You just woke up and made a fresh cup of coffee. You decide to open your laptop, fire up your favorite web browser to check the hottest news when suddenly, some odd-looking icons appear on your browser. You try to recall what actions you have done that might have caused the changes to happen. But unfortunately, you don’t remember anything. Isn’t that frustrating?
Well, we’ve all been in the same situation. We’ve all become victims to browser hijacking. Don’t you worry too much. Browser hijackers can be easily gotten rid of. In fact, you can quickly restore your browser to a cleaner version. In this article, we’ll teach you how to remove one popular browser hijacker today: the WebNavigatorBrowser browser hijacker.
Browser Hijacking Defined
Before we kick off, let us first define browser hijacking.
Browser hijacking happens when an unwanted software program modifies the settings of a web browser without the permission or knowledge of the user. When a browser is hijacked, the default home page may change or the search engine may be changed to a different one. Aside from that, random ads may be displayed on the websites you visit or pop-up advertisement windows appear anywhere.
The purpose of these actions is to simply redirect the user to the hijacker’s page to increase traffic. Hackers want to get as many clicks as possible because they are paid by the number of clicks the ads will get. This only means that whenever more traffic is generated to the website, the higher the profit will be.
Unfortunately, in some extreme cases, browser hijackers can cause serious issues are they can manipulate browsers and make them download malicious entities. They can even steal your sensitive information, such as credit card number. The hackers can then sell your data to third parties or use them for identity theft.
What this all implies is that if you suspect that your device has been infected by a browser hijacker, you need to take action and remove it right away.
In the next section, we introduce you to the notorious WebNavigatorBrowser browser hijacker.
The WebNavigatorBrowser is a browser hijacker that installs its extension on your Chromium browser. It also adds a toolbar on your Windows desktop.
Because of its sneaky nature, not many users can quickly identify the hijacker. This is because it looks like the ordinary Chrome browser. To help you identify the presence of WebNavigatorBrowser on your device, here are some changes to look out for:
- Your default homepage is changed to the WebNavigatorBrowser site
- Every new tab you open leads you to the WebNavigatorBrowser site
- Browser queries that you perform are redirected to the WebNavigatorBrowser Search
- A WebNavigatorBrowser Chromium-based browser is unknowingly installed on your device
- Advertisements show in random places
- Browser pop-ups recommend fake software updates
- Website links redirect you to different sites
Once you have confirmed that your device has been infected, what to do about the WebNavigatorBrowser malware? Of course, you need to remove it as soon as possible. Otherwise, you will suffer the consequences mentioned above.
Getting rid of the WebNavigatorBrowser malware is easy. Simply follow the actions recommended below in the order they are presented:
In this step, you will have to check if the hijacker has been installed on your PC. Sometimes, this program disguises as a legitimate program, so you need to be extra careful.
To remove it from Windows 10/11, do the following:
- Click the Start button and select Settings.
- Go to Apps and click Apps and Features.
- A list of installed programs will appear on your screen. Locate the WebNavigatorBrowser program and click on it.
- Hit the Uninstall button.
- Confirm the uninstallation of the program by clicking on Uninstall once again.
- Follow the onscreen prompts. Read all the instructions carefully to ensure no malicious entity sneaks through.
Step 2: Use a malware scanner to remove the hijacker
If signs of the browser hijacker still appear, you may use a malware scanner to remove the browser hijacker. There are plenty of free anti-malware programs out there that effectively removes malware entities like the WebNavigatorBrowser. Choose one that can destroy different types of malware without costing you a lot.
When downloading an antivirus suite, be sure you download from an official and trusted website. Remember, we want to get rid of a browser hijacker and not to add more problems.
One program we recommend is Outbyte Anti-Malware. When it comes to cleaning up malware-infected devices, this program has proven itself effective in fighting against malware.
Step 3: Reset your browser settings
To ensure no traces of the browser hijacker are left, reset your web browser settings to their default. Take note that this step should only be performed after the first two steps have been performed. Else, you will end up repeating the process again and again.
To reset your browser settings, here’s what you should do:
- Open Google Chrome.
- Click on the three-dotted menu.
- Select Settings.
- Scroll down to the bottom part of the web page and click Advanced.
- Navigate to the Reset and clean up section.
- Click on the Reset settings to their original defaults option.
- A confirmation dialog box will now appear. Click the Reset Settings button.
Wrapping Up
If your computer has been attacked by a browser hijacker, you need to revert all the changes it has done to your browsers. First, you need to uninstall any unknown programs and applications on your PC. Next, reset all your web browsers. Remove any odd-looking extension, and then clean your browser’s cache. After that, remove any accounts that may be linked to your browser. It is possible that the hijacker may be syncing your data or making any unwanted changes. And then, locate any junk files on your PC and remove them. Finally, perform a complete virus scan to ensure no threats are hiding on your system folders. Easy, right?
Let us know other ways to remove browser hijackers from your computer! Comment them below.