Cranchit.com (Virus Removal Instructions) - Easy Removal Guide
Cranchit.com Removal Guide
What is Cranchit.com?
Cranchit.com – a browser hijacker that redirects all searchers to Yahoo
Cranchit.com is a website that users who have installed potentially unwanted programs[1] might see as their homepage on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or another web browser. The site claims that it can enhance the web browsing experience for users by providing additional functions such as Currency, Crypto, or PDF converters, which can be accessed via the main page. While such functionality might seem like a useful addition to users' browsers, it is important to note that Cranchit.com is related to browser hijacking, information tracking, and the delivery of commercial content from unknown affiliates.
While there are several different applications that could be related to the Cranchit.com hijack, most of them are typically delivered with the help of deceptive techniques, such as software bundling or fake updates. In other cases, users might install an app without knowing its operation principles fully.
| Name | Cranchit.com |
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
| Infiltration | In most cases, users install browser hijackers unintentionally via freeware bundles or after being tricked by a fake update prompt; however, sometimes the installation might be a result of a deliberate action, as some many might not be aware that the app in question has browser-hijacking properties |
| Symptoms |
|
| Risks | While browser hijackers pose minimal risks to users, they are often users to track information about them, and also direct them to potentially dangerous websites. As a result, users might install additional PUPs or even malware, or expose personal information to unknown parties |
| Termination | You can use manual removal guide below or scan your machine with reputable anti-malware for automatic option |
| Optimization | If you found malicious software on your system, you can repair the OS with the help of FortectIntego after malware elimination |
While the settling of Cranchit.com on the web browser might be caused by various random apps, the most probable culprit of the hijack is the Cranchit New Tab Search browser extension. Users should be able to see it at the top-right corner of their web browsers. In most cases, users can remove Cranchit.com from their web browsers by right-clicking on the extension. Nonetheless, if other apps are installed that is causing the browser takeover, they need to by uninstalled either manually or automatically.
Once installed, the so-called Cranchit.com virus will change web browser settings and redirect all search results to Yahoo, which is a legitimate service. However, since it is used via the affiliate program,[2] users will see several sponsored links at the top, preventing them from finding relevant information quickly. When trying to enter the information into the URL bar, users will notice changes as well – the redirect to feed.cranchit.com will be seen briefly.
This is done in order to promote sponsors' content to the end-users. Essentially, that's the whole point of the Cranchit hijacking. Each time users click on pop-ups, banners, in-text links, flashing windows, coupons, or other commercial content, third-parties receive financial gain. Unfortunately, some ads might not be so secure, and direct users to spam, phishing, or even malware-laden websites.
Another issue with Cranchit.com is information gathering principles. While many services, including Google, gathers information about users, the IT giant needs it for various purposes, such as interconnecting multiple devices via a single account. On the other hand, those who want privacy and opt for privacy-focused browsers, such as Brave, MS Edge, or Tor.
That being said, trusting more unknown companies with your information is not a good thing, and you should be aware of that. When looking at Cranchit.com Privacy Policy, it is claimed that both personal and non-personal data is being gathered about users:
The Non-Personal Information which is being collected may include technical information automatically transmitted by the user's device (for example, type of browser, the type of the user's device and technical information pertaining to the user's device, language preferences, time stamps, clicks and visited pages, search logs, the operating system, utilized internet service provider and other similar information.
Additionally, the personal data includes the IP address, as well as the contact information, if such is provided. The data is tracked and collected with the help of cookies[3] and similar tracking technologies. Due to this reason, it is important to clear cookies or reset web browsers after Cranchit.com removal.
Speaking of which, you should uninstall Cranchit extension and then check for other installed applications – we provide the instructions on how to do that below. Nevertheless, it is always advisable to also perform a scan with such tools as FortectIntego to ensure the stable operation of your machine.
Ways to avoid unwanted applications on your computer
While many potentially unwanted programs are installed on the computer unintentionally through software bundles, many times, users also install them intentionally as well. This happens because many PUPs are presented as useful additions to users' libraries due to their functionality. Seemingly, they can help them with finding relevant forms, convert files, access popular websites quickly, etc. However, in many cases, these functions either fail to work completely, or they do not work as intended.
Thus, it is best to recognize a shady app before it gets to your computer, and the best way of doing that is by choosing official sources for downloads. If possible, opt for such channels like Chrome web store, Amazon, App Store, and similar instead of picking third-party sites like Softonic. Also, you should stay away from torrent and warez websites altogether.
If you still want to download applications from third-parties, you should watch out for the following:
- Ensure that the application you are about to install is not shady/malicious by checking reviews and blog posts online;
- Install security software with PUP detection function;
- When prompted, always choose Advanced/Custom mode instead of Recommended/Quick one;
- Watch out for pre-ticked boxes, fine print text, misleading offers, misplaced buttons, and similar tricks;
- Quickly check through ToS/Privacy Policy.
Get rid of Cranchit.com browser hijacker and other potentially dangerous programs
The so-called Cranchit virus is not the only potentially unwanted program that might be installed on your system. The truth is, if you are not accustomed to careful software installation techniques and safe browsing, you are highly likely to have PUPs or even malware installed on your system. Thus, besides Cranchit.com removal, you might also have to find and eliminate other programs that might be redirecting you to suspicious sites and showing malicious ads.
To remove Cranchit.com from your web browser, right-click on the extension and select “Remove from Chrome.” Next, you should access the install application list and check for anything suspicious – we provide the instructions on how to do that below (for macOS and Windows platforms). Finally, you should also scan your machine with a comprehensive anti-malware software to check for malicious programs.
As mentioned above, since Cranchit uses various tracking technologies within browsers like cookies, you should reset the installed browsers or clear browsing data to prevent further unwanted activities.
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 Cranchit.com. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
To uninstall potentially unwanted applications from Windows operating systems, check out this guide:
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
macOS users should employ the following methods to get rid of Cranchit hijacker:
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)
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
Reset Google Chrome to get rid of cookies and other settings:
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
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 Cranchit.com 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 browser hijacker
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices. Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using Private Internet Access VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact – you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.
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- ^ Chris Hoffman. PUPs Explained: What is a “Potentially Unwanted Program”?. How-To Geek. Site that explains technology.
- ^ Ralph F. Wilson. How Does an Affiliate Program Work?. PracticalEcommerce. Insights for Online Merchants.
- ^ What are cookies?. Norton. Security blog.