What is XI Tabs browser plugin? — Fix Guide

Seeing the redirection to XI Tabs means that you are infected with browser hijacker malware. Such a virus tries to modify your browser in order to gain profits on advertising.

Hijacker that redirects your queries to XI Tabs site most probably has a promotion contract. While it looks more annoying than threatening, it can mess up your system as good as full-size malware. In particular, it can throw your queries to fraudulent websites, that resemble legit sites and aim at stealing your credentials. In this post, I will explain how did this hijacker appeared and how to remove XI Tabs from your system.

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

Removing XI Tabs 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.

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XI Tabs Hijacker Overview

“XI Tabs” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is distributed as a plugin for your web browser. It is usually advertised as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that helps to search some special information, as an example, about sporting activity events, make your browser much more safe, enable downloading of any web video, and so on. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

However, the “XI Tabs” plugin is quite pointless due to the fact that all such features are already integrated to your web browser and/or Windows. Such marketing mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users. But sometimes even professional users are getting caught on such a lure. In certain instances, this hijacker is distributed along with free software.

XI Tabs Search Hijacker

Here is a details for the XI Tabs hijacker

How harmful is XI Tabs hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, XI Tabs hijacker is likewise pretty harmful for browser use. It alters your search engine to its specific – Xitabs.com, and additionally changes your background, adding its watermark on your background image (or, sometimes, changing it to default with the specified symptom).

In addition to viewable changes done by XI Tabs hijacker, you can see that many of your search questions are redirecting to the dubious sites, full of web links and advertisements – so-called doorway websites. Such websites can contain links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting increases if you try to open Google search page by force.

However all these actions are a lot more bothersome than truly harmful. The most significant danger, specifically for people who have a lot of confidential information in their browsers, is installed in information collecting capabilities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited web pages, and other activities are simply gathered by XI Tabs hijacker.

How to remove XI Tabs 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 often rather very easy to deal with. In most cases, they have a separate app that can be seen in the list of installed software. As a result of the particular distribution method of XI Tabs hijacker, it can be quickly tracked and erased manually.

Nonetheless, if you got XI Tabs in the package with a free program, your system can be contaminated with far more serious malware – trojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I’d advise you make use of anti-malware programs to delete the XI Tabs PUA and all various other malware.

Remove XI Tabs 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 XI Tabs 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 “XI Tabs” 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 XI Tabs 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 XI Tabs 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. 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. 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 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.

1. More information bout PUAs on GridinSoft Threat Encyclopedia