A browser hijacker is a “form of unwanted software that modifies a web browser’s settings without the user’s permission.” The idea is to make users visit certain websites whether they want to or not so the hijacker enjoys higher advertising revenue. Browser hijackers may also contain spyware to obtain banking information and other sensitive data.
A browser hijacker is a “form of unwanted software that modifies a web browser’s settings without the user’s permission.” The result is the placement of unwanted advertising into the browser and possibly replacing an existing home page or search page with the hijacker page. The idea is to make users visit certain websites whether they want to or not so the hijacker enjoys higher advertising revenue. Browser hijackers may also contain spyware to obtain banking information and other sensitive data.
As frustrating as browser hijackers can be, they luckily aren’t challenging to remove—most of the time. Utilizing various software packages is, therefore, essential to keep hijackers away.
How Browser Hijackers Infect Computers
Browser hijackers infect computers by numerous means, including through shareware, freeware, and advertisement support applications “deployed through the installation of a web browser toolbar or add-on.” Adware and spyware infections also result in browser hijackers and exploitation of various browser vulnerabilities.
Symptoms of Browser Hijacking
Signs a browser is hijacked include:
- Searches that are redirected to different websites
- Multiple pop-up advertisement alerts
- Slow-loading web pages
- Multiple toolbars on a web browser not installed by the user
Examples of browser hijackers include:
- Ask Toolbar
- GoSave
- Coupon Server
- CoolWebSearch
- RocketTab
Additional Options
Sometimes a similar option doesn’t remove the toolbars, meaning they must be removed manually. This is done by resetting browser settings to remove unnecessary toolbars and search engines. For example, if resetting Microsoft Internet Explorer settings, it is recommended to do the following:
- Start Internet Explorer.
- On the Tools menu, click Manage add-ons.
- In the Manage Add-ons window, under Add-on Types, select Toolbars and Extensions.
- If you find any suspicious toolbar listed, select that toolbar, and click Disable.
- In the Manage Add-ons window, under Add-on Types, select Search Providers.
- Select a search engine, and click Set as default.
- Select the unknown search engine, and click Remove and Close.
- On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
- In the General tab, under the Home page, enter the address of your preferred page.
- Click Apply and OK.
- On the desktop, right-click the Internet Explorer shortcut and select Properties.
- In the Internet Explorer Properties window, under the Shortcut tab, delete the text after iexplore.exe in the Target field.
- Click Apply and OK to save the changes.
- Click Close.
Wrapping Up
As with most things, the more you research and learn about browser hijacking, the better you’ll become at spotting the signs and taking the necessary action.
