TaxInfoHelp – a PUP which provides fast access to tax-related websites to collect revenue
TaxInfoHelp is a browser hijacker which modifies the browser's settings to its own and adds a specific toolbar in the upper right corner of the browser.
TaxInfoHelp is a browser hijacker developed by Mindspark Interactive Network[1] which has been actively promoting hp.myway.com website by setting this site instead of the start page or a default search engine right after infiltrating the system. Typically, it affects these browsers:
Google Chrome;
Mozilla Firefox;
Internet Explorer;
Other commonly used ones.
From the first view, this PUP[2]may seem very useful and legitimate as it provides fast access to links which contain various tax-related details. Despite the fact that it might look very comfortable to use, TaxInfoHelp Toolbar invades the system without any user's permission and starts causing activities which have nothing in common with the promised ones.
Name
TaxInfoHelp
Type
Browser hijacker/PUP
Danger level
Medium. Harms only browsers by modifying their settings. Does not touch any other computer files, and does not infect other systems
Affected browsers
All commonly known ones: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, IE, Safari, etc
Similarities
It is familiar with other browser hijackers such as BitcoinPriceSearch, GamesZoneSearch, BabyNameReady, and many others
According to experts[3], the main thing this browser hijacker does is modifying browsers' settings. It sets the homepage, new tab URL and search provider to its promoted site which has already been mentioned in the first paragraph. Once you click on the browser icon, hp.myway.com pops-out and you are forced to enter this search provider each time you try getting online. These kinds of changes are irreversible unless you eliminate the PUP from the system.
Many questionable extensions are known to rely on the same operating principle similar to TaxInfoHelp:
BitcointPriceSearch;
GamesZone Search;
BabyNameReady;
etc.
All of these browser hijackers appear to have “useful features” and use them to trick their victims into letting them in. What hides behind them is the one same aim – trying to generate the profit from naive victims.
Furthermore, surfing the Internet can become harder as numerous pop-ups may show up while browsing. These kinds of intrusive advertisements come together with the browser hijacker as a way to gain revenue. To stop such annoying activity, you need to remove TaxInfoHelp toolbar and hp.myway.com fake search engine from your browser. Additionally, delete all related cookies and similar components of hijacker to make sure that you are prepared to search the web again.
We should add the last fact explaining our position regarding this toolbar. We recommend TaxInfoHelp removal to stop this program from tracking you. Typically, it collects personally non-identifiable data, but some types of data can also be considered as personal. For example, the toolbar is capable of collecting your email address, and similar data entered when visiting sites online. Additionally, your PC's IP address, its location, and similar details can also be recorded. The elimination of this extension is the only way to prevent the loss of such data, so make sure you take care of it without wasting too much time.
TaxInfoHelp makes changes which could be reversed only if the harmful program is deleted. All browser hijackers get into system stealthily
To start with, such PUPs as browser hijackers and adware are not considered extremely dangerous, so you can be tricked into downloading them from their official download sites. Once visited, these sites come up to tricking many people into downloading the program while advertising “useful functions.”
Furthermore, a lot of infections come from regular software as optional components. Harmful programs can be situated inside them and downloaded/installed together.
Visiting various unknown sites and pressing on dubious hyperlinks (especially indirect ones) can also cause a browser hijacker infection. Inaccuracy usually is the main reason for these kinds of consequences.
We believe that you are concerned about how to avoid such harmful actions. Well, here are some guiding steps, which should help you, if you follow them correctly:
If you have entered a dubious looking site, do not press any links. Eliminate it immediately and never type in its URL again;
If you want to download a certain program from less known sites, look through all incoming downloads which are displayed in the Custom or Advanced section;
Install an antivirus. It will inform you if some kind of cyber threat is trying to break in your computer system, and will let you take actions against it.
Trustworthy help is here to guide you through the TaxInfoHelp elimination
To remove TaxInfoHelp virus, get rid of all dubious components which might contain various browser extensions, applications, and other browser plug-ins. You can eliminate the cyber threat from web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and others by using the guidance shown below this article.
If you are looking for a faster way to remove the virus, install programs that we recommend down below. These anti-malware tools will help you succeed in the TaxInfoHelp removal. Refresh your browsers after the procedure is done – this should be due to ensure that no harmful components are left.
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 TaxInfoHelp 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
Protect your privacy – employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
Alice Woods
- Likes to teach users about virus prevention
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