IE redirect virus (Improved Instructions) - 2021 update

IE redirect virus Removal Guide

What is IE redirect virus?

Internet Explorer redirect virus is a PUP that forces you to visit suspicious websites

Internet Explorer redirect virus A PUP can start collecting revenue from ads

IE redirect virus is an annoying browser hijacker[1] that might change your browser's homepage to a suspicious search page without your knowledge. There is also a big chance that you will spot such changes with your default search engine which will supposedly start providing misleading search results.

Cybersecurity experts recommend removing this annoying computer infection which is also recognized as the Internet Explorer virus. Usually, the program that starts controlling the browser silently tracks the user's activity and uses collected data to display irritating ads as pop-ups or search results.

Name IE redirect virus
Type Potentially unwanted program
Main activities Hijacking the browser's search engine, providing false search results, pushing advertising content, redirecting to developer-sponsored pages
Similar applications Chrome redirect virus, Firefox redirect virus
Possible danger Redirects can take you to malware-based networks
Distribution ways Bundled freeware/shareware, third-party websites (e.g. adult-themed sources)
Remove the threat Removing the PUP can be easy if you use a tool such as an anti-malware application
Recovery You should also take care of the pieces that get altered with FortectIntego

Normally, programs that belong to the browser hijacker category are rarely considered dangerous because they are not capable of stealing data or putting infected computer users at risk of financial loss or identity theft. Nonetheless, the Internet Explorer virus can easily initiate various changes on your Internet Explorer browser and add related toolbars, browser add-ons, and extensions [2].

A hijacked Internet Explorer redirects the user to websites that often look unfamiliar or even suspicious. If the browser gets affected by a browser-hijacking application, the browser will continue launching a particular site (or sites) on a daily basis. In fact, it is very likely that a hijacked web browser might start redirecting to one of the following pages known to be suspicious (clicking on them will take you to their comprehensive descriptions):

In fact, if your IE browser gets infected by the Internet Explorer virus, it is likely that other browsers may suffer the same consequences too. Microsoft's new and improved equivalent of the Internet Explorer – the Microsoft Edge browser [3] is especially vulnerable to this infection. So, when the virus alters the default search engine and the start page on your IE browser, your Microsoft Edge will probably undergo the same changes, too.

Because of this and other activities, security experts decided to include it in their tools' database, so you should scan your computer with updated anti-spyware right after noticing IE redirects, slowdowns, and pop-up ads that may show up to you during your browsing. Beware that such ads can inform you about missing updates and similar things.

You should never trust such warning messages because, in reality, they might seek to infect PC users with other viruses. This way you might end up with a dangerous Trojan or ransomware infection on your machine and face severe damage, the redirect virus removal is the first step you should take to avoid getting infected even further.

Similar to Chrome redirect virus and Firefox redirect virus, the main way how you can get infected with IE redirect malware is based on infected downloads. You simply need to open an infected email attachment, download an illegal program or visit a hacked site and you will be infected by this parasite.

IE redirect virusThe redirect virus is considered to be a browser hijacker that alters the browser's settings, initiates redirects to unknown websites, and provides intrusive ads.

If you have already noticed a different search engine and a new homepage on your Internet Explorer, there is a huge possibility that an IE redirect virus hijack has occurred on your computer. In this case, you should never ignore annoying redirects when using Internet Explorer because you may be tricked into visiting unsafe websites [4].

On most occasions, this virus interrupts people when they are surfing the web and redirects them to unknown sites that are less popular and need to increase their visitors' number or page rank. However, some experts claim that the Internet Explorer virus may also be used to promote other, more serious viruses and allow their infiltration into the system.

As you can see, you should never ignore questionable redirects because it means that your PC is infected. In order to remove IE redirect virus, you should try running a full system scan with Malwarebytes or SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner. Additionally, you will find some manual helping lines at the end of this article that will show you how to clean your web browser from suspicious content.

Internet Explorer virusThis is a name used to describe various potentially unwanted programs that target this browser

Browser hijacker distribution never stops

According to Novirus.uk[5] researchers, browser-hijacking programs and other potentially suspicious content have their own ways of entering the targeted machine/device. The most popular are software bundles as browser hijackers are often inserted into packages of programs as additional components.

Additionally, potentially unwanted programs can be found in other sources such as peer-to-peer networks,[6] online-gaming websites, movie-watching pages, and adult-themed networks. The best ways to avoid the secret installation of browser hijackers are:

  • Using the Custom mode for performing downloads and managing all incoming objects. Be aware of all Quick or Recommended modes as these often let suspicious content into the system.
  • Keeping a distance from secondary sources while browsing throughout the Web. Avoid all content that looks questionable to you (e.g. links, ads).
  • Installing reputable computer protection. Search for an advanced anti-malware tool[7] that includes as many security features as possible for your own and machine's safety purposes.

Frequently asked questions about IE virus

Question. I am dealing with a virus on Internet Explorer 11. Every time I open my browser, Trovi.com pops up. I have never set this page as my default start page or something. How can I remove this annoying Trovi virus that causes IE redirects repeatedly?

Answer. Dear visitor, it is clear that your browser is affected by a redirect virus. The cause of the Internet Explorer 11 virus is obviously the Trovi virus, which could have sneaked into your computer alongside other programs you recently installed.

We recommend you to be more careful when installing free programs as their installers often suggest adding a couple of unwanted programs to your system.

To remove the virus causing IE redirects, uninstall every suspicious program and delete every shady browser extension not only from IE but from the rest of web browsers as well. It is highly advisable to check browser shortcuts as well (see a tutorial provided below).

Question. I am having problems with my browser. Internet Explorer now redirects me to search.conduit.com without my request to do so. How can I solve the Internet Explorer home page redirect problem? I tried to change my home page settings but no results. The suspicious domain keeps appearing in my browser over and over again.

Answer: Dear visitor, your computer is compromised by the Conduit Search virus, a widely known browser hijacker that causes Internet Explorer redirects and also targets other web browsers such as Chrome or Firefox.

To uninstall it from the system, you must find files related to Conduit and root them out from the computer system. The quickest way to do it is to use an automatic spyware removal tool such as Malwarebytes.

A guide to IE Redirect virus elimination

In order to remove the redirect virus fully, you should run a full system scan to find the potentially unwanted program that is related to it. This could be done with the help of legitimate anti-spyware or with the help of the manual removal steps indicated below the article. The choice depends on you but automatical elimination requires less effort and can be done more effectively.

However, when using the manual IE redirect virus removal method, you should know exactly what are you looking for. In this particular case, it's quite difficult, since the virus is good at obfuscating its components and can easily hide in places you'd never expect it to. Thus, automatic virus elimination is the option we recommend more.

Furthermore, the Interner Explorer virus will be eliminated much faster and easier by using reputable anti-malware tools than it can be done by using your own effort. Besides, people who lack experience in dealing with various cyber threats will also find the automatic removal method very helpful and comfortable to carry out.

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.

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Compatible with Microsoft Windows Compatible with macOS
What to do if failed?
If you failed to fix virus damage using Fortect Intego, submit a question to our support team and provide as much details as possible.
Fortect Intego has a free limited scanner. Fortect Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Fortect, try running SpyHunter 5.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Intego, try running Combo Cleaner.

Getting rid of IE redirect virus. Follow these steps

Uninstall from Windows

Instructions for Windows 10/8  machines:

  1. Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program. Uninstall from Windows 1
  3. From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
  4. Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
  5. If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
  6. Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK. Uninstall from Windows 2

If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program. Uninstall from Windows 7/XP
  3. Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
  4. At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
  5. In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
  6. Click OK once the removal process is finished.

Delete from macOS

Remove items from Applications folder:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
  3. Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash) Uninstall from Mac 1

To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
  3. In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
  4. Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files. Uninstall from Mac 2

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click on Uninstall at the bottom. Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear. Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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. Reset MS Edge

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.

  1. Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
  2. Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
  3. Right-click on them and pick Delete Advanced MS Edge reset 1
  4. Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  5. 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 Advanced MS Edge reset 2

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove. Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now. Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset. Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove. Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Options.
  3. Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data…
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear. Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information. Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox. Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. 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. Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data. Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings. Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. In the new window, pick Extensions.
  3. Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall. Remove extensions from Safari

Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Clear History…
  2. From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
  3. Confirm with Clear History. Clear cookies and website data from Safari

Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. Go to Advanced tab.
  3. Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  4. From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches. Reset Safari

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 IE redirect 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.

About the author
Jake Doevan
Jake Doevan - Computer technology expert

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References
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