Do you know what Webpageing.com is?
Browser hijackers are a common type of malware since they are relatively easy to make and are as effective as any adware-type program. For this reason, you should remove Webpageing.com because it is nothing more than an advertising platform for dishonest advertisers. Furthermore, it is set to change your browser’s homepage automatically and you cannot do anything to prevent this because it comes mostly in software bundles that have been configured to inject it automatically into the browser. Also, the content this hijacker promotes is bound to come from unreliable sources. Thus, its ads may compromise your computer’s security. Finally, its developers have made sure that this hijacker is as difficult to get rid of as possible. We are going to dissect this browser hijacker and provide you with as much information our researchers have managed to obtain.
Webpageing.com does provide the real name of its developer, and the same can be said about its numerous clones. Search engines, such as Istartpageing.com, istartsurf.com, isearch.omiga-plus.com are this new browser’s clones and they are identical regarding functionality, but may differ in actual appearance. But it is clear that all of them come from the same developer. The reason why this clandestine developer creates these clones is that companies that develop antimalware tools detect them and configure their software to remove the malware. Our featured antimalware tool called SpyHunter has already been configured to detect and eradicate this browser hijacker. However, it would be better to avoid malware in the first place, so let us find out how it is distributed.
Webpageing.com screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Our researchers have determined that this program never comes with a dedicated executable program or a browser extension that would manage the hijacking. Therefore, any possibility of it having a dedicated distribution website has been ruled out. However, our researchers have determined that this browser hijacker makes use of a deceptive distribution method known as software bundling. Software bundling involves taking several programs and packing them into one installer. However, usually, the user can uncheck the installation of unnecessary programs, but our security analysts have found that like most browser hijacker, Webpageing.com is installed without the user’s consent.
Malicious installers inject this hijacker into the browser during the bundle’s installation. Once injected, Webpageing.com will change the homepage and search provider of Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge. Google Chrome will also be affected but this hijacker only changes its search provider. Attempting to roll back its changes will prove ineffective when trying to change your browser’s settings because this hijacker will also hijack the browsers’ Target Line. Target Line hijacking prevents you from changing the homepage, so you have to fix it manually if you do not have an antimalware program.
The reason for all of this malicious activity is that Webpageing.com’s developers want to redirect web traffic to this search engine because it serves as a platform for promoting certain websites and other content. Hence, this search engine’s job is to generate advertising revenue. Note that it redirects all of its searches to Yahoo.com, but it may inject ads beforehand which in most cases should appear on the top-right side of the screen. We want to inform you that this hijacker’s owners are likely to promote content from companies of similar unreliability. Thus, your computer can become infected with similar and, even more, malicious software.
We hope that the information we have provided you with proved to be useful. Given the extent to which Webpageing.com modifies your browser’s settings and its unreliability, it is recommended that you remove it from your computer as soon as possible. If you want to do this manually, please refer to the instructions provided below. If manual deletion proves unsuccessful, then try using a dedicated antimalware tool.
How to remove this browser hijacker
Microsoft Edge
- Press Alt+X.
- Click Advanced settings.
- Type a new homepage address in the address bar.
- Choose or enter a new search engine in Search in the address bar with section.
Mozilla Firefox
- Press Alt+T and click Options.
- Select the General tab.
- Enter a new homepage address in the Home Page bar.
Google Chrome
- Press the Alt+F keys and select Settings.
- Select Show advanced settings.
- Click Reset settings and click Reset again.
Fix the modifications made to the browser’s Target line
- Right-click on your (Edge, Chrome, Firefox) browser’s shortcut.
- Select Properties.
- Open the Shortcut tab.
- Delete the added address from the Target line.
- Click OK.
In non-techie terms:
This search engine has been classified as a browser hijacker due to its malicious distribution method that involves secretly changing your browser’s homepage and search provider. It forces you to use it to generate advertising revenue because its search results also feature promotional links to possibly malicious websites. So do not hesitate to remove Webpageing.com right now.