BROWSER HIJACKING

What is browser hijacking?

There is a despicable trend that is becoming more and more common where the browser settings of web surfers are being forcibly hijacked by malicious web sites and software which modify your default start and search pages. Sometimes internet shortcuts will be added to your favorites folder without asking you.

In some cases, these changes are reversible simply by going into internet options and switching them back. Not always, however. Occasionally it's necessary to edit the windows registry (extreme caution required) to undo the changes made. Sometimes there is even a combination of registry setting and files clandestinely placed on your hard drive that redo your settings every time you reboot the computer.

No matter how often you change your settings back, they are changed again the next time you restart. There have even been cases where internet options have been removed from the tools menu by registry hacking to prevent you from controlling your own computer!

Preventing a hijack - General
There are links to free hijack prevention tools under the "Free Products" heading on the page you just came from.

Preventing a hijack - Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer is the most prone to browser hijacking. You can tighten Explorer's security settings by modifying the activex controls. When your browser runs an activex control, it is running an executable program. It's no different from double clicking an .exe file on your hard drive.

Open Internet Explorer, then open Tools - Internet Options - Security - Custom Level. In the activex area:
- disable activex that is not marked as safe and not signed.
- for activex marked as safe and signed, set to prompt.

There are links to free hijack prevention and removal tools under the "Free Products" heading on the page you just came from.