Snitou.com virus (Removal Instructions) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
Snitou.com virus Removal Guide
What is Snitou.com virus?
Snitou.com search redirects warn about hijacked web browser
Snitou.com domain belongs to a browser hijacker that is being distributed in software bundles. This potentially unwanted program (PUP) might alter browser’s settings and trigger redirect search queries to Yahoo search via this suspicious domain. Apart from that, it might also redirect to other commercial websites or delivers lots of ads.[1]
The hijacker might replace browser’s homepage and default search engine to http://snitou.com. When you enter search queries to the browser’s search box, the PUP redirects it through http://snitou.com/?keyword=[query] until you end up and Yahoo search results page. During this process, you might see one of these statuses on the browser’s tab:
- Waiting for http://snitou.com/,
- Connecting to http://snitou.com/,
- Transferring from http://snitou.com/.
Search.yahoo.com is a reliable search provider. The problem here is the intrusion of the Snitou.com virus. This cyber infection is most likely to participate in Yahoo affiliate’s program and generate revenue by forcing users to use this search engine. However, some of the virus activities are concerning.
The main Snitou.com redirect problem is that you can never be sure if you end up on the safe website or not. Even if you click on the Yahoo search result, the hijacker might redirect you to a third-party site. Developers of the PUP get revenue for boosting traffic to partner’s website, but users might end up on a potentially dangerous site.
Hijacker’s redirects are uncontrollable, so you have to stop them by scanning the system with FortectIntego or another anti-malware/anti-spyware.[2] This will help to remove Snitou.com redirect virus and get back control over your browser. Thus, you will be able to set your preferred search engine and homepage.
However, if automatic Snitou.com removal does not seem like the right option and you want to get rid of this threat manually, you should keep scrolling to the end of the article. There you will find manual elimination guidelines.
The purpose of the Snitou.com virus is to redirect searches to Yahoo results page.
Free programs might distribute the hijacker
These discussed search redirects to do not start out of nowhere. They often start after the installation of some free program, such as PDF converter or video player. The Snitou.com hijack might occur on two occasions:
- a user installed freeware using “Quick” or “Recommended” installation settings;
- a user left the ticks near the pre-selected entries during “Advanced” or “Custom” installation.
To avoid similar problems in the future, you should remember to be careful when installing new programs. You should not only choose reliable download source but be attentive during Advanced installation settings. Do not rush to hit “Next” button because you have to remove ticks from pre-selected “optional downloads.”
Experts from Croatia[3] remind that Quick installation settings barely inform about an installation of additional programs. Thus, using this setup, you give indirect permission these entries to get inside the PC.
Stop redirects to Snitou.com immediately
To stop annoying and suspicious redirects, you have to remove Snitou.com hijacker together with its related components. These entries might be installed on the computer or each of the browsers installed on your computer. Thus, you should follow the instructions below to locate and get rid of these entries entirely.
However, if the problem continues, you should opt for the automatic Snitou.com removal option that requires scanning the system with a security program. You can choose this method at first to get the best results.
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 Snitou.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Some of the hijacker-related entries may have been installed on Window OS. Find and remove them:
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
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
These steps will help to wipe out cyber infection 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)
Uninstall hijacker-related from the Mozilla Firefox to stop redirects to Snitou.com sites.
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
The Snitou.com virus may have modified Google Chrome's settings. Follow these steps to revert these changes:
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 Snitou.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
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important – recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
- ^ Malvertising, are you at risk?. Stay Smart Online. Tips on online security.
- ^ Vangie Beal. The Difference Between AntiVirus and AntiSpyware Software. Webopedia. Online tech dictionary.
- ^ Virusi. Virusi. Croatian cyber security news.