Search.memetab.com (Removal Instructions) - Tutorial
Search.memetab.com Removal Guide
What is Search.memetab.com?
Memetab – a dubious search engine which increase the risk of privacy-related issues
Memetab is a browser hijacker which is presented as a useful extension[1] to Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or other browser and modifies its settings without users’ permission. Just like the most of PUPs, this hijacker has been actively distributed via bundling – a widespread marketing campaign used by free software developers all over the world.
Internet memes originated in the early 2000s and became a viral phenomenon amongst users since. Websites like 4chan or 9GAG made these virtually-transmitted cultural symbols even more appealing as these websites grew in visitor numbers. Thus, it is not surprising that various companies are trying to monetize on their success with the help of such potentially unwanted programs as Memetab virus.
Officially, Memetab is supposed to help users browse memes directly from their browser. Nevertheless, all the search results are redirected to yahoo.com; hence it is safe to assume that developers of this browser hijacker are participating in Yahoo’s affiliate program.
Promised benefits are merely a trick as developers have ulterior motives. The only goal of Search.MemeTab.com is to generate revenue while redirecting users to sponsors’ websites and exposing them to not entirely genuine search results. Hence, it is a good idea to remove Memetab virus from your computer as soon as its presence is detected.
Research shows[2] that some redirects (several new tabs might open at the same time) might link them to dubious websites which can be potently dangerous. The main danger caused by Memetab is malware-ridden[3] websites which might infect users’ machines with various viruses, including ransomware. If you have been redirected to the unknown site, shut down your browser immediately and never click on any links.
Search.MemeTab.com hijack affects not only users’ browsers. This questionable application is known to be gathering a variety of non-personally identifiable information (IP address, geo-location, search queries, websites visited, clicks on ads, etc.) which is an extremely valuable source for marketing researchers. This way, ads, and redirects generated change based on users’ browsing habits and interests. This allows unknown retailers sell their products and services which might be utterly valueless.
Additionally, any personal data exposed while using MemeTab extension might be revealed to cyber criminals which can use this information to steal one's identity or their money. Thus, it is a good idea checking online banking history as often as possible (unknown transactions might indicate an identity theft).
If you want to laugh while checking new memes online – you better look for them yourself. There are plenty of legitimate websites which can assure safe browsing. If you do not possess a robust security software, you can install FortectIntego which can speed up Memetab removal significantly.
Search.memetab.com modifies browser's settings and prevents them from being set to default.
Watch out when you install new software – it can contain additional components
Extension can be downloaded officially on any of the browser stores. It is hard not to notice its low popularity, though. Hence, it is apparent that its distributors use software bundling to implement their programs into as many PCs as possible.
Free software developers agree to add additional components into their installers in exchange for monetary gain. Hence, both parties are interested in you installing other apps. So be careful when installing PDF creators, media players, free online games and similar.
When installing free software, restrain yourself from picking “Recommended/Quick” installation mode as it fails to disclose full lineup of additional programs. Instead, select “Advanced/Custom” settings and remove all the ticks by add-ons, browser extensions, toolbars, optimization tools and similar.
You can eliminate Search.memetab.com without much effort
Even if this undesired software appeared on your browser without your permission, do not ignore it. Browser hijackers and adware are known to multiply quickly and compromise computer safety. Thus, remove Memetab from your machine for good.
You can get rid of the unwanted extension by downloading and installing robust security software. If you do not possess anti-virus program, just pick one from the list below. Then, perform full computer scan and virus will be gone in only a few minutes.
MemeTab removal can also be performed by using our step-by-step guide below this article. However, if you are not sure how to handle this procedure, better rely on security software to do the job for you.
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 Search.memetab.com. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
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
Follow these steps if you want to eliminate MemeTab from your Mac OS:
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
Reset your Google Chrome settings after you get rid of all the unwanted extensions and add-ons.
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 Search.memetab.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 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.
- ^ Chris Hoffman. Beginner Geek: Everything You Need To Know About Browser Extensions. How-to Geek. A Site for geeks, Created by Geeks.
- ^ Senzavirus.it. SenzaVirus. Italian cybersecurity news and articles.
- ^ Dann Albright. Which Websites Are Most Likely to Infect You with Malware?. MakeUseOf. Teaching technology.