Search.myonlinecalendar hijacker pushes sponsored content instead of relevant search results
Search.myonlinecalendar.co is a fake search engine that takes advantage of unsuspecting computer users and generates revenue for the developers. This virus may delude computer users by its well-considered appearance since it looks just like Google, Bing, Yahoo and offers “handy” tools. However, we encourage the users to reconsider, whether they benefit from this fake search engine and be aware of the complicated My Online Calendar removal process.
Once the spyware is installed, it alters the new tab URL, homepage, and default search engine by assigning to search.myonlinecalendar.co without user’s permission. The changes may not seem significant because the virus redirects you to search.yahoo.com and displays your search results.
However, we can assure you that this is not the official Yahoo website. You can make sure by checking the link in your the address bar – it differs from the original Yahoo link. Besides, users may not be aware that this browser hijacker[1] generates a vast of malicious ads in the search results and increases the risks of getting infected.
Also, some people underestimate the malware and think that they will be able to remove it as soon as they want. The problem with search.myonlinecalendar removal is that it stealthily downloads other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) and plug-ins. They are designed to reassign the above-mentioned browser settings, once the user tries to change them to the previous state.
If that is not enough, these PUPs and plug-ins collect browsing-related data (IP address[2], geolocation, etc.), which might be personally identifiable and lead to severe privacy issues. The developer, Polarity Technologies Ltd, clearly states that “by using the services, you are consenting to grant Polarity permission to collect your URLs and search data, including search queries that may contain personally identifiable information, share them with third parties, and use search-related cookies.”
Another downside of search.myonlinecalendar virus is that it continuously cause redirects to suspicious third-party websites such as online adult dating, gambling or e-shops. Even an inadvertent click on the ad can trigger an automatic installation of other types of malware into your system.
Thus, even if it may seem that this browser hijacker aims to improve your search experience, in reality, the primary goal is to generate malicious advertising and obtain revenue for its developers.
If you encounter redirects to search.myonlinecalendar.co or annoying pop-ups, we recommend you to scan your computer using FortectIntego security software to remove the infected files easily.
Suspicious software can be downloaded together with other free apps
Developers not only invested in the appealing appearance of the fake search engine but also considered the deceptive tricks on how to swindle users into downloading it. Please pay attention to these insights from Dieviren.de team[3] on how to prevent browser hijacking.
Most computer users rush to skip all the steps while installing new applications; thus, they choose the Quick/Recommended option, which hides the information about the possible potentially unwanted programs. This way users are not able to detect the virus and unconsciously installs it.
Therefore, you should always opt for Custom/Advanced settings and never agree to download any types of unrecognized applications while downloading other regular programs. If you already got tricked, uninstall all suspicious PUPs and plug-ins.
Search.myonlinecalendar.co uninstall process explained
You can choose between two possible methods to remove search.myonlinecalendar.co: automatic and manual removal of the malware.
There is a high possibility that search.myonlinecalendar virus secretly downloaded other types of adware or spyware you are not aware of; thus our IT specialists encourage to opt for automatic removal in order to detect and remove all infected files from the system.
So firstly, you should decide on which reliable security program you are going to use and download it from the official distributor. Once installed, run a full system scan using your chosen security software.
However, if you decide to remove search.myonlinecalendar virus manually, our team has prepared a step-by-step guide provided below.
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.
Reset Internet Explorer
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.
Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.
Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.
Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
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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