Footybase.com virus (Removal Instructions) - Sep 2016 update
Footybase.com virus Removal Guide
What is Footybase.com virus?
Should I leave Footybase.com virus on my computer?
If you are a fan of football, you should be happy after discovering Footybase. However, this URL can also show up on your browser out of nowhere and start reappearing there during each of your search sessions. If Footybase.com virus took control over your web browser, you should be worried. This issue indicates the fact that there is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) lurking on your computer system and collecting data about your browsing practices. We tend to call such PUPs as browser hijackers. These programs aim to suggest an alternative search tool for the user and convince him or her to use it. In this case, this hijacker alters browser settings and inputs Footybase.com/search.php value into the Home Page field in settings. Although it looks like a simple search engine at the first sign, you should not trust it nor use it for your own safety. If you don’t know where it came from, you should get rid of this browser hijacker ASAP. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that resetting your affected browser will help you remove Footybase.com from your computer. If you are dealing with this problem at the moment, you can install FortectIntego to remove this browser hijacker for you.
As we have already reported, using this questionable search tool increases the probability of infecting computer with spyware or malware because it integrates sponsored third-party links into its search results. These sites can be safe and harmless. However, they can also be hazardous, so it is better to stay clear of them. The only concern of this search tool is to generate revenue for its developers, so all it wants is to convince you to click on these sponsored results that can take you to delusive sites keeping malicious links or ads inside. If you’d rather keep your computer safe, you need to consider how you wish to get rid of this PUP. You can do that automatically if you have an anti-spyware or anti-malware program. Users who like to take matters into their own hands can delete this browser hijacker with the help of Footybase.com removal guidelines presented at the end of this page. More information about third party links is provided in the Privacy Policy of this app:
Sadly, possibly dangerous links are not the only problem that you should fear. Another and even more annoying problem is that this hijacker slows down the entire computer system, and can make your browser crash from time to time. No one wants to experience such issues – everyone wants their computers to respond to commands quickly, so it goes without saying that activity of this hijacker will shortly annoy you to death. Besides, it continuously collects and saves information about your interests by reviewing your browsing history, collecting search queries, clicks, and information such as PC geolocation and IP address. Be aware that this hijacker needs such data for market research so it might reveal such info to third parties.
How did I install this useless program?
If you have become a victim of Footybase.com hijack, then you should definitely learn how such parasites spread. They travel in a bundle with other free programs and hide behind traditional installation settings. That is why we always recommend our readers to switch that installation settings option from Default/Standard to Custom/Advanced. This way, you will open the list of bundled programs and be able to reject unwanted ones. You should see statements such as
“Yes, make Footybase.com my default start page” or “I agree to install XXX.” Besides, you should try to stay away from questionable file sharing websites because they are filled with software packages that can contain dangerous files. You risk of installing dangerous software each time you forget to alter installation settings, so be careful!
How can I remove Footybase.com hijacker?
If you have unintentionally installed this hijacker and now you wish to eliminate it, then read instructions provided below. To successfully remove Footybase.com virus, we advise you to delete it automatically. If for some reason you do not want to use automatic spyware removal software, you can try to follow these Footybase.com removal instructions. Please be attentive and carry them out as instructed. Please do not ignore this hijacker because leaving it on the system can cause serious problems to you, for example, make your PC vulnerable to malware attacks.
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 Footybase.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
To remove Footybase, you need to uninstall all components of this hijacker. The next step you should perform is fixing shortcuts on each of your web browser. You should remove htp://www.footybase.com/and everything that goes after its name.
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
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
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 Footybase.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 stealing programs
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important – recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.