It is believed that browser hijackers (Type of Virus) may have originated from a group of software companies in Tel Aviv, Israel, called Download Valley, which produce software that monetizes free software. Some of the software these companies produce are adware, spyware, and hijackers.
Some of the software these companies produce are adware, spyware, and hijackers. Some of the most popular hijackers known on the Web are the Babylon Toolbar, Conduit Search or Search Protect, CoolWebSearch, SourceForge Installer, OneWebSearch, Snap.do, and Sweet Page.
“Hide My History” is the name of a browser hijacker, a potentially unwanted application (PUA) that promotes hidemyhistory.co, the address of a fake search engine. Generally, browser hijackers promote these addresses by changing certain browser settings. Furthermore, most apps of this type operate as information tracking tools and collect browsing data. Generally, people download and install browser hijackers (and other PUAs) inadvertently.Hide My History is installed together with another PUA called Your Search Tool.
Another is a CWS browser hijacker., famed for peddling porn, several dozen readers sent e-mails in which they claimed to have lost or almost lost jobs. In another case, a man claims that a browser hijacker sent him to jail after compromising images of children were found on his work computer by an employer, who then reported him to law enforcement authorities.
Browser hijacking, also called Search hijacking at it’s best is a headache, but at its worst, can be a real danger to your personal, specifically financial, security.Browser hijackers gather information of addresses of visited websites entered search queries, geolocations, IP addresses, and other browsing data,
Browser Hijacking” is a form of unwanted software that modifies a web browser’s settings without a user’s permission. this program redirects your browser to a page that will benefit that hacker by any means. This benefit can be in the form of an increase in traffic on the hacker’s site too.
This malicious software modifies a user’s web browser, in order to redirect their browser to a specified location, preventing you from reaching your intended destination and to force hits and generate advertising revenue.
Sometimes it carries a payload to install software such as keystroke loggers, stealing potentially damaging data like your banking or e-mail authentication details.
There are several ways of installing this malicious software into your device
1,By email
2.By any malicious link.
3.Sometimes it comes bundled with any other software that is already installed on your device.
4.Peer-to-Peer file sharing.
5.Data sharing using infected devices.
6.Clicking on ads while playing games online.
7.Updating software by redirecting links.
How to find if your browser has been hijacked?
1.Your home page has changed without your consent
2.Your default search engine has changed without your consent
3.You’re unable to reach certain web pages
4.You are being redirected to pages you never intended to visit
5.You are receiving unusual, unrelated or unwarranted ads or pop-ups
6.New toolbars, bookmarks or favorites have been added without your consent
7.Your web browser starts running sluggishly
How to prevent Browser Hijacking?
1. Check your browser for any add-ons or extensions you do not recognize and remove them.
2. Check your installed programs and see if there isn’t anything suspicious that was installed lately (If there is, simply remove them).
3. Keep Your OS and Browser-Software Updated
4. Use an Antivirus Software’s ‘Real-Time Protection’ Feature
5.Malwarebytes Free is one of the most popular and most used anti-malware software for Windows, and for good reasons. It is able to destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss, without costing you absolutely nothing. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.
I have been using Malware free on my mackbook and Mac since long and very effectively
