YourSites123.com virus: what it is and how to remove it
Yoursites123.com is a browser hijacker , which spreads around presenting itself a useful search engine. It claims to be ready to show people the most suitable search results and improve their browsing experience.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
Automatic
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Do it yourself · free Remove YourSites123.com virus yourself 5 steps, about 15 minutes, no software needed.
Start the steps
YourSites123.com virus: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | YourSites123.com virus |
| Type | Fake search engine |
| Symptoms | A changed search engine |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 5 more facts
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Search page | yoursites123.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 21 August 2017 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
yoursites123.com
How to remove YourSites123.com virus
How to stop YourSites123.com virus from opening
The search page is only the end point.
These steps remove what sends the browser there, then put the search engine back.
Step 1: Put the search engine back and delete yoursites123.com
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete
yoursites123.comfrom the list.In Edge type
search engineinto the search box at the top of Settings and open Manage search engines; in Firefox use Settings > Search. Then check the homepage and the new tab page in the same settings, because hijackers change all three.If yoursites123.com is back after a restart, an extension, a program or a policy still sets it, so finish the other steps and check again. The settings are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: check Search engine and On startup. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 2: Remove extensions you did not add
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.
If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 3: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
YourSites123.com virus rarely comes alone: it is usually installed by, or together with, a free program. In Windows 11 open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and sort by install date.
Uninstall every entry from the day the trouble began that you did not install on purpose, for example a download manager, a converter or a browser you never chose.
Keep drivers and entries from Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA or your PC's maker unless you are sure.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 4: Reset the browser
A reset removes what the steps above could miss:
- changed start pages
- site permissions
- hidden settings
In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.
Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.
Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of YourSites123.com virus that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.
Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.
It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Uninstall from Windows
To remove Yoursites123, you will need to: Uninstall associated programs from your PC; Clean up compromised browser shortcuts; Check Windows registry for modified keys (Open Windows Registry (search your computer for regedit) and press CTRL + F to open Search. Type in yoursites123 and hit Find Next. Right-click and delete the detected key associated with the hijacker and press Find next again. Repeat until there are no dangerous keys left); Check your Hosts file (see a guide given below). If you are facing Yoursites123.com problem while trying to remove this browser hijacker, you should check your Hosts file. You can do that with the help of these steps: Find the Start key and R on your keyboard. Hold them together until you see Run window; Here, copy/paste this text: notepad %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/hosts; Select OK. When the .txt file opens, check the IP addresses below the localhost. If you can find strange addresses, it means you are hacked. You should edit your .txt file and remove such and similar addresses that are related to yoursites123 or similar browser hijackers: 127.0.0.1 down.baidu2016.com; 127.0.0.1 123.sogou.com; 0.0.0.0 pubads.g.doubleclick.net, 0.0.0.0 securepubads.g.doubleclick.net, etc. Now you should try to scan your computer with one of programs that are given below and remove malicious files from it. Make sure that you use the latest versions of these programs to be sure that each of them has Yoursites123.com virus in its database. If you don't want to use automatic removal option, follow a guide given below. Before you carry out the main removal instructions, complete these easy steps to stop all running hijacker's processes: Click Start -> Task Manager and go to Processes Tab. If you can see a malicious process related to this browser hijacker, right click each of them and select Open File Location. Once you opened the folder, select End Task and repeat with other entries. Finally, eliminate those directories you were sent to.
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.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete all extensions and modified settings related to Your Sites 123 hijacker.
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.
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.
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)
Open Firefox and enter about:config into the address bar. Hit Enter. Click the "I'll be careful, I promise!" button to continue. Use the search box at the top of the page to type homepage. Wait until it finds associated entries. Right-click on the browser.startup.homepage entry and choose Modify. Here, delete the deceptive domain and enter the URL of whichever website you want to keep as your homepage. Complete the instructions given below.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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. 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.
From our report of Aug 2017 · not reviewed since
Yoursites123.com is a aggressive browser hijacker that users can't get rid of
Yoursites123.com is a browser hijacker , which spreads around presenting itself a useful search engine.
It claims to be ready to show people the most suitable search results and improve their browsing experience. Instead, it attacks web browsers and without user's knowledge sets http://yoursites123.com/ as default home and search page in Chrome, Opera, and other web browsers. Consequently, it serves paid results and makes people visit vague external sites.
However, have you ever thought why there are so many PC users who are desperately looking for Yoursites123 remover? If you are one of them, you should know that its removal process can be much more complicated than it seems.
Yoursites 123 virus may try to hide from you and may try to use browser helper objects or similar components to prevent its removal from the system. In fact, it behaves in a similar way like Mysites123.com virus does.
Another thing that we should warn you about is that leaving Yoursites123.com (or Yoursites123) on the system can be dangerous. That is because of its capability to track its users. In addition to this, beware that it may show you altered search results that may redirect you to sponsored websites that can be malicious.
In exchange for that, the developers of this program are generating income. Also, you should beware of Yoursites123.com redirect issue. Typically, users are interrupted by it right after clicking on any of suspicious ads that are caused by this virus and wisely hidden in its search results. You can never be sure that each of such redirects is used to promote legitimate websites, so it is highly recommended avoiding them.
To sum up, there is no need to use this search engine because it is considered a potentially unwanted program and a browser hijacker. Yoursites123.com malware has already been included in the data base of various anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, and that was done for a reason!
If you are among those PC users who are searching for such phrases as "eliminar yoursites123" or "usunąć yoursites123 " because you have been struggling with this search engine for a while, you should you know that you can remove this program with each of its components with the help of a reliable anti-spyware.
In this case, you are highly recommended using for YourSites123.com removal because this is one of the most reliable anti-spyware programs that are offered on the Internet today.
From our report of Aug 2017 · not reviewed since
Reasons to choose a different web search provider
Yoursites123 has been added to PUP category because of these troubles that it makes:
Moreover, the search engine that the said search site promotes is very tricky. No matter that it may seem like it is borrowed from the Yahoo site, it may fail to deliver accurate search results for you. Each of them can be slightly altered for causing the YourSites123 redirect to sponsored websites.
That is why these results might contain hyperlinks that reroute users to third-party websites seeking to increase their popularity. Be aware of these redirects can lead you to potentially dangerous web sources, which might include infectious downloads. If you have just found yourself on a suspicious domain offering you updates for Java or Flash Player, you should leave it ASAP.
While there is no guarantee that each of Yoursites123.com search results is dangerous, you should avoid the risk of putting yourself at the risk of other PUP or even malware. Why should you use this questionable search engine when there are tens of reliable ones?
If you have been tricked into downloading this browser hijacker to your computer while installing another third-party program, you should remove YourSites123.com from your machine.
- infiltrating computers without asking for the direct permission of their owners;
- altering Windows Registry and other system settings;
- altering each of web browsers by removing previously-used homepage and the default search engine;
- using dubious extensions for collecting data about people's browsing activities;
- showing corrupted search results and causing Yoursites123.com redirects to sponsored domains;
- slowing down the browser and using various techniques to prevent its removal.
From our report of Aug 2017 · not reviewed since
Ways you could have prevented the browser hijack
YourSites123 cannot be found online, and it cannot be downloaded directly from its official program's website because it simply doesn't have one.
That means that this program usually travels with other programs (usually the free ones) and gets installed without user's knowledge at all.
The main key to the safe installation process of the freeware is to be cautious and to study each installation step without a rush. You should avoid installing programs using Default or Standard installation modes, too. Instead, you should opt for either Advanced or Custom mode.
Then you need to deselect suspicious offers to get bonus software for free. Make sure that you uncheck pre-checked boxes that say: "I agree to make [website's name] my default search provider" or "Make [website's name] my homepage." No matter how harmless it looks, this search engine can cause only a mess on your computer.
As we have already mentioned, YourSites123.com virus can track you, interrupt you with misleading pop-up ads, redirect you to unsafe websites and lead you to additional problems. If this browser hijacker has already showed up on your Internet browser, you should wait no time and remove it ASAP.
From our report of Aug 2017 · not reviewed since
Remove YourSites123.com from Chrome and other browsers now
YourSites123 virus is an unpleasant application, which has already affected thousands of computer users.
Unfortunately, but some of them do not even know that they are dealing with the browser hijacker. It is a shame because such users can easily be redirected to malicious websites.
Besides, they may reveal their personal and non-personal information to strangers because BHOs and similar components are usually spread in one pack with Yoursites123.com virus. After testing this search engine on our computers, we can say that you should never keep it on your computer because it is obvious that it does not bring anything positive to its users.
Fortunately, we can teach you how to remove Yoursites123.com from the system. For that, we decided to prepare a very informative removal instructions including illustrations and screenshots of the removal process. Check the guide below to know how can you eliminate the virtual threat manually.
No matter how attractive a manual removal option seems to you, we strongly recommend thinking about automatic removal option. Here are the main pros of using Yoursites123.com removal tool for eliminating this browser hijacker from the system.
- It helps you to detect and remove each of yoursites123.com components, including its files (listed below), registry entries and similar components.
- You can keep it on your computer for as long as you need and use its real-time protection feature. Because of this feature, you will get ability to avoid ransomware, trojans, adware, browser hijackers and similar malware in the future.
- This tool can help you increase your computer's speed by fixing registry errors, removing useless hard drive files and other components.
From our report of Aug 2017 · not reviewed since
Bonus instructions: Learn to remove Yoursites123 from Opera
After noticing that Yoursites123.com got an ability to hijack Opera, we are adding a simple guide explaining how to reset this browser and get rid of this browser hijacker:
Change your homepage:
If you want to reset Opera entirely, follow these steps:
If you are facing Yoursites123.com problem while trying to remove this browser hijacker, you should check your Hosts file. You can do that with the help of these steps:
Make sure that you use the latest versions of these programs to be sure that each of them has Yoursites123.com virus in its database. If you don't want to use automatic removal option, follow a guide given below. Before you carry out the main removal instructions, complete these easy steps to stop all running hijacker's processes:
- Start Opera and click Menu;
- Go to Settings -> Preferences. You should find yourself in General tab;
- Remove Yoursites123.com from the Home Page section and enter your previously-used one.
- Click OK to save your changes.
- Close Opera and open command prompt from the Start menu (Click Start and R on your keyboard at the same time to open Run window. Now enter cmd)
- Copy paste this command: del %AppData%\Opera\Opera\operaprefs.ini. This command will open the Operaprefs.ini file
- Close cmd and open Opera.
- Uninstall associated programs from your PC;
- Clean up compromised browser shortcuts;
- Check Windows registry for modified keys (Open Windows Registry (search your computer for regedit) and press CTRL + F to open Search. Type in yoursites123 and hit Find Next. Right-click and delete the detected key associated with the hijacker and press Find next again. Repeat until there are no dangerous keys left);
- Check your Hosts file (see a guide given below).
- Find the Start key and R on your keyboard. Hold them together until you see Run window;
- Here, copy/paste this text: notepad %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/hosts;
- Select OK.
- When the .txt file opens, check the IP addresses below the localhost. If you can find strange addresses, it means you are hacked. You should edit your .txt file and remove such and similar addresses that are related to yoursites123 or similar browser hijackers: 127.0.0.1 down.baidu2016.com; 127.0.0.1 123.sogou.com; 0.0.0.0 pubads.g.doubleclick.net, 0.0.0.0 securepubads.g.doubleclick.net, etc.
- Click Start -> Task Manager and go to Processes Tab.
- If you can see a malicious process related to this browser hijacker, right click each of them and select Open File Location.
- Once you opened the folder, select End Task and repeat with other entries.
- Finally, eliminate those directories you were sent to.
- Open Firefox and enter about:config into the address bar. Hit Enter.
- Click the "I'll be careful, I promise!" button to continue.
- Use the search box at the top of the page to type homepage. Wait until it finds associated entries.
- Right-click on the browser.startup.homepage entry and choose Modify. Here, delete the deceptive domain and enter the URL of whichever website you want to keep as your homepage.
- Complete the instructions given below.
Questions about YourSites123.com virus
Is it safe to keep yoursites123.com as my search engine?
It is not recommended. Searches through yoursites123.com usually still return results, but the operator sees every query, often stores it with an identifier for your browser and shows extra ads or paid links. Some hijacked results lead to fake downloads or scam pages.
You also did not choose it, which means something changed your settings without asking and may still be installed. Set your own search engine back, remove the extension or program that set yoursites123.com, and check the browser's other settings, such as the start page and notification permissions, for further changes made at the same time.
Did yoursites123.com come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as yoursites123.com usually arrive with free software, where an extra offer is pre-ticked in the installer, or as an extension that promises something useful, such as file conversion, maps, recipes or streaming.
Look at Settings, Apps, Installed apps sorted by install date: whatever was installed just before the search engine changed is the main suspect. Uninstall it, then remove any extension you do not recognise. In future, choose the custom or advanced option in installers and untick extra offers, and install extensions only from the official store pages of publishers you know.
What is yoursites123.com?
It is the search page used by the browser hijacker YourSites123.com virus. It has no search index of its own: it forwards your queries to another search engine and adds ads and tracking along the way.
People rarely choose it on purpose; it becomes the default search engine, home page or new tab after an extension, program or policy changes the browser settings. The page itself is not malware, but it should not be in your browser if you did not set it. The steps above remove the source and restore your settings.
Is yoursites123.com dangerous?
It is not designed to infect the PC, but it is not neutral either. It logs searches, adds sponsored results that are hard to tell apart from real ones, and its ad partners are not checked as strictly as those of major search engines.
Some hijacker pages have shown ads for fake updates, tech support scams and unwanted software. The main harm is to privacy. Remove YourSites123.com virus, and if you entered personal data on sites reached through its results, check those sites carefully.
Do I have to fix every browser?
Yes, every one where the search engine or start page changed. In the cases we checked, YourSites123.com virus affected Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
Each browser stores its own search settings and extensions, so fixing one does not fix the others, and Windows-level changes such as shortcuts can affect each browser differently. Work through them one at a time:
- remove the extension
- check the policies
- restore the search engine
- start page
If you sync a browser, stay signed in so the fix spreads to your other computers.
Did yoursites123.com record my searches?
Almost certainly. Logging is the point of a hijacker search page: each query, with your IP address, browser details and the result you clicked, is valuable to advertisers.
The operators of yoursites123.com can store and share that data under their own privacy policy, which you never agreed to knowingly. There is no way to delete it from their side. What you can do is stop the flow:
- remove YourSites123.com virus
- clear cookies and site data for yoursites123.com
- treat sensitive searches made in the meantime as known to a third party
Is only one browser affected?
Often not. Programs that install hijackers tend to change every browser they find, and sync can carry the extension to other computers signed in to the same browser account. Check Chrome, Edge and Firefox, even the ones you rarely use, and look at the shortcut targets on the desktop and taskbar for each.
If you use sync, remove the extension while signed in so the removal syncs too. Also check the On startup setting and the new tab page, because hijackers change those as well as the search engine.
Can I just block yoursites123.com?
You can, but it treats the symptom. Blocking the domain in a firewall or the hosts file makes searches fail instead of redirecting, while the extension or program that set it keeps running and collecting data.
Hijacker operators also switch to new domains in updates, so a block may stop working within weeks. Remove the source instead, then set your own search engine. If you want extra protection afterwards, turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security, which stops many hijacker installers before they run.
Why can't I change my search engine back?
Because something keeps setting it. If an extension controls the search engine, Chrome and Edge show a note that an extension is controlling this setting, and your change is reverted. If a policy controls it, the field is greyed out and the browser shows Managed by your organization.
Remove the extension first, then the policies, and only then change the search engine; the change will stay. If it still reverts, look for a program in Installed apps or a scheduled task that reinstalls the extension.
Will Fortect remove YourSites123.com virus?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For YourSites123.com virus, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Google Books: Cybercrime: How to Avoid Becoming a Victim (read October 7, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Browser Helper Object (read October 7, 2026)
- UsunWirusa: UsunWirusa (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)