EasyZipTab.com puts its users' privacy at risk
EasyZip Tab operates as a fake search engine which aims to hijack regular browsers, like Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and others. Its main goal is to set itself as a primary search provider and deliver distorted search results to its users. Likewise, experts classify it as a potentially unwanted program (PUP)[1] and advise people to stay away from it.
Usually, PUPs infiltrate systems by hiding inside the installers of free applications. This distribution method is called bundling and is highly popular among developers of such programs like EasyZip. Unfortunately, after reaching victim's system, it can modify browser settings and change new tab URL, homepage and default search engine to hxxp://www.easyziptab.com/.
As a result, you will be continuously redirected to EasyZip New Tab during your browsing sessions. Even though users believe that such changes are insignificant, have in mind that this is a fraudulent search engine and you can never trust its query results — they are altered to display affiliated websites which helps its developers, Aztec Media inc., to gain pay-per-click revenue by bringing traffic.
Besides, after EasyZipTab.com hijack, your private information and credentials are at risk. The Privacy Policy clearly identifies that this potentially unwanted program collects both, personally identifiable and non-identifiable information[2]:
We may collect personal information, and anonymous information. Personal Information means information that may directly or indirectly identify you, such as your name, address, email, and telephone number. Anonymous Information means information that does not directly or indirectly identify you, such as page views, link clicks, and login times.
The gathered information might be used for two purposes — sold to third-parties or used to delivers ads which correspond to the keywords you have recently searched for. Either way, you do not benefit from such arbitrary activity of EasyZip. Also, it is worth to know that clicking on those ads might lead you to shady websites where hackers distribute other computer infections.
Therefore, the wisest decision would be to remove EasyZipTab.com from your system. You can find detailed instructions on how to do that at the end of this article. However, browser hijackers might have more than one components. Likewise, manual elimination procedure might be challenging.
If you want to complete EasyZipTab.com removal quickly, the better option would be to get a security software to help you. For that, we recommend using FortectIntego since it will only require a few clicks until your computer will be hijacker-free.
Software bundling helps PUPs to enter your system
Potentially unwanted programs spread in a legal, yet unfair way — bundling. They are packed together with free applications, and people are not informed about such actions. Likewise, there are several steps you need to take to avoid the attack of browser hijackers.
Firstly, always install programs with Advanced or Custom mode only. This way you will be able to detect the potentially unwanted program among the optional components of the software. Remember, avoid Recommended or Quick settings since they skip steps and doesn't allow you to decline the installation of PUPs.
Also, you must un-tick boxes which give your permission to infiltrate browser hijackers. Usually, they are marked as “I Agree to Install XXX” or “Get XXX Now.” Additionally, avoid clicking on commercial content online since even accidental clicks on suspicious ads might trigger the installation of PUP.
Ways to uninstall EasyZipTab.com virus
Potentially unwanted programs are not malicious computer threats as Trojan horses or ransomware. However, they have numerous extra elements which support its activity and are hard to detect. Likewise, you succeed in EasyZipTab.com removal only when you get rid of all of them.
So, you can uninstall EasyZip Tab with the help of the instructions which are attached at the end of this article. Even though they are easy to follow, make sure that you do not skip steps and read them attentively. NoVirus.uk[3] team says that additional components of the browser hijacker might trick you to terminate important computer files and damage your system.
However, have in mind that the easiest way to remove EasyZipTab.com is to run a full system scan with a professional security software. You only need to download it from verified developers and let it get rid of potentially unwanted programs from your system.
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.
Reset Internet Explorer
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.
Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.
Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.
Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
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.
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