How to remove TrustedStart browser hijacker? — Fix Guide

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The TrustedStart search hijacker is an example of a common unwanted program; such programs are promoted massively these days. On this page you will see the comprehensive directions of “TrustedStart” hijacker elimination in several methods: using anti-malware programs and also hand-operated elimination procedure.
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TrustedStart – What is it?

“TrustedStart” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is promoted as a plugin for your internet browser. It is usually spread as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to browse some specific information, as an example, about sport events, make your web browser far more safe, enable downloading of any type of video clip, et cetera. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

However, the “TrustedStart” plugin is fairly ineffective due to the fact that all such features are currently embedded to your browser and/or Windows. Such advertising and marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. But occasionally even skilled users are getting caught on such an appeal. In specific cases, this hijacker is distributed along with free apps.

TrustedStart hijacker - Trustedstart.net

TrustedStart Search Hijacker

Here is a short details for the TrustedStart hijacker
NAME TrustedStart
Site Trustedstart.net
Hosting AS174 Cogent Communications
Netherlands, Zaandam
Infection Type Browser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address 50.7.120.106
Symptoms Changed search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behavior Search, Showmoreabout, Media
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How harmful is TrustedStart hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, TrustedStart hijacker is also quite harmful for browser use. It changes your search engine to its particular – Trustedstart.net, and additionally alters your background, adding its watermark on your background image (or, in some cases, changing it to default with the specified symptom).

Apart from seeable alterations done by TrustedStart hijacker, you might observe that a couple of your search questions are redirecting to the suspicious web pages, full of web links and ads – so-called doorway websites. Such sites can include web links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting surges if you attempt to launch Google search page by force.

However all these actions are a lot more frustrating than really hazardous. The greatest threat, primarily for individuals who have a huge amount of confidential information in their internet browsers, is installed in information gathering functions. Cookie files, chats, often-visited web pages, and various other activities are simply collected by TrustedStart hijacker.

How to remove TrustedStart 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 almost always very simple to deal with. In most cases, they have a separate app that can be seen in the list of installed applications. Because of the particular distribution method of TrustedStart hijacker, it can be easily tracked and removed manually. Nevertheless, if you got TrustedStart in the bundle with a free program, your personal computer may be contaminated with far more harmful malwaretrojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I’d recommend you use anti-malware tools to remove the TrustedStart PUA and all various other malware.

You can make use of Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of discovering and clearing away a wide range of malware, including named hijacker. Nevertheless, severe malware, that may exist on your personal computer in the discussed situation, can disable the Windows antivirus program by editing the Group Policies. To avoid such circumstances, it is far better to make use of GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and erase all unwanted applications 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 malware, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and folders.

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

You can see the detected malware sorted by their possible harm during the scan process. But to perform any actions against malware, you need to wait until the scan is finished, or to stop the scan.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware during the scan

To choose the action for each detected malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected virus. By default, all malware will be moved to quarantine.

List of the detected malware after the scan

Reverting browser settings to original ones

To reset your browser settings, you are required to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action is not able to be intercepted by any malicious program, hence, you will surely see the result. This option can be found in the Tools tab.

Tools tab in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

After choosing the Reset Browser Settings option, the menu will be shown, where you can specify, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Reset Browser Settings options

Deleteing TrustedStart 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 “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
  2. Reseting the Edge browser

  3. 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 :
  1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
  2. The first step to revert Mozilla Firefox

  3. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :
  4. The second step of Firefox restoration
    After choosing this option, you will see the next message :
    The last step for Firefox

If you use Google Chrome
  1. Open Settings tab, 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 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 :
  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 hijacker 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.

I need your help to share this guide.

Browser hijackers are among the largest 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 Woodham
How to Remove TrustedStart?

Name: TrustedStart

Description: TrustedStart - 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 TrustedStart?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with TrustedStart (Trustedstart.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

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References

  1. More information about PUAs
  2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender

About the author

Wilbur Woodham

I was a technical writer from early in my career, and consider IT Security one of my foundational skills. I’m sharing my experience here, and I hope you find it useful.

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