Do you know what InitialSite123.com is?
At first, you might think that InitialSite123.com is a normal search provider; however, it should not take long for you to realize that not everything is right with it. Right away, you should notice that it redirects your search queries to search.yahoo.com, and that is not something to dismiss. Were you informed that you would be redirected to a third-party search engine while using the search dialog box represented via the interface of the search tool? If you were not, you should consider this activity unauthorized and illegal. Of course, because the hijacker reroutes to Yahoo Search, many victims are likely to see no harm because this search provider is considered reliable. Unfortunately, this could be a problem. If you want to learn more, please continue reading, and keep in mind that removing InitialSite123.com is what our research team recommends.
Have you heard of Initialpage123.com, Funnysite123.com, Myhomepage123.com, LuckySearch123.com, or other browser hijackers from the ELEX family? Well, these are the clones of InitialSite123.com, and, of course, it is classified as a browser hijacker as well. Although it is likely that most users will find this threat bundled with third-party software, some users might find it installed without their permission. So, the first thing you need to figure out is whether or not the hijacker corrupted your browser illegally. If it did, you need no other reason to delete it from your Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer browser because software that slithers in without your permission is automatically considered malicious. Of course, that does not mean that you should keep using InitialSite123.com even if it took over your browser with your permission. The next thing you should figure out is if the hijacker was installed bundled with other threats? A legitimate malware scanner can help you do that in just a few minutes.
InitialSite123.com screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
So, what is wrong with Yahoo Search? Nothing is wrong with this search provider, but InitialSite123.com could add sponsored links that would pose as regular search results represented by Yahoo. Can you recognize a scam here? If you interact with the results shown to you carelessly, you could end up on sites that might have nothing to do with your search query. This means that it might be more difficult for you to browse the web and find the content you want. Also, if the links are unreliable, your virtual security could be put on the line as well. Clearly, InitialSite123.com is not a reliable search tool, and this is the main reason to delete it. You should also consider its removal if you do not want its developer recording information about your activity.
As you can see, it does not take much to delete InitialSite123.com from your browsers. Choose which one was corrupted by the hijacker, and follow the displayed steps. Afterward, make sure to scan your operating system to see if any leftovers are still active. If third-party malware is present, you will be warned about that as well. What if you simply cannot clean your operating system yourself? If that is the case, you should install software that is set up to find and erase malware automatically. We suggest using anti-malware software that could continuously keep you guarded once your PC is cleaned.
Remove InitialSite123.com
Mozilla Firefox
- Simultaneously tap Win+E to launch Explorer and then enter %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ into the bar at the top.
- Open the folder that represents your profile (look for the folder with random characters).
- Right-click the file called prefs.js and choose to “open with” a text reader, such as Notepad.
- Find the string user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://InitialSite123.com"); and overwrite the hijacker’s URL. Save the file before closing it.
Google Chrome
- Simultaneously tap Win+E to launch Explorer and then enter %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\ into the bar at the top.
- Open the Default folder (if multiple profiles are activated, open your profile folder).
- Right-click the file named Preferences and choose to “open with” a text reader, such as Notepad.
- Find the hijacker’s URL, overwrite it, and then save the file (repeat on Secure Preferences and Web Data files as well).
Internet Explorer
- Launch RUN by tapping Win+R keys and then enter regedit.exe to access Registry Editor.
- Navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.
- Right-click the value named Start Page and select Modify.
- Overwrite the hijacker’s URL and then click OK.
- Navigate to HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{0633EE93-D776-472f-A0FF-E1416B8B2E3A}.
- Open the value called FaviconURL and overwrite the hijacker’s URL in the value data box (repeat on URL, TopResultURL, and FaviconURLFallback values).
In non-techie terms:
There is no reason to trust InitialSite123.com because this browser hijacker might slither into your browser and replace your usual homepage without your permission. Also, it can redirect you to a search engine showcasing unpredictable sponsored links. To top it off, it can also spy on you using tracking cookies. If it provided you with beneficial results, you could think on whether or not to remove this hijacker, but because it is completely useless, you should not waste any time. Delete InitialSite123.com and then set the desired homepage. If you want a search engine to greet you on your browser’s startup, make sure you research and apply the most reliable one.