How to Remove Findwide.com? - Browser Hijacker Removal

Description of Findwide.com 

Similar to other redirect viruses, Findwide.com is also classified as a browser hijacker that used by cyber criminals to change the settings of people’s web browsers in order to display advertising, boost web traffic and make pay-per-link profits. Once gets into a target computer, the browser hijacker will force the user to visit its domain every time you open the infected browser. Its aim is to help increase the traffic of certain websites and generate advertising revenue through the pay-per-click advertisements. In other words, the hijacker is invented to help hackers to obtain money. It is suggested to take immediate steps to clean up Findwide.com for it is capable to open up the gate for other malware if users desire to keep their computer and confidential information under legit antimalware protection. 

Consequences of Findwide.com 

Once Findwide.com completes its installation on the target computer, it will tamper with the web browsers including Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer and change the Internet settings. The original homepage and search engine will be replaced with the browser hijacker. The browser hijacker will also cause many unexpected problems to interrupt users’ online activities and redirect web searches to suspicious sites. Since being installed, Findwide.com starts to bombard the screen with ads. The pop-ups include coupons, deals, advertisements and ad banners, showing misleading information to lure users to install unwanted programs or pay for unnecessary programs. Once users are cheated by the bogus information, their money may be taken away once they purchase the programs recommended. Moreover, their credit card numbers and passwords may be stolen by the rogue hackers. 

How to Remove Findwide.com from an Infected Computer?

Removing Findwide.com from the infected computer is a difficult task because the browser hijacker will not only change browser settings and Internet settings but also drop its malicious codes on to the hard disk so as to conceal its existent. Hence, even you have restored the settings changed by the redirect virus, you would find your browsers abnormal again, since the redirect virus hasn’t been removed and it can change the browser settings gain and again. To remove Findwide.com redirect virus infection, we suggest you a complete machine cleaning. 

Remove Findwide.com Virus from Infectious PCs 

Step one: set the default homepage back

For Internet Explorer:

1. Click on Browser Tools

2. Select Manage Add-Ons on the tools window

3. Click Search Provider

4. Here you can see many kinds of search engine option as Bing and Google, select your favorite one to be a default homepage.

5. Choose Search Results and click on Remove icon to eliminate it

6. Click Tools, select Internet Options and then the General tab. Here you can option a website you like and save it.

c. Select ‘Search Results’ and click ‘Remove’ to remove it;

For Google Chrome:

1. Open Customize and control

2. Click on Settings

3. Select on Basic Options icon

4. Here you can reset your homepage (e.g.Google.com）

5. Once you choose a default homepage, click on Manage Search Engines and then click Google to be your default search engine.

6. Remove it from the browser by clicking Search Result and then the X’ mark

For Mozilla Firefox:

1. Click Manage Search Engine

2. Select Search Results and then click Remove option, click OK

3. Open Tools, under the General tab, set Google.com as default homepage

Step two: locate related files of xxx and remove them from the computer

%AllUsersProfile%

%AllUsersProfile%\Programs\{random letters}\

%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~r

%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~dll

Step three: Remove Cookies on all Browsers

Internet Explorer:

a. Click options on the browser and then choose Internet Options

b. Open General tab, click Delete Browsing History to remove all related cookies

c. Select cookies and click Delete

Firefox: 

a. Click option

b. Select Privacy and then click on Remove Individual Cookies icon

c. Delete relevant cookies list on the box

Google Chrome:

a. Click option

b. Open Under the Bonnet tab

c. Select Privacy and then click Clear browsing data

d. Delete all cookies

Step four: Remove Malicious Registry 

a. Open Registry Editor on the start menu

b. Type in Regedit and click OK

c. Remove all the following registry entries

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings “CertificateRevocation” = ‘1’

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments “SaveZoneInformation” = ‘0’

Conclusion 

Findwide.com is actually a browser hijacker that is programmed by cyber crooks to gather illegal commercial gains from abusing innocent user’s browser resources. Besides, the browser hijacker usually hides its real intent in the End-User License Agreement, which is usually ignored by many computer users. Users often install an application without knowing what is really going on. Thus, Findwide.com or other harmful plug-ins/add-ons can be installed on the target computers and then carry out many harmful actions. And if so, Findwide.com is able to masquerade as a legal toolbar that can get installed on the browser. It is extremely important to remove the Findwide.com browser hijacker virus to save the computer system from being messed up. Want to remove the redirect virus efficiently? Use a professional malware removal tool.