How to remove search.homesearchtab.com redirect

search.homesearchtab.com is a fake search engine, promoted by a browser hijacker. If you suddenly notice this site loading as your homepage, your computer likely has a browser hijacker installed. These types of infections are not malicious but they try to redirect users to highly questionable websites and expose them to sponsored content.

 

 

The one good thing about browser hijacker infections is that they are very obvious. As soon as they are installed, browser hijackers make changes to a browser’s settings, hence why they’re called browser hijackers. This particular browser hijacker sets search.homesearchtab.com as the homepage and new tabs, as well as sets it as the default search engine. This means that every time you open your browser, search.homesearchtab.com will load. All your searches will also go through search.homesearchtab.com.We should mention that these changes can affect all popular browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, etc. You will also notice that the changes are irreversible while the hijacker is installed. Any changes you make will be nullified by the hijacker. Until you remove search.homesearchtab.com browser hijacker, you’re stuck with the changes.

Browser hijackers are not classified as dangerous infections and they shouldn’t directly harm the computer. However, their redirects are a different matter. Hijackers can redirect to potentially dangerous websites. A hijacker’s main goal is to expose users to sponsored content and redirect them to websites to generate revenue. This is done by inserting sponsored links among legitimate search results. These results are usually very generic and unrelated to the search query, so they are quite obvious. We don’t recommend clicking on them because you could be redirected to sites that promote scams or conceal malware infections. Those results will be useless to you anyway so there’s no reason to interact with them.

In addition to the redirects, browser hijackers also have quite intrusive data collection practices. They often track what sites users visit, what they search for, their IP addresses, etc. It’s also common for this information to be shared with third parties. Considering how useless the hijacker is and its intrusiveness, there’s no reason to put up with it. The sooner you remove search.homesearchtab.com, the quicker you can go back to regular browsing.

Because browser hijackers are considered to be minor infections, which means they can be removed both manually and with an anti-virus program. We recommend using WiperSoft to remove search.homesearchtab.com browser hijacker because the program would take care of everything. Manual search.homesearchtab.com removal can be time-consuming and require more effort.

How did a browser hijacker install on my computer?

Minor infections like adware, browser hijackers, and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) are commonly attached to free software as extra offers. This method is known as software bundling. It’s considered to be a controversial installation method because it essentially allows unwanted programs to install without users’ explicit permission. If a program has an offer attached to it, the offer will be authorized to install alongside without requiring users to permit it. The offers are technically optional but you have to manually deselect them to prevent them from installing. Furthermore, the offers are hidden in settings users don’t normally use, which means they often go unnoticed.

To prevent unwanted installations, pay attention when installing programs. More specifically, choose Advanced or Custom settings instead of Default when given the option during installation. The installation window says that using Default settings is recommended but if you do that, any offers added to the program will be authorized to install alongside. Advanced (Custom) settings, on the other hand, will make all added offers visible. You will also be given the option to deselect all of them. If anything is added to the program you are installing, you simply need to deselect the boxes. Unfortunately, most free programs on non-official websites will have added offers. Allowing these unwanted installations is a quick way to fill your computer with junk programs. Thus, always deselect all offers.

Browser hijackers are also often promoted on free program download sites. They are advertised as legitimate extensions that will improve users’ browsing. This type of deception is why it’s important to research programs before installing them. Even a simple search with Google or another search engine is often enough. If any results point to an extension being a potentially unwanted program or a similar infection, installing it is not recommended. You should also avoid installing programs from unofficial sources.

How to remove search.webwebweb.com redirect

Because it’s not a complex infection, you can remove search.homesearchtab.com browser hijacker both manually and using anti-virus software. Using an anti-virus program like WiperSoft is recommended because hijackers can be tricky. You will be able to change your browser’s settings like normal once you fully delete search.homesearchtab.com browser hijacker from your computer.