Moon Darker browser hijacker (virus) - Free Instructions
Moon Darker browser hijacker Removal Guide
What is Moon Darker browser hijacker?
Moon Darker is a browser hijacker that may change the main settings and monitor your activity
Moon Darker is a browser extension that claims to provide a dark mode for websites. However, the application does not have such functions and instead hijacks the browser by changing the main settings – homepage, new tab address, and search engine. Users can also start experiencing an increased amount of commercial content, like pop-ups, banners, and redirects.
| NAME | Moon Darker |
| TYPE | Browser hijacker; potentially unwanted program |
| SYMPTOMS | The app changes the main settings of the browser, like the homepage, new tab address, and search engine |
| DISTRIBUTION | Unsafe websites, deceptive ads, freeware installations |
| DANGERS | The application may be collecting data about users' browsing activities; users might get redirected to dangerous websites that can trick them into providing personal information or downloading PUPs and malware |
| ELIMINATION | Remove the extension via browser settings; performing a scan with professional security tools is recommended |
| FURTHER STEPS | Use FortectIntego to clear your browsers from cookies and cache |
How did Moon Darker install on my computer?
The browser hijacker was found to be distributed on the Chrome web store. Unfortunately, some hijackers manage to slip through the extensive review process. Such web-based applications can also be spread through bogus “Downloader” pages that use social engineering methods.[1]
On shady “Download” pages you may often see messages, like “Recommended by Chrome.” They are meant to make the app look legitimate and trustworthy. However, sometimes even the name of the extension is not specified on such sites, so people should stay away from them and choose official web stores, and developer sites.
How to distinguish browser hijackers?
Nowadays, browser hijackers are everywhere. The problem is that they are very easy to develop and recreate multiple times. Even though they get into official web stores, there are still some steps you can take to try and identify them. The most important thing to do is research – read the reviews, look at the ratings, and the number of users.
Choose those apps that have plenty of positive feedback and thousands of users. Reading the description is also crucial. Crooks often make grammar or spelling mistakes, so if there are any, that should raise suspicion. Also, stay away from extensions that claim to do outstanding things. If it is too good to be true – it probably is.
How to remove an unwanted extension?
You can remove add-ons by going to your browser settings. Find the list of extensions and remove Moon Darker. Follow the guide below for detailed instructions:
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.
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.
MS Edge (Chromium)
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Mozilla Firefox
- 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.
Safari
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
How to clear my browser?
One of the most important things you should do after a successful removal is to take care of your browsers. Websites and web-based applications can use cookies to gather data like your IP address, geolocation, pages you visit, links you click on, and things you purchase online.
Cookies can be used to personalize the user experience – show relevant results. But for crooks, it is just another way to make a profit. They can be sold to advertising networks and other third parties. Cookies can also be hijacked and used for malicious purposes so it is very important to delete them regularly.
We love maintenance tools like FortectIntego because they can do this with a click of a button. This powerful software can also fix various system errors, corrupted files, and registry issues which is especially helpful after a virus infection.
What is adware?
Adware[2] is a program that hides in the background of the machine and generates commercial content. If you have it, simply removing the add-on will not be enough, and the settings will keep changing until you completely eliminate the intruder from your machine. If you want to avoid PUPs (potentially unwanted programs)[3] sneaking into your system, you can apply simple rules during the installation process:
- Always choose “Custom” or “Advanced” installation methods
- Read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use to find out what information will be collected and what the application will be allowed to do in your system
- The most important part is to check the file list and untick the boxes next to any items that you think are suspicious or unrelated
PUAs are often disguised as “handy” tools to make it more difficult for average users to identify them. The program that is causing the erratic behavior could have any name or icon. We suggest using SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes anti-malware tools that will scan your machine, eliminate it, and prevent such infections in the future by giving you a warning before a PUP can make any changes. If manual removal is what you still prefer, we have instructions for Windows and Mac machines:
Windows 10/8:
- 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.
Windows 7/XP:
- 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.
Mac:
- 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.
How to prevent from getting browser hijacker
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.
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- ^ What is Social Engineering?. Webroot. Security Tips and Articles.
- ^ Adware. Malwarebytes. Cybersecurity Basics.
- ^ Potentially unwanted program. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.