The issue started due to setting up a proxy server on a PC connected to my netwo

Question

The issue started due to setting up a proxy server on a PC connected to my network. I then realized that all of my devices that connected to the network, including PCs and phones, are all infected by an ad bot that redirects me to ads websites whenever I click on any link. I then installed Malwarebytes, Adware Cleaner and other AV softwares to clean up my PCs but not any of them have detected anything. I thought that this maybe some kind of router hacking so I made a hard reset to my router and re-configured it with my ISP, then the problem solved on all of my PCs. However, it remained on my phone. I then made a reset to factory settings, formatted everything, all apps deleted but the problem still exists and I'm being redirected to ads websites, I almost tried every AV app on the playstore but they didn't catch anything. What should I do in this situation? I don't know any other way to solve this problem. I have to mention also that this bot works only on my phone when I'm connected to my router and it doesn't work when I switch to the mobile data. On the other hand, if it is still a hacking on the router, it should also affect the other PCs. Any suggestions guys? I really appreciate any idea.

Explanation / Answer

What you've described sounds like your router's DNS settings have been changed to use servers under the control of your attackers. You can confirm this by disabling the proxy server. If you disable the proxy and the problem goes away then wipe the proxy machine and start again - it's the only way to be sure.

You can reset the DNS server settings to what they should be (your ISP can tell you what they should be, your router may be able to get them automatically or you can use a third-party service like Google or OpenDNS) to fix the initial problem for the local network.

Then you also need to prevent the attack from happening again. Measures to do that include:-

The location of settings varies by model and if you're not sure how to check these settings then check with the manufacturer of the router, your ISP's helpdesk or bring in a professional. Some of those options may not be free of charge but will be worth it.

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