Internet users who notice that links in Web browser search results lists are directing to unrelated sites should not immediately assume user error. After they go back to verify search terms entered in a browser query, they should consider that their computers may have been infected with the Google redirect virus. This malware is sophisticated, can be quite dangerous, and is relatively easy to acquire. Understanding how to recognize this virus is the first step toward removing it.
Google redirect takes over the Google, Yahoo, or Bing Web browser, sending a user on a wild ride with search results. The sites listed on search results pages may seem legitimate but after clicking on one of them, the user realizes that this is not the case. The links take the user to several irrelevant websites, many of which contain their own forms of malware including phishing programs. By the time the user arrives at the desired website, the computer is infected several times over.
This virus can come from anywhere on the Internet including videos, MP3s, and screensavers. It can even be transmitted as downloads or plugins sent via email. Even websites that appear to be legitimate and offer useful downloads can pass along this virus. The user receives no warning before the computer is infected, providing no opportunity to head off the problem before it occurs. This is one of the most frustrating aspects of Google redirect.
Users should look for the signs that their computers have been infected with this virus. A change to the Web homepage and inability of the user to change it back to the desired page is one indicator. If the Web browser is redirected to random websites unrelated to a search, the virus may be present. Users should also be aware of whether the number of pop-ups increases and if virus removal websites begin being blocked.
Computer users who are the most technically savvy should check their Windows HOSTS file to see if it was changed. Any one of the events above can indicate infection by Google redirect. The focus should then turn to removing the virus. Removal should take place as soon as the user realizes that the computer is infected. This prevents the virus from causing additional damage.
It can be very difficult to remove this browser-hijacking virus from a computer. However, the task is not impossible. The virus is actually a miniature application that changes Windows settings for handling redirects. After the application makes this change, it hides on a computer as a regular or executable file in a location that an anti-virus program will not detect.
By learning how to identify the Google redirect virus, computer users may be more likely to remove it before it becomes a huge problem. They should look for issues such as search results being redirected to unrelated websites, a changed Web homepage, and increased number of pop-ups. Taking swift action to remove this browser hijacker gets the computer back in proper working order in a short time.
If you are experiencing the symptoms described above, you probably have the Google Redirect Virus. While it is obviously bad and inconvenient that it is on your machine, GerardComputer.com can help you remove the Google Redirect Virus from your computer once and for all. For more information and instructions on how to get this virus off your computer, visit our website today!
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