Zwangi.com virus (Removal Guide) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
Zwangi.com virus Removal Guide
What is Zwangi.com virus?
Should you trust Zwangi.com?
Zwangi.com virus happens to be a search engine. Initially, it may look like an ordinary browsing tool. Nonetheless, it is none other than a browser hijacker. If you let it remain on the operating system, you might get bothered by various advertisements and offers. You might get redirected to other domains different from your initial inquiry. Such behavior should not be ignored since it might divert you to the domains harboring questionable content[1]. What is more, you are likely to get disappointed by its quality since it provides more advertising content rather than objective material. Therefore, we recommend you to remove Zwangi.com. If you encounter this potentially unwanted application for the first time, let FortectIntego deal with the elimination. Manual Zwangi.com removal is also an option.
There are several features which help you distinguish a browser hijacker from a reliable search engine. Firstly, you should take a look at its domain name. Various questionable websites bear quite random titles. In this case, “zwangi” does not suggest the nature of this search engine. What is more, the design is identical to another browser hijacker – Kwinzy.com virus. The developer aims to increase its profits by launching several web analogous pages. This is the same story as with Imali company. It has occupied the market with a dozen of browser hijackers which share common URL domains. Though rarely browser hijackers pose a threat to the operating system, it is not recommended to ignore their presence. Speaking of Zwangi.com, you should not expect much from it. Comparing its search results to the ones displayed by a reliable search provider, they do not fulfill quality requirements. In other words, they provide more sponsored content rather than objective search results. Thus, if you are looking for reviews about anti-virus applications, then you might notice the sponsored web pages promoting the products of one or a few companies.
Zwangi.com looks identical to another browser hijacker – Kwinzy.com virus.
Therefore, the privacy policy should be of interest to you as well[2]. It contains crucial information. Unfortunately, users tend to ignore it without the awareness that the PUP spies on not only their browsing habits but personal details such as name, email and shipping address, as well[3]. In this regard, Zwangi.com compiles such information. Though it disclaims of sharing it with third parties, it mentions possible data transfer to its partner companies and the service providers. Therefore, the outcome might be the same – you get bombarded with tons of personalized content. Your Inbox folder might not escape the stream of personal, commercial offers. Lastly, Zwangi.com redirect phenomenon does not only become an irritating tendency but might directly affect the processing performance of your browser. Simultaneously opening windows may deteriorate the browser’s capacity to provide fast browsing speed. If you have already decided to get rid of this hijacker, follow the instructions below.
When did the hijacker infect my computer?
Zwangi.com hijack might have taken place when you have inattentively installed a new application. How did it happen? The problem lies in the habit installing new applications. It is common knowledge that users skim through the wizards by clicking the “Next” button only to find unwanted applications installed on the computer. In order not to repeat the same mistake again, change the habit. Upon initiating the installation, opt for the “Advanced” settings. Then watch for add-ons. Rarely they happen to be useful tools, so it would be better to deselect them so that they would not settle on your computer. In addition, you can manage your browser settings to limit the risk of landing in a malicious domain[4].
Zwangi.com termination steps
It is not difficult to remove Zwangi.com virus. You can do it with the assistance of malware removal utility. One of the positive features is that it comes in handy eliminating more delicate virtual infections. Do not forget to update it daily to experience all functions. On the final note, you can check manual Zwangi.com removal guidelines. They will also explain how to reset the settings. Even if you are dealing with a browser hijacker, take it seriously. An insignificant detail might be only the beginning of bigger problems[5].
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 Zwangi.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
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
If you are too suspicious of this browser hijacker, opt for the advanced method to remove registry entries.
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)
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
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 Zwangi.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
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
- ^ Barry Schwartz. Google To Host Live Q. Search Engine Roundtable. The Pulse of the Search Marketing Community.
- ^ Amy B Wang. A lawyer rewrote Instagram’s terms of use ‘in plain English’ so kids would know their privacy rights. The Washington Post. Breaking News, World, US, DC News and Analysis.
- ^ Larry Magid. Data Privacy Day stresses online safety tips. The Mercury News. Bay Area news, sports, business, entertainmnet, lifestyle, and commentary.
- ^ Joe Mcgauley. The Browser Setting Everyone Should Turn Off Right Now. ThrilList. Dining, entertainment, travel news .
- ^ Richard Forno. Are you suffering from CYBER FATIGUE? Experts warn constant hacks are leaving people uninterested in their online safety - but reveal what you should do now to make yourself safe online. Mail Online. Entertainment News.