How to remove Start Movie DS browser hijacker

Complete tips to delete Start Movie DS redirect virus

Start Movie DS is a browser hijacker application that alters browsers’ settings to search.movieapp.net – an address of a fake search engine. Also, it has data tracking potential, i.e., it can spy on users’ browsing session and collect the data related to their web browsing activity. Browser hijackers often get downloaded unintentionally. Due to this reason, these apps are also called potentially unwanted applications.

Most browser hijackers promote addresses of fake search engines by altering browsers’ settings such as the addresses of default search engine, homepage and new tab page addresses. Start Movie DS makes all such alterations to set the aforementioned URL address. As this is a fake search engine, it shows results generated by Yahoo or Bing and redirects to search.yahoo.com or bing.com via search-checker.com. Its behavior depends on the visitors’ geo-location.

Quite often, fake web searchers promote dubious pages by including links and ads with the search results. Hence, despite the redirect being caused by search.movieapp.net (promoted URL by Start Movie DS) to the genuine search engines, the search results are not fully reliable. It is impossible for the users to reset those changes made to the browsers’ setting until the software which is responsible behind it kept installed on system. This type of software poses capability to reassign any changes made by the users.

It is common for browser hijackers that they are designed to gather browsing based data and it is more likely that Start Movie DS is not an exception. The data of their target include IP addresses, entered search queries, Viewed pages, URLs visited, ISPs, Geo-locations and etc. In some cases, even passwords, credit card info and other data that can be misused for stealing identities, online accounts, and making unauthorized purchases, can be targeted.  Remove Start Movie DS before any such issues happen on you.

How did Start Movie DS infiltrate in?

Browser hijackers are often included in the downloaders/installers of other programs as additional offers. Thus, users download or install them when they finish the download/ installation without deselecting those apps. These unwanted offers can be declined within Custom/Advanced and similar option. It is worth mentioning that PUAs are often found bundled with freeware apps. In other cases, PUAs download/ installation is caused after clicking on deceptive ads that are designed to run certain scripts. Such ads are often displayed on various questionable websites.

How to prevent PUAs installation?

It is recommended to check downloders/ installers with Custom/Advanced or other similar option all the time when you opt for software download/ installation and opt out all unwanted offers. Also, it is advised not to trust any third party downloders, unofficial sites, p2p networks or third party installers – they are often used to offer bundled content with regular software. Apps should always be downloaded from official websites and direct links. Additionally, do not click on any ads appear on any shady pages- they often open the pages of same kinds. Sometimes, they are designed to download/ install PUAs by running certain malicious scripts.

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 Start Movie DS:

Remove the related items of Start Movie DS 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 Start Movie DS 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 (Start Movie DS) 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 Start Movie DS 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 Start Movie DS 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 Start Movie DS 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 Start Movie DS 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 Start Movie DS (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.