How To Remove MegaAp Browser Hijacker

Complete Guideline To Delete MegaAp

MegaAp is another notorious browser hijacker which tends to silently penetrate the Windows computers without being acknowledged by the users and affect common internet browsers. This potentially unwanted application sets toksearches.xyz engine as the default on your PC and installs various other toolbar and extensions on the browser without users’ consent. Although, it promises to enhance your web browsing experience by providing most relevant and authentic search results but, you should ever use tools or programs installed out of nowhere. Once this nasty PUP successfully gets into your work-station, it alters the default homepage, search engine and new tab preferences with its own perilous links and acquires full control over the entire browser.

Know More About MegaAp:

While having MegaAp on your browser, each time you try to browse anything, online results get filled with commercial content and redirects you to more shady pages. Fake search engines and other potentially unwanted programs cannot give you any value because these cyber infections significantly affect the speed and general performance of the computer. This fake search tool is presented as ‘powered by Yahoo’. However, after using it for some time, it becomes obvious that this site not only provides manipulated search results, but displays multiple pop-up ads that redirect people to sponsored web pages.

MegaAp can appear instead of the start page and default search engine on all web browsers that can be found on the device. If it has infiltrated your computer, you should be careful to avoid unexpected redirections to a malevolent domain. Please, check your PC for browser hijacker, which may be closely related to this search engine. toksearches.MegaAp is the domain that gets set on the internet browser as a search engine or a homepage. This is also the address that appears as the first redirect related to this PUP.

As soon as the system gets infected by MegaAp, all the attempts to search online go straight to ad-supported domains and potentially malicious pages. Creators of this perilous hijacker claim to be committed to protect users’ privacy, but the program delivers potentially unwanted threats and promotes other products that may cause issues with the system, speed, and performance of the machine. Also, all those redirects to commercial pages can expose the user to possibly malicious material and lead to more severe infiltrations. And hence, a quick MegaAp removal is highly required.

Quick Glance

Name: MegaAp

Type: Browser hijacker, Redirect virus, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Redirects users to affiliated sites, promotes sponsored products, services and programs and make online revenues for the creators, Also steals users’ personal and confidential information and share them with hackers for evil purposes.

Symptoms: Alterations in default browser’s settings, default Internet search engine, Numerous annoying adverts, Fake pop-up messages, identity theft, new tab settings. Users are enforced to visit hijacker’s website and search the Internet using their search engines, slowness of infected system’s performance.

Distribution methods: Free software installers (bundling), Deceptive emails, 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.

How Does MegaAp Infiltrate Your PC?

The usual PUP distribution method is software bundling. This illusive marketing practice has been common for years and is used by many freeware/shareware developers as well as its hosting sites. It generally takes place when installing apps or software using ‘Recommended’, ‘Quick’ or ‘Default’ mode set. While it is not always evil, some practices show that potentially unwanted applications are intentionally hidden within installation wizards, so that users would have minimal chances of noticing pre-ticked boxes, misleading button placements, and other tricks.

Tips To Avoid Hijacker Penetration:

Therefore, you need to be very cautious when installing software, especially if they come from a third-party site. It is important to avoid downloading programs from sources like p2p services, torrent sites etc. and always choose reliable source or direct links. Choose Advanced or Custom installation options and focus on the program list, so you can de-select applications that seem shady or questionable. But at the moment, you must remove MegaAp from the computer without wasting any time.

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 MegaAp:

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