The redirection of websites to different pages, when it is not caused by those advertisements where just clicking a popup or a new tab opens, is called " Hijacking " and is a type of malware that affects internet browsing in different ways, preventing the opening of some sites, making others open of advertising or displaying deceptive messages that push the user to download viruses or malicious programs. Browser hijacking occurs when it turns out that one or more internet connection settings have been changed without permission . This can happen when installing a new program, plugin or extension.
Hijackers can hijack any type of browser, be it Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome or Opera.
A malware Hijacker can be an extension if we talk about Chrome or Firefox or what is called Internet Explorer or Windows Browser Helper Object or BHO . Basically these are small programs that are intended to enrich the browsing experience and load together with the browser. If a BHO, extension, addon, toolbar or plug-in is installed on the browser with malicious intent, that is a browser hijacker or Hijacker.
Speaking in particular, when the browser is hijacked, the symptoms can be the following:
- The Home page has changed;
- The default search engine has changed;
- Inability to browse certain sites;
- If you are redirected to web pages that you didn't want to visit;
- See unusual advertisements, which have nothing to do with the site you visit (for example, advertisements on Google or Facebook very large or which do not try first).
- New button bars or toolbars appear
- Favorite sites that have never been seen before
- Icons of sites or online games that appeared on the desktop
- The browser loads very slowly.
If you encounter one or more of these problems, it means that there is malware and that the web browser can be compromised.
To run for cover, remove this malware and protect the browser from navigation redirects, from adware, spyware or, more generally, from browser hijackers you can use a simple and automatic program, rather recent, which has become the best you can can use. I'm talking about ADWCleaner, an excellent tool that analyzes the computer and helps to easily remove just this type of infections that interact with the internet browser.
All malicious extensions, unwanted programs, plugins, BHOs and toolbars are checked and, if not good, removed or at least reported as being removed. It also checks every browser setting, any proxies and DNS configuration.
If you want a second or even a third opinion and look further, in addition to ADWCleaner you can also use other excellent and reliable programs such as:
- WinPatrol, a useful freeware that alerts you whenever changes are made to the system.
- Auslogics Browser Care to manage all browser settings, plugins and extensions
- Avast CleanUp to clean unnecessary extensions and toolbars from Chrome, Firefox and IE
- HijackThis, simple tool that lists all potential hijackers.
To do a manual check and to solve every browser problem then you can follow the guides for:
- Change settings in browsers modified by malware, adware and toolbars
- Reset Firefox, Chrome, IE to default settings
