SmashTab search hijacker is an illustration of an average unwanted program; such applications are distributed enormously nowadays. In this post you will see the complete instructions of SmashTab hijacker elimination in different ways: utilizing anti-malware software and also hand-operated removal procedure.
About SmashTab hijacker origins
SmashTab search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is distributed as a plugin for your web browser. It is typically shared as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that aids to browse some special details, for example, about sporting activity events, make your web browser a lot more secure, allow downloading of any kind of web video, and so on.
Nonetheless, the SmashTab plugin is pretty pointless due to the fact that all such features are currently embedded to your browser and/or Windows. Such advertising slogans are targeted on low-skilled computer users, such as pensioners or schoolchildren. But sometimes even expert users are getting caught on such an attraction. In specific cases, this hijacker is spread together with free apps.
Here is a details for the SmashTab hijacker
| Site | smashtab.net |
| Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. United States, New York City |
| Infection Type | Browser Hijacker, Unwanted Application |
| IP Address | 172.67.154.108 |
| Symptoms | Changed search engine; search queries redirection |
| Similar behavior | Searching.moviefinder365.com, PDFSearchz, PDFConverterSearch4free |
| Fix Tool | To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC |
How harmful is SmashTab hijacker?
Besides its impracticality, SmashTab hijacker is additionally rather hazardous for web browser usage. It alters your search engine to its specific – smashtab.net, and likewise modifies your background, putting its watermark on your background image (or, occasionally, altering it to default with the mentioned sign).
Besides visual changes done by SmashTab hijacker, you can see that several of your search queries are redirecting to the unfamiliar web pages, filled with links and advertisements – so-called doorway websites. Such sites can contain the links for malware downloading. The possibility of redirecting boosts if you try to open Google search page forcibly.
But all these actions are much more frustrating than really hazardous. The biggest danger, particularly for people who have a lot of secret information in their web browsers, is embedded in data collecting functions. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited web pages as well as various other activities are simply gathered by SmashTab hijacker.
How to remove SmashTab search hijacker?
- Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
- Open GridinSoft Anti-Malware and perform a “Standard scan“.
- “Move to quarantine” all items.
- Open “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
- Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
- Restart your computer.
Browser hijackers are generally quite very easy to delete. Most of the times, they have an independent application that can be spotted in the list of installed applications. Because of the certain distribution manner of SmashTab hijacker, it can be conveniently tracked and removed by hand. Nevertheless, if you got SmashTab in the bundle with a free program( s), your system can be infected with a lot more serious malware – trojans, spyware and even ransomware. That’s why I ‘d suggest you to make use of anti-malware tools to deal with the SmashTab PUA and all other malware.
You can utilize Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of detecting and removing various malware, including named hijacker. Nevertheless, severe malware, that may exist on your personal computer in the discussed instance, can disable the Windows antimalware program by editing the Group Policies. To stay clear of such circumstances, it is far better to use GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
To detect and remove all unwanted programs on your personal computer with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to utilize Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the malicious apps, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and folders.
You can see the detected malicious programs sorted by their possible harm simultaneously with the scan process. But to perform any actions against malicious apps, you need to wait until the scan is finished, or to stop the scan.
To choose the action for every spotted malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of detected malicious app. By default, all malware will be moved to quarantine.
Reset browser settings to original ones
To revert your browser settings, you are required to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action cannot be intercepted by any virus, hence, you will surely see the result. This option can be located in the Tools tab.
After pressing the Reset Browser Settings option, the menu will be displayed, where you can choose, which settings will be reverted to original.
Deleteing SmashTab hijacker manually
Besides using anti-malware software for browser restoration, you may choose the “Reset browser settings” function, which is usually embedded in all popular browsers.
To reset Edge, do the following steps :
- Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
- After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :
For Mozilla Firefox, do the next actions :
- Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
- In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :
After choosing this option, you will see the next message :
If you use Google Chrome
- Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
- In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
- Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
Opera can be reset in the next way
- Open Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click “Advanced” option, and choose “Browser” button in the drop-down list. Scroll down, to the bottom of the settings menu. Find there “Restore settings to their original defaults” option :
- After clicking the “Restore settings…” button, you will see the window, where all settings, which will be reset, are shown :
As an afterword, I want to say that the time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of possibility of other malware injection. This malware can be downloaded autonomously, or offered for you to download in one of the windows with advertisements, which are shown to you by the hijacker. You need to act as fast as you can.
I need your help to share this guide.
Browser hijackers are among the most large and also disruptive kinds of malware. I published this article to help you, so I wish you will help me to make the computer world completely clean of malware. Please, share this article in the social networks you use – Twitter, Reddit, Facebook – wherever.
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Wilbur WoodhamHow to Remove SmashTab?
Name: SmashTab
Description: SmashTab - a lot of users became a victim of browser hijacker. I have a lot of friends who literally bombed me with the questions like “how to remove SmashTab?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with SmashTab (Smashtab.net), which may corrupt your browser’s correct performance, and create a lot of troubles while you are working.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Browser Hijacker
User Review
( votes)References
- More information about PUAs
- Detailed review of Microsoft Defender
