Wyciwyg redirect virus (Virus Removal Guide) - Tutorial
Wyciwyg redirect virus Removal Guide
What is Wyciwyg redirect virus?
Wyciwyg redirect virus bothers Mozilla Firefox users
Wyciwyg redirect virus is a version of Firefox redirect virus. The main sign of the virus is added “wyciwyg” in front of the URL address. It might go along with “http” protocol or replace it. Sometimes due to the changed address, users sometimes cannot access particular websites or have to deal with other browsing-related problems.
Wyciwyg is an abbreviation for What You Cache Is What You Get.[1] Firefox uses this protocol when the browser retrieves cached website information. However, users are not supposed to see it. Thus, if you have noticed this link, the problem might be related to cache. Thus, users should clean the cache and find out if it was the case.
However, seeing wyciwyg:// redirect might also be related to AdBlock extension bug. In this case, the problem is easily fixed by disabling and enabling the extension or updating it. However, if these simple tips do not work, the problem might be bigger.
Seeing link:wyciwyg in the address bar might also report about malware attack. Some users report that they also noticed new browser’s tabs opening automatically. It seems that Firefox forces them to visit various promotional websites, for instance, gaming or gambling sites.
Although Wyciwyg is a component related to Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer users also report seeing this link in the address bar. This situation is a clear symptom of the virus attack. Thus, Wyciwyg redirect removal must be completed immediately.
Users can also suspect that they got infected with Wyciwyg redirect malware if they update AdBlock, clear cookies, cache and uninstalled and reinstalled Mozilla Firefox, and these activities do not stop. If you found yourself in such situation, you should not hesitate and get rid of the problem.
If you suspect that these browser-related issues are related to the virus infection, you should scan your device with FortectIntego or another anti-malware tool and remove Wyciwyg redirect virus automatically.
Browser-related problems might begin after incorrect installation of freeware
If Wyciwyg redirect problems are not related to cache or AdBlock, it’s undoubtedly a virus attack. Usually, these cyber infections are related to adware, browser hijackers or other potentially unwanted programs that spread in software packages. Therefore, if you have agreed to use Quick/Advanced settings to install downloaded a free program, some potentially unwanted application may have sneaked in as well.
To avoid Firefox redirect problems and issues with other web browsers, you should always go for the Advanced/Custom installation method that allows adjusting installation agreements.[2] Thus, this setup allows seeing the list of optional downloads and allows rejecting installation of undesired apps.
Fixing Wyciwyg redirect problems
In the beginning, we have mentioned that Wyciwyg redirect issues might be fixed by cleaning cache or/and updating AdBlock. Therefore, first of all, you have to follow simplest methods and hope that they will work.
Update AdBlock
The issue mostly appears in Firefox web browser. Therefore, we have explained how to update the extension for this browser. If the same problem occurred on another web browser, you could find instructions for them here.
- Type about:addons in the URL bar.
- Click the gear icon at the top of the page and open the add-on tools menu.
- Check that Update Add-ons Automatically is selected.
- Choose Check for Updates option.
Clear cache
Deleting cache from Firefox might also help to remove Wyciwyg redirect problems. Thus, follow these steps:
- Click the menu button and go to Preferences.
- Go to Advanced.
- Open the Network tab.
- Under Cached Web content section, you should see “Clear Now” button. Click it.
- Close the about:preferences page.
Wyciwyg redirect removal
If you are dealing with a Wyciwyg redirect virus, you should scan your device with anti-malware software and let it identify the malicious program that causes these problems. However, if you do not want to use additional software, you can try to locate these entries manually by following the instructions below.
However, researchers from Norway[3] claim that the best way to get rid of unknown cyber infections is to employ professional software. Therefore, if you see unknown activities in your web browser, you should let reputable tools to take care of your device.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Wyciwyg redirect virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Follow these instructions to terminate Wyciwyg redirect virus from Windows OS entirely:
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
If you noticed wyciwyg:// redirect in the address bar, you should make sure that any suspicious programs haven't been installed to your device.
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Follow these steps to fix Firefox redirect virus:
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data…
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
These guidelines will help you to fix all suspicious activities on Google Chrome:
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Follow these instructions to fix Safari after the hijack:
Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Wyciwyg redirect registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting stealing programs
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
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- ^ WYCIWYG. Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia.
- ^ Tim Fisher. How to Safely Download & Install Software. Lifewire. Tech how-to guides and tutorials.
- ^ Viruset. Viruse. Norwegian security news and malware removal tutorials.