What To Do When Internet Explorer Is Hijacked Part I

One common attack that hackers are using nowadays amounts to an old-fashioned hijacking. However, rather than the target being a car or an airplane, the target is Internet Explorer. Taking back control over Internet Explorer when it has been hijacked can be a fight.

It is a sad truth that malicious individuals can hijack a Web browser in a variety of ways. Since there is no standard hijacking technique, there is no standard repair technique. If your browser is hijacked, a significant chance exists that these repairs will work, but your mileage may vary.

When you have been the victim of an Internet Explorer hijacking, you should first scan your computer for viruses, Trojans, adware, and spyware. It is highly likely that one of these items is the hijacker. Until you ensure that your computer is free from these parasites, you will only be treating the symptoms rather than the actual problem.

Scan for viruses first. Once you are sure that the system is virus free, it is time to scan for adware and spyware. You can use the Malicious Software Removal Tool or use a third-party utility such as PestPatrol or Ad-aware.

After you have scanned the system for virus, adware, and spyware, reboot and try to change Internet Explorer’s home page. If you are still unable to do so, then it’s likely the hijacker has modified the Windows registry or configured a malicious group policy.