Security experts advise staying away from Somethat.com virus
Somethat.com virus operates as a fraudulent search engine which is offered to install on computer user’s system. After it is established, the regular browser is hijacked to perform specific modifications. Victims are forced to use its services daily by assigning http://somethat.com/ as the default search provider.
Experts classify this potentially unwanted program (PUP)[1] as a browser hijacker since the users are not able to reset their web directory to the primary state. Due to the complicated Somethat.com removal process, some people might keep using it and suffer from browsing-related issues.
The most significant disadvantage of SomeThat search engine is the distorted query results that users receive after they perform a search. Initially, developers infuse them with annoying ads to generate pay-per-click revenue.
Besides, those advertisements usually correspond to your interests since Somethat.com gathers information about your browsing routine by placing tracing Cookies[2] on your browser. The collected data might or may not be personally identifiable. Thus, relying on the services provided by the fake search engine, you risk your own privacy.
Likewise, we encourage you to remove Somethat.com from your PC to protect not only your identity but computer system as well. You should be aware that the sponsored ads might be malware-laden. In other terms, they may redirect you to bogus websites and infiltrate malicious programs.
You can take care of your computer and other personal information by terminating the browser hijacker with a security software. Use FortectIntego or Malwarebytes for the elimination procedure.
Somethat.com is a fake search engine which is developed to hijack your browser and increase click-generated revenue.
Understanding PUP's distribution strategies to avoid the infection
All potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) including SomeThat hijacker are not remotely infused into your system. Instead, they are stealthily installed together with third-party applications which you manually download from the Internet.
We want to raise awareness of the possible threats which might be provoked by the wrong settings of the installer. Remember that Quick or Recommended options do not fully disclose the necessary information. In fact, they hide the already marked boxes that allow installing the PUP on your computer.
Likewise, decline them and opt for Custom or Advanced settings. Afterward, search for any suspicious pre-marked downloads and reject them as well. This method will help you to avoid the installation of the potentially unwanted programs that deteriorate your browsing experience and significantly slow down your computer's performance.
IT technicians from Virukset.fi[3] offer an another excellent method to protect your system from all types of high-risk PC infections — scan the applications you attempt to download beforehand. The majority of antivirus programs are able to detect any unwanted programs and get rid of them within several minutes.
Anti-malware software — the quickest way to eliminate somethat.com browser hijacker
While you can remove somethat.com virus both manually and automatically, the latter method is far more convenient. Those who are not experienced enough might fail to identify the source of the hijacker and end up deleting files that perform processes necessary for your operating system’s well-being.
Moreover, if you have not noticed the infiltration of the potentially unwanted program (PUP), just think about how many other malicious programs might be present on your PC. Be aware that successful somethat.com removal requires uninstalling all of its components. Thus, entrust an anti-malware software to do the elimination procedure.
It is the fastest and safest technique since you only need to follow a 2-step guide:
Download an antivirus system from authorized developers or distributors. Also, use a direct link if possible;
Run an entire system scan;
Afterward, you will be able to enjoy your browser again. Additionally, as mentioned above, it is possible to get rid of the PUP manually. Thus, we attach instructions that will guide you through the process.
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.
Compatible with Microsoft Windows
Compatible with macOS
What to do if failed?
If you failed to fix virus damage using Fortect Intego, submit a question to our support team and provide as much details as possible.
Fortect Intego has a free limited scanner. Fortect Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
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.
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 Somethat.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.
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