What Is a Browser Hijacker?

Browser hijacking is a malicious program that modifies the user's browser through browser plug-ins, BHO (browser auxiliary object), Winsock LSP, etc., making the user's browser configuration abnormal and being forcibly guided to a commercial website. The so-called browser hijacking refers to the modification of a web browser (IE, etc.) by a malicious program. A common phenomenon is that the homepage and Internet search pages become unknown websites, and often inexplicable pop-up advertisement pages enter normal website addresses but connect to other websites. Unknown website addresses are automatically added to favorites and so on.

Browser hijacking

Browser hijacking is a

"Browser hijacking" is popularly a phenomenon that deliberately misleads the browser's travel route. Common browser hijacking phenomena include: being redirected to a malicious webpage when accessing a normal website, and being hijacked when the wrong URL is entered The website specified by the software, the browser speed is seriously slowed down when entering characters, the homepage / search page of IE browser is modified to the website address,

Browser hijacking and corresponding pornographic websites can also cause other non-computer problems. Employees browsing pornographic pages while at work may cause unemployment; users may access illegal content by browsing pornographic websites; even personal social relationships will gradually decrease due to the impact of pornographic websites, and so on. In the United States, a Russian immigrant was charged and found guilty for browsing child pornography, defending that he was nothing more than a victim of browser hijacking, but that didn't help.

Browser hijacker may also install Trojan-like software on your machine. In this case, it is generally the user's choice whether to agree to install the software. This is no longer a browser attack problem. The problem is that the user did not check the software installation license certificate carefully, or just clicked the confirmation button. Of course, through a browser attack, you can also start installing software without obtaining user permission, such as through a poisoned email, a shared file system, or a downloaded file. In order to avoid virus infection, experts recommend that users read the software installation agreement carefully, and treat files downloaded and emails from unknown addresses with caution. ^[2]

Includes the following abnormal behavior:

1. The homepage or other settings on your computer have been changed, including the addition of links to websites that you would normally avoid.

2. Cannot browse some web pages, such as

Let's take a look at some ways to deal with browser hijacking:

Edit hosts file

Be careful about what you download or install on your computer

There are some basic precautions you can take to help ensure that your browser works:

Whenever you want to download new software to your computer, a warning window appears as shown in the figure below. Please take this warning seriously. Reputable online games and media services may send spyware and other

Install automatic updates. If using

Here are 6 tips to help restore your browser's settings:

1- Stop cascading popup

If seemingly endless pop-ups appear on the screen, you may need to stop the flooding momentum first. To do this, at Microsoft

1. Edit the hosts file

The HOSTS file exists in the System32 \ Drivers \ Etc directory under the Windows directory.

The specific method to see this

2. modify

"Browser hijacking", common browser hijacking behaviors include: being redirected to a malicious webpage when accessing a normal website, being redirected to a website designated by the hijacking software when entering the wrong URL, severely slowing down the browser when entering characters, and IE browsing Browser homepage / search page is modified to the website address specified by the hijacking software, automatically add the website to the "trusted site", accidentally

In May 2019, the relevant person in charge of the State Administration of Market Supervision stated that forcing or disguising consumers to browse specific webpages and other acts violated the relevant laws and regulations, and the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration would take charge of it.

The General Administration of Market Supervision has launched a nationwide implementation of "guardian consumption" and a special law enforcement action against consumer personal information violations in April 2019. In the next step, it will cooperate with the Central Cyberspace Office and other departments to do a good job in related governance from the perspective of standardized format provisions, APP security certification, and consumer personal information protection. At the same time, actively cooperate with the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to promote the promulgation of the Personal Information Protection Law as soon as possible.

The Central Cyberspace Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the General Administration of Market Supervision have organized a one-year special administration for the collection and use of personal information on APPs in violation of laws and regulations across the country from January 2019. The work is mainly carried out from four aspects: First, Evaluate the privacy policy of APP and the collection and use of personal information; the second is to increase the supervision and punishment of illegal acts; the third is to crack down on the crime of violating citizens' personal information and to rectify cyber crimes; the fourth is to establish and implement the APP security certification system. At present, all work is progressing smoothly and orderly.

APP security certification was launched on March 13, 2019 by the General Administration of Market Supervision and the Central Network Information Office to the entire society. According to the principle of voluntary application by APP operators, a qualified certification agency shall collect, store, Transmission, processing, use of personal information and other activities for evaluation, after meeting the requirements, issue a security certification certificate and allow certification identification. Guide consumers to choose secure APP products by encouraging search engines and app stores to recommend certified apps first. ^[3]

In May 2019, the Central Cyberspace Office stated that it would establish a mechanism to ensure user safety, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said it would severely punish browser homepage hijacking. ^[1]

On May 22, 2019, Kingsoft Internet Security and 360 Company responded to "browser homepage hijacking": strengthening self-discipline ^[4] .