Social Pogo

Posted by Lisa Blanc on April 14, 2016

What is Social Pogo?

Social Pogo is a malicious adware-type program that was configured to display commercial advertisements on your computer. Our security analysts recommend that you remove it as soon as the opportunity arises because applications such as this one tend to promote shady websites. As a result, your PC can become infected with more malicious software that could compromise your computer’s security. So what do you get when you use this program? Officially, you get an annoying window that opens at random and shows you with links to Facebook and Twitter. So, basically, you do not get anything useful. test test test

Where does Social Pogo come from?

The ad-supported software market is currently dominated by companies such as SuperWeb, Injekt, JustPlugIt, and so on. However, there is a new developer in the adware-developing scene. It has yet to develop its brand and chances are that it never will. It does not have a name, but it is clear that it means business. Apart from releasing Social Pogo this secretive company has also released programs such as StrataBeauty, Flexible Family, and Diet Interactive among others. This developer has released dozens of programs, and we are certain that it will release more in the near future. The developers use rather dishonest methods to distribute its “products,” so let us take a look at Social Pogo’s distribution methods.

Our analysts have found that this particular application is distributed using two distribution channels. The first one is its main website at Socialpogo.com. This site features a standalone InstallCore-based installer that is bundled with unreliable additional content such as potentially unwanted programs and browser hijackers. Our researchers have found that this website is promoted via browser hijackers that feature a link to Socialpogo.com in their search results. The second method used to distribute this application is called software bundling. It is a common practice by malware developers to bundle their software with other programs. Software bundles that feature Social Pogo are likely to be featured on various freeware distributing websites. Therefore, when you download software from unfamiliar sites remember always to opt for advanced installation settings and uncheck the respective checkbox.

How does Social Pogo work?

We are not exactly sure what Social Pogo is supposed to be. It masquerades as an application that provides its users with a quick way to access Facebook and Twitter, but that is not all. When you install this application, it will automatically launch Internet Explorer and load Lamphouseoffers.com/redirect.php?sid=BMS&message=Please%20wait, a shady website that will redirect to other region-dependent websites, so the legitimacy of its ads cannot be verified. Furthermore, it may force open Internet Explorer at any time and redirect you to one of Skycardfinder.com subpages that ask you to enter your email address to get a credit card. If you enter your email address, then you will be redirected to Getbestlowaprcreditcards.com/?subid1=10001&subid2=,595. Now, you may start receiving email spam so try to unsubscribe from it by clicking the Unsubscribe button at the bottom of the letter.

We recommend that you delete this application from your computer because it can promote malicious websites that could get your computer infected with more malware. The fact of the matter is that this program's developers to do not care about your computer safety. All they are interested in is generating advertising revenue. It is plain to see that you will not benefit from having this application on your PC because it offers is an annoying window with links to social media networks.

How do I remove Social Pogo?

So if you have decided to remove Social Pogo, then you have made the right decision. This application will not improve your computing experience in any way and might even do the opposite. Our malware researchers have tested it several removal methods and have come to the conclusion that uninstalling it via Control Panel will delete all traces of its presence.