Browser hijacking
Browser hijackers and browser hijackers are small programs which manipulate the settings of the browser to ( for example, the home page) to redirect page views and searches on certain websites. They mostly belong to the category of so-called malware, which often install themselves without the user's knowledge in the background, often by exploiting vulnerabilities in the browser software. More rarely they are also installed with the consent of the user of adware to display advertising.
Affected by these pests are mainly users of Microsoft Internet Explorer on Microsoft Windows, but also alternative browsers such as Firefox, Opera or Google Chrome may be affected under Windows.
Free programs such as Spybot - Search & Destroy also allow less experienced computer users to clean their PC of this pest. More experienced users can check their registry for infestation with the free analysis tool HijackThis.
Examples of common browser hijacker
Awesomehp
Awesomehp spreads through downloads of free full versions and updates supposed known Windows extensions (eg Java, Flash). After the installation of this unwanted adware the home, the New Tab page and the default search engine is being extended in all installed browsers that these refer to www.awesomehp.com. These optically matched to known search engine website refers to other adware and spyware, stores advertising cookies, and displays unnecessary ads. This hijacker can be removed with the aid of appropriate software. One difficulty, however, represents the restoration of all manipulated Program Launch shortcuts
Nation Zoom
Nation zoom is a browser hijacker that manipulates all installed Web browser to the effect that home page and default search engine website www.nationzoom.com is established. Also, the hijackers target page is invoked when you open a new tab. This search engine refers in part to dubious advertising offers on the Internet, uses cookies to commission statements when making purchases online and sprinkled advertising links in the search result list. Any dissemination of this adware takes place mainly within the setup routines of freeware and shareware programs.