How To Remove GillCom Browser Hijacker

Complete Guideline To Delete GillCom

GillCom is a nasty piece of software that has been categorized as a browser hijacker. This potentially unwanted program silently infiltrates the Windows computers without users’ approval and then makes changes to default browser’s settings to promote fxsmash.xyz- a fraudulent search engine. It can also track users’ online activities and is used to spy on victims’ online actions. It gathers vital information which is then utilized for generating personalized advertisements. And thus, after getting infected with this PUP, users have to deal with endless intrusive ads and pop-ups all over the day which interrupts their web sessions badly.

Know More About GillCom:

GillCom can compromise all the most used internet browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Explorer etc. so that it could target maximum users. It sets fxsmash.xyz as the new home page, search engine and new tab URLs without asking for users’ consent and acquires full control over the entire browser. Fake search tools are not able to produce results and hence, they often redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other legitimate ones. In case of fxsmash.xyz, it redirects people to websearches.club search tool. Nevertheless, the search outcomes are still not organic as you usually get sponsored links right at the top.

GillCom displays eye-catching deals, offers, banners, discounts, coupons etc. and tries to make users click on them in order to earn revenues via cost-per-click mechanism. These ads often contain vicious links and redirect people to various scam, phishing or even malware-laden web portals that host trojan, spyware, ransomware and other deadly viruses. At some sites, visitors are presented with fake security alerts, error messages, update notifications etc. and then tricked into installing rogue software. GillCom slows down the overall PC performance drastically as it consumes enormous amount of memory resources and increases the usage of CPU.

As stated before, GillCom is able to track users’ online activities and thus, it can also steal their personal and confidential data such as credit card and banking details, user IDs, passwords and so on. Your sensitive information could be misused by the scammers for generating illicit revenues that might lead to severe privacy issues, identity theft and huge financial loss. This precarious hijacker changes the registry settings by making spiteful entries in it which allows the PUP to get automatically activated with each system reboot. It may trigger multiple other hazardous issues in the device such as boot errors, software crash, application malfunctioning and so on. And hence, an instant GillCom removal is strongly recommended.

Threat Specification

Name: GillCom  

Type: Browser hijacker, Redirect virus, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Alterations to default browser’s settings, Redirects people to affiliated sites, promotes sponsored products, services and programs and make online profits for the creators. 

Symptoms: Search engine, home page, new tab settings, constant appearance of intrusive adverts, fake pop-up messages, identity theft. Users are enforced to search the Internet using fake search engines, slowness of infected system’s performance.

Distribution methods: Free software installers (bundling), malicious pop-ups ads, fake flash player installers.

Damage: Web browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), exhibition of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites.

Removal: To get rid of this infection and other malware threats, our security researchers recommend scanning your device with an effective anti-malware tool.

Ways To Spread GillCom:

Potentially unwanted programs have “official” sources from where they can be downloaded. But most often they are spread via installation of freeware. This deceptive marketing technique of pre-packing regular apps with malicious additions is known as “bundling”. This usually takes place when people download a freeware from unreliable sites like download.com, cnet.com, soft32.com, softonic.com etc. and then perform, careless installation process (ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, using “Easy/Express” settings etc.)

Tips To Prevent Hijacker Intrusion:

To prevent unwanted installations, it is necessary to research any products before downloading and installing them. Stay away from dubious channels like Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, free file-hosting sites and other third-party downloaders and choose official sources, trustworthy channels, direct links only to download programs. Furthermore, always opt for Custom or Advanced configuration settings to install software which allows you to de-select all the components that look suspicious. But at the moment, you must remove GillCom from the work-station as early as possible.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows Click Here For Mac

Important Note: This malware asks you to enable the web browser notifications. So, before you go the manual removal process, execute these steps.

Google Chrome (PC)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the Menu button
• Select “Settings”. Scroll the mouse downward to choose “Advanced” option
• Go to “Privacy and Security” section by scrolling downward and then select “Content settings” and then “Notification” option
• Find each suspicious URLs and click on three dots on the right side and choose “Block” or “Remove” option

Google Chrome (Android)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the menu button and then click on “Settings”
• Scroll down further to click on “site settings” and then press on “notifications” option
• In the newly opened window, choose each suspicious URLs one by one
• In the permission section, select “notification” and “Off” the toggle button

Mozilla Firefox

• On the right corner of the screen, you will notice three dots which is the “Menu” button
• Select “Options” and choose “Privacy and Security” in the toolbar present in the left side of the screen
• Slowly scroll down and go to “Permission” section then choose “Settings” option next to “Notifications”
• In the newly opened window, select all the suspicious URLs. Click on the drop-down menu and select “Block”

Internet Explorer

• In the Internet Explorer window, select the Gear button present on the right corner
• Choose “Internet Options”
• Select “Privacy” tab and then “Settings” under the “Pop-up Blocker” section
• Select all the suspicious URLs one by one and click on the “Remove” option

Microsoft Edge

• Open the Microsoft Edge and click on the three dots on the right corner of the screen to open the menu
• Scroll down and select “Settings”
• Scroll down further to choose “view advanced settings”
• In the “Website Permission” option, click on “Manage” option
• Click on switch under every suspicious URL

Safari (Mac):

• On the upper right side corner, click on “Safari” and then select “Preferences”
• Go to “website” tab and then choose “Notification” section on the left pane
• Search for the suspicious URLs and choose “Deny” option for each one of them

Manual Steps to Remove GillCom:

Remove the related items of GillCom using Control-Panel

Windows 7 Users

Click “Start” (the windows logo at the bottom left corner of the desktop screen), select “Control Panel”. Locate the “Programs” and then followed by clicking on “Uninstall Program”

Windows XP Users

Click “Start” and then choose “Settings” and then click “Control Panel”. Search and click on “Add or Remove Program’ option

Windows 10 and 8 Users:

Go to the lower left corner of the screen and right-click. In the “Quick Access” menu, choose “Control Panel”. In the newly opened window, choose “Program and Features”

Mac OSX Users

Click on “Finder” option. Choose “Application” in the newly opened screen. In the “Application” folder, drag the app to “Trash”. Right click on the Trash icon and then click on “Empty Trash”.

In the uninstall programs window, search for the PUAs. Choose all the unwanted and suspicious entries and click on “Uninstall” or “Remove”.

After you uninstall all the potentially unwanted program causing GillCom issues, scan your computer with an anti-malware tool for any remaining PUPs and PUAs or possible malware infection. To scan the PC, use the recommended the anti-malware tool.

How to Remove Adware (GillCom) from Internet Browsers

Delete malicious add-ons and extensions from IE

Click on the gear icon at the top right corner of Internet Explorer. Select “Manage Add-ons”. Search for any recently installed plug-ins or add-ons and click on “Remove”.

Additional Option

If you still face issues related to GillCom removal, you can reset the Internet Explorer to its default setting.

Windows XP users: Press on “Start” and click “Run”. In the newly opened window, type “inetcpl.cpl” and click on the “Advanced” tab and then press on “Reset”.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 Users: Press the Windows logo, type inetcpl.cpl in the start search box and press enter.  In the newly opened window, click on the “Advanced Tab” followed by “Reset” button.

For Windows 8 Users: Open IE and click on the “gear” icon. Choose “Internet Options”

Select the “Advanced” tab in the newly opened window

Press on “Reset” option

You have to press on the “Reset” button again to confirm that you really want to reset the IE

Remove Doubtful and Harmful Extension from Google Chrome

Go to menu of Google Chrome by pressing on three vertical dots and select on “More tools” and then “Extensions”. You can search for all the recently installed add-ons and remove all of them.

Optional Method

If the problems related to GillCom still persists or you face any issue in removing, then it is advised that your reset the Google Chrome browse settings. Go to three dotted points at the top right corner and choose “Settings”. Scroll down bottom and click on “Advanced”.

At the bottom, notice the “Reset” option and click on it.

In the next opened window, confirm that you want to reset the Google Chrome settings by click on the “Reset” button.

Remove GillCom plugins (including all other doubtful plug-ins) from Firefox Mozilla

Open the Firefox menu and select “Add-ons”. Click “Extensions”.  Select all the recently installed browser plug-ins.

Optional Method

If you face problems in GillCom removal then you have the option to rese the settings of Mozilla Firefox.

Open the browser (Mozilla Firefox) and click on the “menu” and then click on “Help”.

Choose “Troubleshooting Information”

In the newly opened pop-up window, click “Refresh Firefox” button

The next step is to confirm that really want to reset the Mozilla Firefox settings to its default by clicking on “Refresh Firefox” button.

Remove Malicious Extension from Safari

Open the Safari and go to its “Menu” and select “Preferences”.

Click on the “Extension” and select all the recently installed “Extensions” and then click on “Uninstall”.

Optional Method

Open the “Safari” and go menu. In the drop-down menu, choose “Clear History and Website Data”.

In the newly opened window, select “All History” and then press on “Clear History” option.

Delete GillCom (malicious add-ons) from Microsoft Edge

Open Microsoft Edge and go to three horizontal dot icons at the top right corner of the browser. Select all the recently installed extensions and right click on the mouse to “uninstall”

Optional Method

Open the browser (Microsoft Edge) and select “Settings”

Next steps is to click on “Choose what to clear” button

Click on “show more” and then select everything and then press on “Clear” button.

Conclusion

In most cases, the PUPs and adware gets inside the marked PC through unsafe freeware downloads. It is advised that you should only choose developers website only while downloading any kind of free applications.  Choose custom or advanced installation process so that you can trace the additional PUPs listed for installation along with the main program.