geolocation, and entered information. When collected enough, ArcadeCake adds commercial to the pages you visit. These pop-ups are connected with third-party sources that in their turn contain more ads or promote other malware. There is no other way to get rid of these intrusive activities except for removing ArcadeCake adware both from system and browsers.
How ArcadeCake got installed on your computer?
Basically ArcadeCake can end up on a system in two possible ways: installed deliberately as a usual application, or crawled stealthily carried on the backs of some small programs installators. The first method is a rare one, as to perform it you need to learn about the application and go to its official site, which is very unlikely due to unpopularity on ArcadeCake. The second one, however, proved to be an efficient technique that many malware developers employ. It gained a name ‘bundling’ as in this case a vicious application is getting attached to a safe application, which are usually a small utility, like PDF creator, media player, ZIP archiver, etc. Thus, be cautious when installing something of the kind: do not agree to perform an installation in Basic (Default) mode and try to learn about the terms of a setup by reading EULAs, and declining the installation of the elements you are not sure in.
Symptoms of ArcadeCake infection
- First and the most striking proof of what you have an adware is ads generated on pages where they haven’t appeared before. The ads can be of any type – pop-ups, in-text hyperlinks, banners and their amount increases on shopping sites. Some of them may be labeled as “Ads by ArcadeCake”, “Brought by ArcadeCake”, “Powered by ArcadeCake”, etc.
- Another indicator of adware infection is appearance of new programs that you don’t remember installing and processes in start-up queue.
- Also, you may notice the significant slowdown in the system operating, since running of the applications required for adware activity may consume a lot of CPU.
- Besides slowing down the computer itself, adware infection may as well negatively affect the speed of Internet connection.
How to remove ArcadeCake?
To make sure that the adware won’t appear again, you need to delete ArcadeCake completely. For this you need to remove the application from the Control Panel and then check the drives for such leftovers as ArcadeCake files and registry entries.
We should warn you that performing some of the steps may require above-average skills, so if you don’t feel experienced enough, you may apply to automatic removal tool.
Performing an antimalware scan with Norton would automatically search out and delete all elements related to ArcadeCake. It is not only the easiest way to eliminate ArcadeCake, but also the safest and most assuring one.
Steps of ArcadeCake manual removal
Uninstall ArcadeCake from Control Panel
As it was stated before, more likely that the adware appeared on your system brought by other software. So, to get rid of ArcadeCake you need to call to memory what you have installed recently.
How to remove ArcadeCake from Windows XP
- Click the Start button and open Control Panel
- Go to Add or Remove Programs
- Find the application related to ArcadeCake and click Uninstall
How to remove ArcadeCake from Windows 7/Vista
- Click the Start button and open Control Panel
- Go to Uninstall Program
- Find the application related to ArcadeCake and click Uninstall
How to remove ArcadeCake from Windows 8/8.1
- Right-click the menu icon in left bottom corner
- Choose Control Panel
- Select the Uninstall Program line
- Uninstall the application related to ArcadeCake
How to remove ArcadeCake from Windows 10
- Press Win+X to open Windows Power menu
- Click Control Panel
- Choose Uninstall a Program
- Select the application related to ArcadeCake and remove it
If you experience problems with removing ArcadeCake from Control Panel: there is no such title on the list, or you receive an error preventing you from deleting the application, see the article dedicated to this issue.
Read what to do if program won’t uninstall from Control Panel
Remove ArcadeCake from browsers
Since most of adware threats use a disguise of a browser add-on, you will need to check the list of extensions/add-ons in your browser.
How to remove ArcadeCake from Google Chrome
- Start Google Chrome
- Click on Tools, then go to the Extensions
- Delete ArcadeCake or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
How to remove ArcadeCake from Internet Explorer
- Launch Internet Explorer
- Click on the Tools/Gear icon, then select Manage Add-ons
- Delete ArcadeCake or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
How to remove ArcadeCake from Mozilla Firefox
- Start Mozilla Firefox
- Click on the right-upper corner button
- Click Add-ons, then go to Extensions
- Delete ArcadeCake or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
How to remove ArcadeCake from Microsoft Edge
- Start Microsoft Edge
- Click the three-dot button in the upper right corner
- Choose Extensions
- Click the gear icon near ArcadeCake or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
- Choose Remove
Remove files and registry entries added by ArcadeCake
Sometimes removal via Control Panel is not enough since the built-in application can leave some files that shortly will restore the adware. So, you need to find all of the following items and delete them.
Remove ArcadeCake files and folders:
%WINDIR%\System32\Tasks\ArcadeCakeMix-Bush
%WINDIR%\System32\Tasks\ArcadeCakeBake-Bush
%WINDIR%\Tasks\ArcadeCakeMix-Bush.job
%PROGRAMFILES%\ArcadeCake
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ArcadeCake
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ArcadeCake
%USERPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ArcadeCake
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ArcadeCake
Play ArcadeCake.lnk
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\ArcadeCake
Remove ArcadeCake registry entries:
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{DB3DA58D-F453-499F-B23A-F6EE40EA41CE}
Software\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\EXTENSIONS, value: {b5c30363-0acf-4017-9126-657f69bc0c47}
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\CompatibilityAdapter\Signatures, value: ArcadeCakeBake-Bush.job
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\CompatibilityAdapter\Signatures, value: ArcadeCakeBake-Bush.job.fp
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\CompatibilityAdapter\Signatures, value: ArcadeCakeMix-Bush.job
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\CompatibilityAdapter\Signatures, value: ArcadeCakeMix-Bush.job
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\CompatibilityAdapter\Signatures, value: ArcadeCakeMix-Bush.job.fp
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\ArcadeCakeBake-Bush
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\ArcadeCakeMix-Bush
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\ArcadeCakeBake-Bush
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\ArcadeCakeMix-Bush
Software\AppDataLow\ArcadeCake
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaler\ArcadeCake
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaler\{2086694B-D5F0-41B9-95C9-B8355C9A0960}
{DB3DA58D-F453-499F-B23A-F6EE40EA41CE}
