How to get rid of backgroundcontainer.dll in Windows 10?

What Is BackgroundContainer.dll?

BackgroundContainer.dll is a form of malicious software associated with the Conduit (Conduit Engine) browser hijacker. It is designed to infect browsers, including popular ones like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer, and take control of their settings. BackgroundContainer.dll is classified as a potentially unwanted application (PUA) that silently invades your Windows computer and makes unauthorized changes.

Like other PUAs, BackgroundContainer.dll redirects users to fake search engines and other bogus websites that contain potentially harmful software. In most cases, the fake websites show information that’s completely irrelevant to your search query.

What Does BackgroundContainer.dll Do?

BackgroundContainer.dll usually infiltrates your system via the installation of freeware. Once installed, it changes your browser’s homepage, new tab URL and default search engine to search.conduit.com. Once the file infects your browser, it modifies its settings and hijacks all of your activities, and you can only access the Conduit search engine. The settings cannot be undone or restored unless you remove or uninstall the associated programs and files.

PUAs are harmful and frequently used to track your online activities, such as IP addresses, visited websites, geolocation, and browsing habits. The collected data is then shared with other parties, such as cybercriminals who use it to obtain money through blackmail and coercion. Apart from compromising your privacy and the security of your system, the PUA may also trigger the BackgroundContainer.dll (RunDLL) error.

In most cases, browser hijackers claim to enhance your browsing experience and show you relevant sites. However, they are actually designed to steal passwords, bank details, and login IDs. In addition, you can be redirected to a malicious site that will most likely infect your PC with malware.

How Did BackgroundContainer.dll Get into My Computer?

Browser hijackers are designed to be installed stealthily. They are evasive and usually downloaded through deceptive promotions/advertisements or bundled with free software. This ‘bundled’ software is sometimes included in the installation packages of reputable programs, making it difficult to suspect foul play.

Malicious programs like BackgroundContainer.dll are designed for automatic installation, and you’ll only learn of their presence when you start noticing strange ads, banners, and pop-ups on your Windows screen. When the BackgroundContainer.dll file is installed, it makes unauthorized changes that may hinder smooth browsing.

For this reason, be very careful when installing software, especially freeware, to avoid installing hidden files that could be malicious.

BackgroundContainer.dll can also infiltrate your computer through various other methods, including:

• unintentionally clicking on ‘sponsored links’
• installing infected browser extensions
• using peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, such as torrent sites
• opening infected email attachments
• plugging in external media storage devices like USB flash drives
• visiting dating websites

To avoid the installation of PUAs like BackgroundContainer.dll, always opt for the ‘Custom’ installation and uncheck anything that you don’t want to be installed on your computer, especially the optional applications that are offered alongside the main software.

Additionally, avoid clicking on suspicious ads and links while browsing. For your safety, only download and install trustworthy software from reputable sources.

Is BackgroundContainer.dll a Virus?

Like we mentioned earlier, BackgroundContainer.dll is associated with Conduit, a company known to develop malicious applications. When the BackgroundContainer.dll program modifies your system and browser settings, it exposes your Windows system to various security threats. In addition, if the program steals your information and secretly shares it with third parties, you never know who can use it to harm you. Therefore, as soon as you notice the presence of BackgroundContainer.dll on your PC, you should immediately find ways of removing it.

Symptoms of BackgroundContainer.dll

BackgroundContainer.dll operates in the background and might be difficult to detect. However, when you see the following signs, you should investigate your system for malware infection:

• Your PC and browser suddenly become sluggish.
• You receive system errors that may cause Windows to automatically restart.
• You notice high system resource usage in Task Manager.
• Annoying ads suddenly pop up on your screen.
• You’re constantly redirected to unknown sites that provide irrelevant information and advertisements.

How to Remove BackgroundContainer.dll from Windows 10

Threats of this nature might prove difficult to detect and remove. Therefore, you first need to enable Safe Mode with Networking to start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services. This way, any app or file that doesn’t belong to the Windows system has nowhere to hide. To restart Windows 10 in Safe Mode with Networking, follow these steps:

• Click “Start” or hit the Windows Key and open the “Settings” app. Alternatively, use the Win + I shortcut.
• Select Update & Security > Recovery.
• Choose “Restart now” under “Advanced startup”.
• Once your PC restarts, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
• Press F5 or 5 to enable “Safe Mode with Networking”.

Once in the Safe Mode environment, employ the following methods to get rid of BackgroundContainer.dll.

Uninstall BackgroundContainer.dll from Windows via Control Panel

1. Go to the “Start” menu, type in “Control Panel” (without quotes) and press “Enter”.
2. Click “Uninstall a program” under “Programs”.
3. Look for Conduit Engine (Conduit), select it and click “Uninstall”. Follow the on-screen prompts (if any) to remove the program from your PC.
4. Look for any other programs that you don’t recall ever installing and remove them.
5. Restart your computer.

Remove All Remnants of the BackgroundContainer.dll Virus

Uninstalling BackgroundContainer.dll and its associated programs may still leave behind file residues that could possibly cause errors. Therefore, you need to manually delete all the components located in folders within your system. You’ll find the procedure below.

Open the following paths and delete any file with the BackgroundContainer.dll part in the file name. To easily access these folders, copy the paths and paste them, one by one, in the “Run” box (Win + R) and click “OK”:

• %APPDATA%
• %PROGRAMFILES%
• %LOCALAPPDATA%

Get Rid of BackgroundContainer.dll from Your Browsers

Web browsers are the main entry points for malicious programs like BackgroundContainer.dll. Once they inject themselves into your browsers, they may create backdoors through which malicious extensions and plugins can infiltrate your system. So, after uninstalling questionable apps via the Control Panel or “Settings” app, you need to remove all suspicious add-ons from your favorite browsers.

For Chrome users:

1. Run the Chrome browser and open the menu located in the top right corner.
2. Select More tools > Extensions.
3. Find and delete all fishy extensions. Remember to clear the Recycle Bin to completely remove the files from your computer.

You might also want to reset Chrome to ensure that the threat won’t resurface. Here’s how:

1. Run the Chrome browser and click on the menu icon.
2. Select “Settings”, and click on the “Advanced” option to expand it.
3. Find the “Reset and clean up” section and select “Restore settings to their original defaults”.
4. Click “Reset settings” to confirm your action.

For Firefox users:

1. Run Firefox and click the menu icon in the top right corner of the browser.
2. Choose “Add-ons” and select “Extensions”.
3. Find and delete any suspicious extensions.

To reset Firefox:

1. Open the menu, and click on Help > Troubleshooting Information.
2. Click “Refresh Firefox” and then confirm your action by clicking on the “Refresh Firefox” button.

For Internet Explorer users:

1. Open Internet Explorer, and click the gear icon in the top right corner of the browser to open the menu.
2. Choose “Manage Add-ons” and move to the “Toolbars and Extensions” tab.
3. If you notice any suspicious extension, click on it and select “Disable”.

To reset Internet Explorer:

1. Click the gear icon to bring up the menu.
2. Open “Internet Options” and go to the “Advanced” tab.
3. Choose “Reset” and click on the “Delete personal settings” box to select it.
4. Click “Reset”.

For Microsoft Edge users:

1. Launch Microsoft Edge, and click on the menu icon located in the top right corner of the browser.
2. Click on “Extensions” and remove any that looks suspicious.

To reset Edge:

1. Open the menu and click on “Settings”.
2. Choose “Add-ons” and select “Extensions”.
3. Switch to the “Privacy & security” tab, and click on the “Choose what to clear” option.
4. Check all the boxes and click “Clear”.

Run a Malware Scan

The presence of malware in your Windows system should be taken seriously. In most cases, malware can cause irreversible damage to your computer if not removed as soon as it’s detected. And since some types of malware are designed to bypass detection, you need a more powerful malware detection and removal tool like Auslogics Anti-Malware. This program is specially engineered to dig deep within the system to identify and get rid of any files or apps that are behaving suspiciously.

Apart from being easy to install, the program is designed with a very user-friendly interface that enables even a novice computer user to run it with ease. Auslogics Anti-Malware performs a detailed scan of all areas of your system, including system memory, browser extensions, system and temporary folders, to mention a few.

You can run the tool alongside your antivirus program without having to worry about software conflicts. Once the scan is complete, you can view the results by opening the “Scanner” tab in the left pane. Auslogics Anti-Malware is capable of removing all types of malware thanks to the regular updates. What’s more, you can schedule automatic scans to stay protected around the clock.

We recommend running regular scans to prevent malware from invading your system and leaking important information.