How do I manually remove a browser hijacker?

Manually removing a browser hijacker involves systematically identifying and eliminating the malicious software or settings that have taken control of your browser. This process requires checking various areas of your computer and browser.

Understanding Browser Hijackers

A browser hijacker is a type of malware that modifies your browser settings without your permission, typically changing your homepage, default search engine, or new tab page. Its goal is often to redirect your web traffic to specific sites, display unwanted ads, or collect your browsing data.

Step-by-Step Manual Removal Guide

To effectively remove a browser hijacker, follow these steps meticulously:

1. Uninstall Suspicious Programs

The first crucial step is to identify and uninstall any programs that might be responsible for the hijacking. Often, hijackers come bundled with legitimate-looking software or are installed inadvertently.

• On Windows PC:
  1. Navigate to Start (the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner).
  2. Click on Settings (the gear icon), then select Apps > Apps & Features.
  3. Review the list of installed programs for any unfamiliar, recently installed, or suspicious applications. Look for programs with generic names, those you don't remember installing, or those associated with the symptoms you're experiencing (e.g., strange search engines).
  4. Select the suspicious program in the list, then click Uninstall. Follow any on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation.
• On macOS:
  1. Open Finder.
  2. Go to Applications.
  3. Look for any suspicious applications you don't recognize.
  4. Drag the unwanted application's icon to the Trash (or right-click and select "Move to Trash").
  5. Empty the Trash.

2. Remove Malicious Browser Extensions

Browser extensions are a common way for hijackers to infiltrate your browser. Review and remove any extensions you don't recognize or trust.

• Once on the extensions page, carefully examine each entry.
• Disable or remove any extension that looks suspicious, was recently installed without your knowledge, or has poor reviews.
• When in doubt, disabling an extension is a good first step to see if it resolves the issue.

3. Reset Browser Settings

After removing suspicious programs and extensions, you'll need to reset your browser's homepage, new tab page, and search engine settings, as these are often altered by hijackers.

• Google Chrome:
  1. Go to Settings.
  2. In the "On startup" section, ensure "Open the New Tab page" or a trusted specific page is selected. Remove any unfamiliar URLs.
  3. In the "Search engine" section, set your preferred search engine.
  4. In the "Appearance" section, ensure the "Show home button" option points to your desired homepage or the New Tab page.
  5. Consider clicking "Reset settings" > "Restore settings to their original defaults" for a full reset.
• Mozilla Firefox:
  1. Go to Settings.
  2. In the "Home" panel, set your desired homepage and new tab page.
  3. In the "Search" panel, choose your default search engine.
  4. For a comprehensive reset, click the three lines (Menu) > Help > More troubleshooting information, then click "Refresh Firefox" (or "Reset Firefox").
• Microsoft Edge:
  1. Go to Settings.
  2. In the "Start, home, and new tabs" section, configure your desired startup pages.
  3. In the "Privacy, search, and services" section, scroll down to "Address bar and search" to manage your search engine.
  4. Consider clicking "Reset settings" > "Restore settings to their default values".

4. Check Browser Shortcuts

Browser hijackers can sometimes modify your browser's desktop shortcut to include a malicious URL, forcing it to open a specific page every time you launch it.

• On Windows:
  1. Right-click on your browser's desktop shortcut.
  2. Select Properties.
  3. Go to the Shortcut tab.
  4. Examine the Target field. If there's any text after the .exe (e.g., "...chrome.exe" http://malicioussite.com), delete the extra URL.
  5. Click Apply and then OK. Repeat for any pinned taskbar icons.
• On macOS:
  1. While less common, check any custom shortcuts in the Dock or Applications folder.

5. Review Startup Programs

Some hijackers are designed to launch every time your computer starts, maintaining control even after a reboot.

• On Windows:
  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Go to the Startup tab.
  3. Look for any unfamiliar entries with high impact or suspicious publishers.
  4. Right-click on them and select Disable.
• On macOS:
  1. Go to System Settings (or System Preferences).
  2. Click on General (or Users & Groups).
  3. Select Login Items.
  4. Remove any suspicious applications from starting automatically by selecting them and clicking the minus (-) button.

6. Clean Your Hosts File (Advanced)

The hosts file can redirect domain names to different IP addresses, sometimes manipulated by malware.

• On Windows:
  1. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc in File Explorer.
  2. Open the hosts file with Notepad (you might need administrator privileges).
  3. Look for any suspicious entries that redirect legitimate websites to unusual IP addresses.
  4. Delete any lines that look out of place (lines starting with # are comments and can be ignored).
  5. Save the file.

7. Run a Full System Scan

Even after manual removal, it's highly recommended to run a full scan with a reputable antivirus or anti-malware program to catch any remnants or other lurking threats. This ensures the hijacker is completely gone and no other malicious software remains.

By following these steps, you can effectively manually remove most browser hijackers and restore your browser to its original, secure state.