Sunday, July 14, 2013

Dealing with Browser Hijacking



Have you experienced a browser which runs sluggish in nature, starts up with a thousand uninvited redirect pages and pop-ups which you have not intended to open even once in your life? Have you recently experienced a barrage of ads on each page you browse that was once clean ? Have you started to view graphics redirecting you to web-porn in even the prime news sites you often open to hunt for news ?. Have you seen new and unheard toolbars and add-ons on your favourite browser which offer fake search results? Then you maybe the victim of Browser Hijacking,a not much recent phenomenon, which can compromise your PC security and online security as a whole.

This is a situation where primarily Scammers use malicious software to take control of your computer's Internet browser and change how and what it displays when you're surfing the web. You can keep the hijackers away by keeping your computer updated with the latest security software updates and practice safe Internet browsing. The following instructions can help you to keep defended against compromised security, and malicious attacks accompanying this type of threat:

  1. Check using the test listed here if your computer is infected with malware.
  2. Apart from antivirus and antispyware check, 'Hijackthis' and 'CWShredder' are good tools to enumerate  browser and system security against malware.
  3. Check you browser settings and go through the plugins/add-ons and disable/uninstall any malicious/unintended entries in this sections.
  4. Check toolbars section in browser menu and disable those which you have not intentionally enabled.
  5. Check you ‘hosts’ file (at C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc)and remove any entries other than : #       127.0.0.1       localhost      and  #            ::1             localhost
  6. Check the advanced security setting in your browser using the US-CERT guide: http://www.us-cert.gov/publications/securing-your-web-browser
  7. Norton Power Eraser is a free, downloadable tool that uses aggressive methods to detect threats related to browser hijack.Check the link https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/kb20100811171926EN_EndUserProfile_en_us)
The above read may be time-consuming and steps listed shall be painful for those who can’t wait much…But devoting some time towards this can be a life-saving one for most of you.