What is a Browser Hijacking?
A browser hijack is a form of malware that hijacks, or takes over a user’s browser. This form of attack is capable of redirecting users to websites they never wanted to visit, overflowing a browser with pop-up windows, or changing browser settings. One sign of a browser hijack is if your browser settings are constantly changing (i.e. favorites, default homepages and search pages) to something unfavorable. Even if a user manually changes his or her browser settings back to their original state, the browser-hijacking spyware most likely made changes in the registry, causing the unwanted homepage or added favorites to resurface continually, even after the user restarts. Browser hijackers often also map certain Web URLs to a specific IP address, so every time a user types a specific URL into his or her browser, say google.com, it will take them to a different website, such as a porn site, instead. Or every time a user mistypes a URL, the user will be redirected to the spyware owner’s Web p
Browser hijacking occurs when malware (malicious software) self-installs while cruising the Internet. Malware code changes the behavior of Internet Explorer™, typically adding several bookmarks to “Favorites†and changing the home page without the user’s permission. Browser hijacking often involves linking Explorer to adult websites and bombarding the user with adult pop-up advertisements. Less often a browser hijacking might not involve adult content but will be repeated redirects to a site you did not click on and have no interest in. It might suddenly feel like your browser has a mind of its own. You intend to go to your home site, but your browser keeps popping over to another. Malware is redirecting your clicks to the destination site. When struck by this behavior a user often attempts to change back the home page only to find the correction won’t stick. Malicious code can make changes to the system’s “hosts†file which maps domain addresses to corresponding Internet P
Browser hijacking occurs when malware (malicious software) self-installs while cruising the Internet. Malware code changes the behavior of Internet Explorer™, typically adding several bookmarks to “Favorites” and changing the home page without the user’s permission. Browser hijacking often involves linking Explorer to adult websites and bombarding the user with adult pop-up advertisements. Less often a browser hijacking might not involve adult content but will be repeated redirects to a site you did not click on and have no interest in. It might suddenly feel like your browser has a mind of its own. You intend to go to your home site, but your browser keeps popping over to another. Malware is redirecting your clicks to the destination site. When struck by this behavior a user often attempts to change back the home page only to find the correction won’t stick. Malicious code can make changes to the system’s “hosts” file which maps domain addresses to corresponding Internet Protocol (IP)
Browser hijacking occurs when malware (malicious software) self-installs while cruising the Internet. Malware code changes the behavior of Internet Explorer™, typically adding several bookmarks to “Favorites?and changing the home page without the user’s permission. Browser hijacking often involves linking Explorer to adult websites and bombarding the user with adult pop-up advertisements. Less often a browser hijacking might not involve adult content but will be repeated redirects to a site you did not click on and have no interest in. It might suddenly feel like your browser has a mind of its own. You intend to go to your home site, but your browser keeps popping over to another. Malware is redirecting your clicks to the destination site. When struck by this behavior a user often attempts to change back the home page only to find the correction won’t stick. Malicious code can make changes to the system’s “hosts?file which maps domain addresses to corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) a
