Home.giantsender.com virus (Free Instructions) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
Home.giantsender.com virus Removal Guide
What is Home.giantsender.com virus?
Home.giantsender.com search engine is not trustworthy because it focuses on advertisements
Home.giantsender.com virus when looking for an alternate search engine. It is a questionable browser hijacker type program[1], which targets Mac users. It slithers into a computer in the form of a GiantSender.dmg file[2], which immediately replaces your homepage with the questionable search engine. We must point out that GiantSender is a product of Tabatoo, Ltd., which claims that it collects “information you provide us with: Tabatoo may collect the information you enter to the website, including but not limited to information you provide at the registration process.” It means that this tool can store your email address, also the email addresses of people that you try to transfer files.
Name | Home.giantsender.com |
---|---|
Type | Browser hijacker |
Category | Potentially unwanted program |
Danger | The program is not malicious, but redirects and other content displayed by the PUP can expose users to dangerous content |
Distribution | Freeware installation processes when software bundling is used result in the PUP infiltration |
Removal | Anti-malware tools can help terminate the infection properly |
Repair | You shouldn't forget about issues that file damage and system alterations can trigger. Make sure to run FortectIntego and fix any damage |
On top of that, this controversial program uses common tracking measures such as cookies and web beacons, which help to gather personally non-identifiable information, such as search queries, browsing history, browser type, IP address, and so on. All this information helps to ascertain your interests to deliver targeted ads later on. These ads are going to be delivered alongside search results whenever you search via Home.giantsender.com.
However, pay attention to the fact that this search engine delivers modified Yahoo search results. The tab name on results’ pages always points that it is Genieo Yahoo Search results, which means that search results are supplemented with ads from a content recommendation engine Genieo[3].
Clicking on sponsored search results by Genieo can be dangerous. You can never know where they will take you, and what websites hide behind these sponsored search results. In the best case, you can end up on secure websites, but you might also be forced to visit shady-looking or insecure Internet pages.
The Privacy Policy of this browser hijacker states that “the website” may contain links to third-party websites that contain co-branded products by Tabatoo or its affiliates, and that “Tabatoo is not responsible for third party sites and services and is not liable in any way for any result of your use of these.”
Therefore, keep in mind that you might run into unsafe web pages when exploring search results, so be careful and do not trust them! You can unintentionally install a safe-looking Java or a different update without realizing that it contains harmful or spyware-type elements.
This can cause annoying problems such as the repetitive appearance of pop-up ads, browser redirects, or even more severe problems. Therefore, we believe that you should remove the redirect virus from your Mac immediately. You can do that by using Malwarebytes or manual Home.giantsender.com removal guidelines presented below the post.
Hijacker spread on mac and Windows devices
Macs can be infected with spyware programs, too. Apparently, your Mac is being affected by the hijack[4], which doesn’t let you change your homepage or get relevant search results. So it means that this potentially unwanted program (PUP) somehow managed to be installed on your computer, and it did that with your permission. That is right – spyware programs are not illegal, and they use tricky, yet legitimate ways to talk the computer user into installing them.
Most likely you have agreed to install it alongside another free application that you recently downloaded to your Mac. To find out what additional apps and browser extensions come with your selected program, make sure you choose Custom/Advanced settings for the installation[5]. If you find any optional programs in these settings, deselect the agreements to install them. It is also strongly advised to read Privacy Policy and Terms of Use documents thoroughly.
Home.giantsender.com hijacker elimination with manual and automatic options
Do not let this annoying program control your Mac’s browsers no longer. Simply remove the virus by following instructions that we provide, or employ a powerful anti-spyware or anti-malware program and let it do the cleaning.
Please remember to be careful when installing new apps to your computer, and do not let any suspicious programs slip into the system unnoticed. If you have any questions regarding Home.giantsender.com removal, do not hesitate to ask us!
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 Home.giantsender.com virus. Follow these steps
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 Home.giantsender.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
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
- ^ Gabriel E. Hall. Information about browser hijacker and removal instructions. NoVirus. Provides comprehensive information about various computer infections.
- ^ Apple Disk Image. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- ^ Genieo. Symantec. Global Leader In Next-Generation Cyber Security.
- ^ Browser hijacking. Microsoft. Safety & Security Center.
- ^ Spyware: What It Is and How To Prevent It. Microsoft. Safety & Security Center.