MyLuckySurfing.com hijack might affect all your browsers
MyLuckySurfing.com is a browser hijacker [1] which takes over browsers and replaces their default search engine and homepage without the user’s permission. Like most of the viruses in this category, it typically uses the infected browser to display ads, sponsored links and generate advertising revenue for the virus creators.
To achieve even bigger profit, the app is also programmed to track your browsing habits and may also help other third-party software [2] to install on your computer. Besides, it may also unexpectedly redirect you to predetermined websites that you did not intend to visit.
| Name | MyLuckySurfing.com |
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Distribution | Software bundles, third-party websites |
| Operation | Alters the homepage and new tab URL; inserts a new search provider; injects ads in search results; tracks user data |
| Uninstall | You can get rid of PUPs manually (we explain how below) or employ SpyHunterCombo Cleaner anti-malware software |
| System fix | After elimination of a computer infection, we recommend using FortectIntego for best results |
Under closer investigation, our experts have found that this hijacker may be originating from the Yandex virus [3] branch because the software creators indicate MyLuckySurfing6@yandex.com as their contact email. Even if these two search engines are not related, the use of Yandex mail is a clue that could lead us to regard search as a work of the Russian malware school.
That's why we recommend you remove the hijacker from your computer ASAP. You can achieve quick removal with FortectIntego or similar professional antivirus tools, which will also ensure the virus never returns to your computer again.
The “About” section of the main website claims that the program travels bundled [4] with “the most of the popular software packages in the world.” The problem with such distribution, though, is that most users install the app search on their computers unknowingly.
This is mainly because the hijacker hides in the advanced installation settings, which the users are typically hesitant to opt for due to time-saving purposes. Although such a choice of distribution is technically legal, it is not necessarily very honest. No legitimate software should turn up on the computers by stealth and, more importantly, start making changes to the web browsers.
In particular, it focuses on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, but there is no reason why other web engines could not be targeted by the hijacker as well. If you find yourself under the virus radar, remove MyLuckySurfing.com from your computer without hesitation. Otherwise, instead of enjoying the “ultimate online search experience,” like the site’s creators promise, you will be struggling with a barely useful, ad-filled search engine instead.
Like most browser hijackers, this virus also collects data about its users, which may include some sensitive information such as name, gender, date of birth, country, etc., as well as some non-identifiable data such as IP address, internet provider, visited websites and the list goes on.
The greedy advertisers will not hang around while you carry out PUP removal, so hurry up before they learn about you more than you would like.
Techniques of browser hijacker infiltration
There is not a lot of variety to discuss when it comes to the ways a browser hijacker can turn up on the computer. You can assign the virus as your homepage or search engine after you come across it while browsing the internet, or the hijacker can infiltrate your system via bundled software. As you can probably presume, the latter technique is more common as the virus has been dubbed browser hijacker in the first place.
But the virus may also slip through disguised as a legitimate software update or could be simply placed on your computer as a result of a drive-by download [5]. Regardless of what techniques PUP creators choose to lure you into using this suspicious search engine, you should be careful not to take the bait.
Get rid of potentially unwanted programs
The easiest way to remove the MyLuckySurfing.com virus from the computer is, of course, the automatic one which involves a system scan with reputable antivirus software. But this technique may not be accessible to everyone since professional antivirus utilities tend to be expensive and take up a lot of space on the computer.
In such a case, you can always use manual removal instructions, which you will find at the end of this article. Keep in mind that cleaning your web browsers is imperative in order to prevent third-party advertisers from tracking your data on a regular basis (even after you eliminate all the unwanted apps.
Uninstall from Windows
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
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 Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (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 Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
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.
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.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
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 the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
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 and Temporary cached files and pages, then click 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 suspicious extensions 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 dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
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