How to remove Hurawatch redirect virus

Hurawatch hijacker removal tips

Hurawatch is a browser hijacker application that alters settings of installed web browsers on compromised host systems. Its main idea is to show tons of promoted ads. Such ads are mainly designed to help monetize the creators of the hijacker virus and generate them profit. The problem with this intruder is that it will not only cause computer running slow, but also lead to suspicious, dangerous pages to trigger additional PUAs or even malware infections.

Hurawatch redirect activity report

Hurawatch is a potentially unwanted application that might get installed on your system through bundling and other deceptive techniques. If bundling is used, this app gets installed along with other software, usually freeware like media players, images editors, file converters and others. Such apps are offered as additional apps with them and are usually hidden behind Custom/Advanced and similar setups. Since users click on Express Install, they tend to miss such apps from getting added to their systems.

As soon Hurawatch makes entry to your systems, it brings various unwanted changes to the browsers’ settings and their behaviors. It alters the new tab pages, homepage and search engine options of the web browsers you are using to redirect to its own website. This results in multiple ads to begin appearing with search results. The shown ads could lead to risky websites as they are often unchecked and unverified. They can end up you to the pages like:

• Fake surveys,
• Fake or phishing sites,
• Fake tech support scams,
• Fraud websites,
• Fake software downloading sites,
• Endless redirect schemes and so on.

Hurawatch may also use different trackers to obtain browsing based data that include where you have clicked online and what your mouse movements are, sites bookmarked, pages visited, browsing history and search query and so on. These data are usually used in advertising purpose. However, the PUAs developers can share these data to potentially cyber-criminals for income.

Thus, there could be a serious privacy issues, identity theft, monetary loss and much more to be happening in future. Before that, take the necessary actions and remove Hurawatch from your system. The removal process can easily be done using some powerful antivirus tool and running a full system scan using it. However, if you do not want to use any such tools, you can perform the removal process manually –refer our manual instructions provided below the post.

Precautions to prevent PUAs infection in future

As said, Hurawatch and similar browser based threats are often distributed using deceptive bundling method. The packs containing more than one app in which PUAs is certain are often found to be distributed on various third party software venders. However, you can’t surely say that trustworthy sources do not include any additional apps. So, the best if you stay cautious during any new software installations:

• Do not skip any installation process,
• If prompted, use Custom/Advanced settings instead of Recommended/ Quick mode,
• Un-tick every ticked checkboxes, and check out the fine-print text, misleading buttons and other similar that are often used to trigger PUAs download,
• Employ some reputable antivirus tool for adequate PC protection.

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 Hurawatch:

Remove the related items of Hurawatch 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 Hurawatch 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 (Hurawatch) 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 Hurawatch 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 Hurawatch 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 Hurawatch 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 Hurawatch 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 Hurawatch (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.