Do you know what Terra.im is?
Terra.im is a browser hijacker that enters your system silently and modifies your browser’s settings without your permission. Some security-related websites claim that Terra is a cookie that collects data on your web browsing habits, but the piece of software we are dealing with here now is obviously a browser hijacker. You must remove Terra.im from your computer if you want to avoid serious infections. Since it is clear that this browser hijacker does not get distributed on its own, you should check whether there are more potential threats on your computer.
Terra.im screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
If we were to open the Terra.im webpage, we would see that it has a sleek interface, and it looks like a decent search provider. It comes with a tagline “terra.im, intelligent search” and it also has four shortcuts to other popular sites: Google, Facebook, Yahoo!, and YouTube. The question is though, why Terra.im offers you a shortcut to Google if it can provide you with search services (or so it claims). This is an obvious discrepancy that should ring a bell of alarm immediately. The point is that there is nothing reliable about Terra.im, and unless you delete it from your computer, there is a good chance that you will be exposed to multiple security issues.
As mentioned above, this browser hijacker does not have a direct distribution source. Judging from its search results and various inquiries about the search engine on the Internet, we can infer that Terra.im is targeted at the Russian speaking computer users. Our research suggests that Terra.im spreads bundled with freeware in third-party installers. This requires users to be extremely cautious whenever they download something from an unfamiliar source. Even if you are about to use a third-party application to download a video from a streaming site, make sure you follow all the instructions carefully and do not click on random Download buttons. There are adware and malware programs hiding behind the fake download buttons!
With Terra.im on your computer, your default homepage and search engine will be modified. Since Terra is often identified as a cookie, it is also obvious that the browser hijacker will monitor your web browsing activities. Sooner rather than later, you will be shown multiple advertisements in various forms that will try to redirect you to partner websites. Stay away from unfamiliar sites that could be related to malware distribution.
Scan your computer with the SpyHunter free scanner to determine which programs must be removed from your system. It is not possible to delete Terra.im manually through Control Panel, but you can restore browser settings yourself. Just follow the instructions below and do not hesitate to leave us a comment for any further questions.
How to restore browser settings
Modify Target line
- Right-click on the browser’s shortcut and select Properties.
- Open the Shortcut tab and locate Target line.
- Delete everything outside of the quotation marks and click OK.
Internet Explorer
- Press Alt+T and click Add-ons.
- Select Search providers on the left pane.
- Set a new default search engine and remove Terra.im.
- Press Alt+T again and click Internet options.
- Change your homepage address under General tab and click OK.
Mozilla Firefox
- Press Alt+T and click Options.
- Change your default homepage under General tab and press OK.
- Click the Search engine icon on the left of the Firefox search box.
- Select Change search settings.
- Change your default search engine.
- Remove unwanted search engine from the list and click OK.
Google Chrome
- Press Alt+F and go to Settings.
- Under On Startup select Open a specific page or set of pages.
- Click Set pages and modify your startup page. Click OK.
- Select Manage search engines under Search.
- Set a new default search engine and remove Terra.im. Click Done.
In non-techie terms:
Terra.im will enter your computer without your permission. This browser hijacker is a dangerous infection that may lead to even more severe security problems. Remove Terra.im immediately and make sure you invest in a legitimate antispyware tool to protect your PC from similar infections.