Superstar3.io Redirect: How to Remove Browser Hijacker?

Seeing the redirection to SuperStar3 means that you are infected with search hijacker malware. Such a virus modifies your web browser in order to gain profits on promotions.

The browser hijacker that routes you to the SuperStar3.io website has a promotion contract. Even though it looks more annoying than threatening, it can mess up your system as well as regular malware. In particular, it can route you to scam websites, that are disguised as legit sites and aim at stealing your login information. In this article, I will explain the way this hijacker appeared and how to remove SuperStar3 from your system.

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

Removing SuperStar3 manually may take hours and may damage your PC in the process. I recommend you to download GridinSoft Anti-Malware for threats removal. Allows to complete scan and cure your PC during the trial period.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware 6-day trial available.
EULA | Privacy Policy | 10% Off Coupon

Subscribe to our Telegram channel to be the first to know about news and our exclusive materials on information security.

SuperStar3.io Hijacker

“SuperStar3” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA), that is spread as a plugin for your internet browser. It is usually shared as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that aids in searching some specific info, for instance, about sports events, making your web browser much more secure, enabling downloading of any kind of video, and so on. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

However, the “SuperStar3” is quite pointless because all such features are already embedded to your web browser and/or system. Such advertising and marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users. But sometimes even expert users are getting caught on such an appeal. In specific instances, this hijacker is distributed together with free tools.

SuperStar3 Search Hijacker

Here is a short details for the SuperStar3 hijacker

How harmful is SuperStar3 hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, SuperStar3 hijacker is also considerably hazardous for web browser utilization. It changes your search engine to its specific – Superstar3.io, and additionally alters your background, adding its watermark on your background image (or, occasionally, altering it to default with the mentioned symptom).

In addition to seeable adjustments done by SuperStar3 hijacker, you can observe that a couple of your search questions are redirecting to the uncertain web pages, filled with web links and promotions – so-called doorway sites. Such sites can include web links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting rises if you attempt to start a Google search page forcibly.

However all these activities are more frustrating than really harmful. The most significant hazard, especially for people who have a considerable amount of confidential information in their internet browsers, is embedded in data gathering capabilities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited websites, and other activities are simply collected by SuperStar3 hijacker.

How to remove SuperStar3 search hijacker?

• Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
• Open GridinSoft Anti-Malware and perform a “Standard scan“.
• “Move to quarantine” all items.
• Open the “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
• Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
• Restart your computer.

Browser hijackers are almost always very easy to remove. Most of the time, they have an independent app that can be found in the list of installed software. Because of the specific marketing way of SuperStar3 hijacker, it can be quickly tracked and removed by hand.

However, if you got SuperStar3 in the bundle with a free program, your PC can be infected with much more major malware – trojans, spyware, or even ransomware. That’s why I’d advise you to use anti-malware tools to remove the SuperStar3 PUA and all other malware.

Remove SuperStar3 with Gridinsoft Anti-Malware

We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common browser hijackers as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove SuperStar3 as well as other malware hiding on your computer.

To use Gridinsoft for remove malicious threats, follow the steps below:

1. Begin by downloading Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, accessible via the blue button below or directly from the official website gridinsoft.com.

2.Once the Gridinsoft setup file (setup-gridinsoft-fix.exe) is downloaded, execute it by clicking on the file.

3.Follow the installation setup wizard's instructions diligently.

4. Access the "Scan Tab" on the application's start screen and launch a comprehensive "Full Scan" to examine your entire computer. This inclusive scan encompasses the memory, startup items, the registry, services, drivers, and all files, ensuring that it detects malware hidden in all possible locations.

Be patient, as the scan duration depends on the number of files and your computer's hardware capabilities. Use this time to relax or attend to other tasks.

5. Upon completion, Anti-Malware will present a detailed report containing all the detected malicious items and threats on your PC.

6. Select all the identified items from the report and confidently click the "Clean Now" button. This action will safely remove the malicious files from your computer, transferring them to the secure quarantine zone of the anti-malware program to prevent any further harmful actions.

8. If prompted, restart your computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. This step is crucial to ensure thorough removal of any remaining threats. After the restart, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware will open and display a message confirming the completion of the scan.

Remember Gridinsoft offers a 6-day free trial. This means you can take advantage of the trial period at no cost to experience the full benefits of the software and prevent any future malware infections on your system. Embrace this opportunity to fortify your computer's security without any financial commitment.

Trojan Killer for “SuperStar3” removal on locked PC

In situations where it becomes impossible to download antivirus applications directly onto the infected computer due to malware blocking access to websites, an alternative solution is to utilize the Trojan Killer application.

There is a really little number of security tools that are able to be set up on the USB drives, and antiviruses that can do so in most cases require to obtain quite an expensive license. For this instance, I can recommend you to use another solution of GridinSoft - Trojan Killer Portable. It has a 14-days cost-free trial mode that offers the entire features of the paid version. This term will definitely be 100% enough to wipe malware out.

Trojan Killer is a valuable tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping you to effectively remove malware from infected computers. Now, we will walk you through the process of using Trojan Killer from a USB flash drive to scan and remove malware on an infected PC. Remember, always obtain permission to scan and remove malware from a computer that you do not own.

Step 1: Download & Install Trojan Killer on a Clean Computer:

1. Go to the official GridinSoft website (gridinsoft.com) and download Trojan Killer to a computer that is not infected.

2. Insert a USB flash drive into this computer.

3. Install Trojan Killer to the "removable drive" following the on-screen instructions.

4. Once the installation is complete, launch Trojan Killer.

Step 2: Update Signature Databases:

5. After launching Trojan Killer, ensure that your computer is connected to the Internet.

6. Click "Update" icon to download the latest signature databases, which will ensure the tool can detect the most recent threats.

Step 3: Scan the Infected PC:

7. Safely eject the USB flash drive from the clean computer.

8. Boot the infected computer to the Safe Mode.

9. Insert the USB flash drive.

10. Run tk.exe

11. Once the program is open, click on "Full Scan" to begin the malware scanning process.

Step 4: Remove Found Threats:

12. After the scan is complete, Trojan Killer will display a list of detected threats.

13. Click on "Cure PC!" to remove the identified malware from the infected PC.

14. Follow any additional on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.

Step 5: Restart Your Computer:

15. Once the threats are removed, click on "Restart PC" to reboot your computer.

16. Remove the USB flash drive from the infected computer.

Congratulations on effectively removing SuperStar3 and the concealed threats from your computer! You can now have peace of mind, knowing that they won't resurface again. Thanks to Gridinsoft's capabilities and commitment to cybersecurity, your system is now protected.

Deleteing SuperStar3 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:

1. Open the “Settings and more” tab in the upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose the “Reset settings” option:



2. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating the settings which will be reverted to the original:

For Mozilla Firefox, do the next actions:

1. Open the Menu tab (three strips in the upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “Troubleshooting information”:



2. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option:


After choosing this option, you will see the next message :

If you use Google Chrome

1. Open the Settings tab, and find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button:



2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults”:



3. 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

1. Open the Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click the “Advanced” option, and choose the “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:



2. 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 time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijackers must be stopped as soon as possible, because of the 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.