Howtonews.ru virus (Tutorial) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
Howtonews.ru virus Removal Guide
What is Howtonews.ru virus?
All you need to know about Howtonews.ru browser hijacker
Howtonews.ru virus can be called a troublesome browser hijacker[1]. It means that it is not a malicious[2] program, but a potentially unwanted one and such programs do not deserve to be kept on the computer system. As soon as it enters the computer, it finds installed Internet browsers and replaces URL in their homepage settings to make the victimized web browsers cause redirects to Howtonews.ru/news. This URL presents a web search engine, which seems to be secure at the first sight. However, we must warn you that using this search tool can possibly lead to various problems. It appears that this search engine is created for revenue-making, and so it injects sponsored links in results’ pages.
In this picture, you can see a compromised web browser that opens Howtonews.ru search engine repeatedly.
It is believed that sponsored search results often lead to more dangerous web pages[3], so we suggest you avoid clicking on them. Otherwise, you might experience unpleasant redirects to shady third-party pages that advertise junkware[4] (free programs that serve annoying advertisements without providing any useful functions) or just simply potentially unwanted programs. Installing unfamiliar application can put your computer safety at risk, so better do not browse through sites you access via Howtonews.ru search engine. If you want to use a trustworthy search tool that serves relevant search results, remove Howtonews.ru redirect virus from the system first. For that, you can use anti-malware programs (FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes…). However, this browser hijacker is not as dangerous as ransomware, and so it can be uninstalled manually. If you decide to choose this Howtonews.ru removal method, please look at instructions given below the article.
Invasion methods used by potentially unwanted programs
Potentially unwanted programs are called potentially unwanted not without reason. Usually, computer users do not install them by their wish. To promote their distribution, their publishers bundle them with other software and share their download links online. For this reason, you should choose trusted download sources and install your downloads using Custom or Advanced settings[5] only. This configuration will let you know if your download includes any additional applications that you weren’t warned about before. You can choose to install or not to install them – just deselect the permissions to place them on your computer if you do not want them. If Howtonews.ru hijack already happened, it means that you chose Default or Standard settings when installing a certain program.
How do I remove Howtonews.ru hijacker from a system?
Do not ignore the fact that Howtonews.ru virus infiltrated your computer without adequately informing you about it in advance. We suggest you remove Howtonews.ru browser hijacker for good using anti-spyware program. If you are not interested in anti-spyware programs, at least look at this decent Howtonews.ru removal tutorial, which you can find below. Regarding your computer’s security, we advise uninstalling this browser hijacker as soon as possible.
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 Howtonews.ru virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
If this questionable search tool appeared in your browser, you have to delete programs associated with it and then check each web browser for suspicious add-ons that were added without your knowledge. Following this guide, you will remove Howtonews.ru virus manually.
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)
If Mozilla Firefox opens Howtonews.ru for you, remove all associated browser extensions with a help of this guide.
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
Chrome browser might contain some shady extensions that might be related toHowtonews.ru redirect problem. It is highly recommended to remove them all to improve your browser’s functionality.
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 Howtonews.ru 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
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
- ^ Browser hijacker. Sophos. Threat Center.
- ^ How Do I Know if My Computer Is Infected with Malicious Software?. Webroot Resources. Internet Safety Tips.
- ^ The Top Ten Most Dangerous Things You Can Do Online. Gizmodo. Cybersecurity News, Videos, Reviews and Gossip.
- ^ Avoid Potentially Unwanted Programs. McAfee Malware Support. Best Practices Series.
- ^ Lincoln Spector. How to spot and avoid installing potentially unwanted programs. PCWorld. News, tips and reviews from the experts on PCs, Windows and more.