Get rid of Mail.ru virus from all web browsers completely

Mail.ru redirect might indicate a presence of a potentially unwanted application

Mail.ru is a website that has been actively promoted with the help of potentially unwanted programs (PUP). It operates as a browser hijacker^[1] and mostly targets Russian-speaking^[2] users. In most cases, people experience suspicious redirects to this site after a certain event on the system, mainly, when a new browser extension or application is installed on the device. There could be many different apps that promote Mail.ru, so its removal varies from person to person. The threat mostly aims at Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers, although other browsing tools can be affected as well.

Once inside the computer, the virus redirects them to desired locations by presenting forged search results. As a result, the PUP negatively affects the performance of your browser or device in general. One of the most common symptoms of browser hijacking is changes made not only to the homepage/new tab URL but also to the search provider. For example, if you previously used google.com for your searches, now you would see an alternative provider instead, namely, Mail.ru.

Another distinctive trait of a hijacker is its ability to insert promotional links at the top of search results. These links might sometimes show misleading information or urge users to subscribe to useless services. Thus, we strongly recommend staying away from ads at the top of the results provided by this hijacker.

Name	Mail.ru
Type	Browser hijacker/adware/PUP
Detection	PUP.Optional.MailRu; Adware.MailRu
Main targets	Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers
Useful features stated	A legitimate source of Russian news
Main issues	Delivers intrusive ads, redirects to sponsored websites that are filled with suspicious content, tracks its victims and collects various user-related data
Distribution	Software bundles, third-party websites
System changes	Changes the homepage, the default search engine, the new tab page
Elimination	You can uninstall potentially unwanted applications manually (we provide the instructions below) or rely on SpyHunter Combo Cleaner security software for automatic removal
Additional steps	Repair virus damage and clean your browsers with Fortect Intego PC maintenance and repair utility

Mail ru virus is designed to take control over the targeted web browsers and users’ browsing habits. This browser hijacker might:

set hxxp://go.mail.ru/search as a search provider and default start page;
include sponsored links among search results;
redirect to suspicious third-party websites;
display ads, pop-ups, in-text, and other types of commercial content on visited websites;
track information about users;
prevent users from Go.mail.ru removal.

As you can see, the program that promotes the suspicious page is designed to complicate browsing sessions on the affected computer. One of the most annoying features is that users cannot set their preferred startup page and built-in search engine due to the hijacker’s functionality.

The virus protects itself by installing additional browser add-ons and extensions which will automatically set the malicious domain as a homepage once the user tries to delete or reset them. It is also known that the hijacker creates C:\Program Files (x86)\Mail.Ru\ and C:\Users\Home\AppData\Local\Mail.Ru folders in the system.

However, the removal is still possible and recommended due to suspicious redirect tendencies and possible privacy-related issues. For quick hijacker elimination, you should use SpyHunter Combo Cleaner and then either reset the browser or clean it with Fortect Intego (you can also do it manually – we explain how below).

Go.mail.ru virus

Redirects might bring you to malicious websites

Mail.ru virus forces people to use a questionable search engine that might contain links to highly suspicious sites. Some of the links on the results page might be altered, meaning that you might be tricked into clicking sponsored links that barely have something in common with the information you searched for.

However, the main issues related to the redirect tendencies are that the hijacker might trick you into visiting phishing, tech support scam, or infected websites.^[3] Therefore, your chances to suffer from cybercrime increase after browser hijack.

Nevertheless, the Mail ru virus is not dangerous itself; it creates the right conditions to browse through insecure or potentially harmful sites. Keep in mind that the same problem exists with ads that might be displayed on any website too.

Go.mail.ru browser hijacker

The problem with ads displayed by the virus is that they might look legitimate and useful. However, the reason why is very simple. The PUP can collect information about your browsing activities, including search queries, browsing history, IP address, and other personally non-identifiable information with the help of tracking cookies^[4] and web beacons.^[5]

Aggregated details help to display targeted ads that you are more willing to click. Keep in mind that authors of the hijacker generate revenue from ad clicks and boost traffic to sponsored sites. To make as much money as possible, the hijacker might display an enormous amount of commercial content which diminishes the browsing experience. Hence, it’s necessary to remove the infection to get back to safe browsing.

Freeware bundles may contain browser hijackers

As you already know, Go.mail.ru is a Russian website, but it does not imply that you can only infect your computer if you live in this specific region, visit Russian websites, or download software originating from this country. In fact, this potentially unwanted program mainly travels via software bundles, so there is no actual difference to what programs is it attached to.

The important thing is to know how to disclose such programs and stop them from being installed on your computer. Fortunately, it is quite simple. When installing new programs on your computer, choose “Advanced” installation settings and follow the installation stages carefully. If some shady software package components emerge, eliminate them immediately and proceed with the installation safely.

Go.mail.ru

Get rid of browser hijacker

After a browser hijack, many users struggle with the removal process of the unwanted program. The hijacker might be hard to remove because it might alter the browser’s settings and Windows Registry. Hence, all the attempts to change this Russian website with a preferred startup page are designed to fail.

However, if you are looking for a way to eliminate it after countless attempts, we recommend installing anti-malware software and scanning the system. You can find our suggested removal tools below, or you can choose any other reliable anti-malware/anti-spyware.

Additionally, you can follow our prepared instructions at the end of the article and opt for manual Go.mail.ru removal. This method requires uninstalling suspicious extensions from the browser. Keep in mind that the name of the app might be literally anything, and even seemingly trusted add-ons might sometimes be the reason for browser hijacking.

Don't forget that one of the main reasons why browser hijackers return is due to incomplete removal procedures. Therefore, make sure you either reset your browsers or clean them appropriately as we explain below.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.

Remove the unwanted program:

In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).

Delete leftover files and folders:

Select Go > Go to Folder.
Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

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 Remove.

Clear cookies and other browser data:

Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (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 Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

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.

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.
This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

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 the unwanted extension and click Remove.

Reset the homepage:

Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
Choose Settings.
Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

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 and Temporary cached files and pages, then click 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

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 suspicious extensions 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

Remove dangerous extensions:

Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.

Clear history and website data:

Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.

Reset Safari:

Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.