StartPageing123 virus (Easy Removal Guide) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
StartPageing123 virus Removal Guide
What is StartPageing123 virus?
The main information about StartPageing123 virus
Startpageing123 virus (also known as StartPageing123.com virus) belongs to the large group of potentially unwanted programs (PUP)[1]. Due to its features, it is classified as a browser hijacker. This cyber parasite spreads in the software bundles and pretends to be a legitimate search engine that provides an “ultimate online search experience.” According to the developers, it helps to find the best search results on the Web. Indeed, the program delivers results from Google web, images, videos and news categories. Nevertheless, it looks like an ordinary search engine; cyber security specialists suggest staying away from it. StartPageing123 browser hijacker might take over the targeted web browsers and alter their settings[2]. After the hijack, people may notice that their homepage, default search engine, and new tab URL address are replaced with this one. Replacing it with different one might also be impossible because hijackers often modify registry or shortcuts, and prevent from making any customizations. Browser hijackers are usually used as marketing tools; thus, having full control over web browsers helps to promote various products or services. Only StartPageing123 removal allows escaping unwanted redirects, aggressive ads, and questionable links. Therefore, after noticing this website as the default homepage, it’s recommended to scan the computer with FortectIntego or other reputable anti-malware program and get rid of this cyber infection.
StartPageing123 virus is closely related to other suspicious search services as Mylucky123.com or LuckySearch123.com. One of the main problems with questionable search engines is that they might be capable of modifying search results. Nevertheless, this search engine provides results from Google at the moment; this situation might change quickly. What is more, browser hijacker might deliver an excessive amount of online ads, banners, pop-ups, in-text, etc. Online ads are annoying; however, covered content and the frozen browser is nothing compared with StartPageing123 redirect issues. Some of the links or ads might lead to the dangerous websites where you can encounter malware[3] or tricked to install bogus software. These ads might be eye-catching and interesting because hijacker collects information about the users. Aggregated information is used for providing interest-based ads; though, it’s easy to be tricked to click on a malware-laden ad[4]. What is more, information about your might be shared or sold with third-parties. Therefore, we do not recommend keeping this program on the computer. It’s better to remove StartPageing123 as soon as it appears on the browser.
StartPageing123 virus might hijack browser's homepage and default search engine.
How can the virus infect the computer?
Browser hijackers are not real viruses[5]; thus they cannot travel and infiltrate computers themselves. They spread as optional components in the software bundles. For this reason, it’s important to install free programs downloaded from the Internet carefully and attentively. StartPageing123 hijack might occur when installing freeware or shareware under Quick, Basic or Recommended settings. These settings do not openly disclose about additional applications and install them by default. Thus, modifications on the browsers are often a surprise for many computer users. In order to avoid browser hijacker and other PUPs, it’s important to rely on Advanced or Custom installation setups. However, choosing these options is not enough. Users have to monitor each installation step because one of them might include the list of additional downloads. Usually, these entries are pre-selected; hence, rushing to click “Next” button might let them sneak inside. It’s important to deselect all additional applications or statements agreeing to make StartPageing123.com or another shady website as your homepage.
StartPageing123 removal options
Altered browser’s settings are the main sign of a browser hijacker residing on the system. It’s recommended to perform StartPageing123 removal immediately because hijacker might be capable of installing third-party applications, extensions or plugins, tracking information about users and sharing with partners, and causing other problems. The easiest and quickest way to locate and remove browser hijacker is to run a full system scan with anti-malware/anti-spyware program. Additionally, you can perform this procedure manually. Our prepared instructions below will help to find and remove StartPageing123 from the computer and web browsers along with all its components.
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 StartPageing123 virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Follow the instructions carefully to remove StartPageing123 virus from the system manually. Also, don’t forget to check all web browsers installed on your device. Browser hijacker is compatible with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox; however, it may have install suspicious extensions or plugins to other web browsers as well.
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
Please, follow our prepared instructions and remove StartPageing123 virus from the Mac.
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
After StartPageing123 hijack, follow these steps to fix 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)
Mozilla Firefox is one of the most targeted browsers. Hence, you have to remove StartPageing123 from it and other suspicious entries. Then, reset browser’s settings.
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 instructions below will help you to remove StartPageing123 from Google Chrome and reset browser’s settings.
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
Make sure that any suspicious extensions or plugins haven’t been installed on 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 StartPageing123 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.
- ^ Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP). Techopedia. Where IT and Business Meet.
- ^ Robert Siciliano. What is Browser Hijacking?. McAfee Blogs. The blog about online security by McAfee.
- ^ Jeff Orloff. Loaded pages: How your website can infect visitors with malware. IBM. The official website of International Business Machines Corporation.
- ^ Rahul Kashyap. Hidden Dangers In Online Ads. BottomLineInc. Official home of Bottom Line Health.
- ^ Computer virus. Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia.