How to remove Movie stuff hijacker virus

Complete tips to delete Movie stuff browser hijacker

Movie stuff is a browser hijacker application that is designed to promote a fake search engine named search.movieapp.net. It operates by modifying web browsers’ settings to promote the fake search engine. Additionally, it has dangerous data tracking feature that it uses in spying on users’ browsing activity. Because of shady techniques used for the distribution, the app is also called potentially unwanted application.

Like other browser hijackers, Movie stuff promoted the said URL by assigning its URL address to the browsers’ homepage, new tab page and search engine options. These changes might appear as minor. However, they significantly affect the web browsing experience. The victims are forced to visit the promoted URL all the time when they open the browsing tab and enter any queries on the URL search bar.  Accessing to the browsers’ settings is blocked and thus returning to the previous options is not possible without removing it.

The main problem with the search.movieapp.net redirect is that it is a fake search engine that displays search results generated by legit Yahoo search engine. Sometimes, it causes a redirection chain consisting of my-search.com, trafficjunction.com and concluding with Bing. Either way, the search results are filled with various links to sponsored, affiliated and potentially malicious pages and could be the reason for additional symptoms of malware infection like Trojan or Ransomware. Some of the promoted pages may offer various scams.

What’s more, the Movie stuff app can track and collect browsing based data. The list of the collected data includes IP addresses, Search queries, Viewed pages, URLs visited, ISPs, Geo-locations and etc. The gathered data can be monetized by being shared with and/or sold to third parties. Thus, the presence of the unwanted app can cause severe privacy issues, identity theft and monetary loss. To avoid any such issues in future, immediately remove Movie stuff and all related components from the browsers and system.

How did Movie stuff enter my system?

Some PUAs have their official promotional/ download pages. Intrusive ads can also be used to distribute PUAs as well. Once clicked on, these ads run certain scripts to cause stealthy download/ installation. PUAs can also be distributed by bundle them with regular software as additional offers. Such offers can easily be declined within Custom/Advanced section. However, not all users do that. They simply leave these settings unchecked and unchanged and lead to their inadvertent installation.

How to prevent PUAs installation?

Only official and verified sources should be used. Dubious download channels such as unofficial and freeware websites, p2p networks and other third-party downloaders- often offer bundled and/or hazardous content. When downloading/ installing, it is advised to read terms, explore possible options, use Custom/Advanced settings and opt out from supplementary apps, tools, functions and other additions. Intrusive ads should never be clicked as well- these ads often open various questionable pages and sometimes cause unwanted download/installation.

Get rid of Movie stuff

Below the post, complete manual as well as automatic guide to remove Movie stuff is provided for you. Choose the one that you think the best and perform the removal process as soon as possible so that you can avoid severe consequences due to the infection.

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 Movie stuff:

Remove the related items of Movie stuff 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 Movie stuff 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 (Movie stuff) 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 Movie stuff 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 Movie stuff 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 Movie stuff 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 Movie stuff 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 Movie stuff (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.