Remove the 1startpage(.Com) Browser Hijacker

1startpage(.com) is starting page of a browser hijacker dubbed “1startpage”. The browser hijacker swamps your homepage, default search engine and new tab page with sites related to it. Have you experienced such changes? You can learn how to remove the 1startpage hijacker by reading the article bellow.

1startpage Browser Hijacker – Distribution

1startpage can be distributed in a lot of ways, but the most probable trick is by bundled packs strapped to freeware programs. It’s a crude but effective way to get users to install PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) both voluntarily and unwittingly. The option to install these bundled programs is enabled by default and hidden in the Custom or Advanced sections of the install .exe. To avoid inviting browser hijackers into your system, simply reject their installation.
The other way of getting a browser hijacker is by clicking on malicious ads. Avoid entering sites that have excessive pop-ups and banners for non-products like “this one weird trick. X group hate it”, “enlarge X body part “, or “become a millionaire by staying at home.” Torrent trackers and porn sites are hotspots for this kind of “crapvertising”, so avoid visiting them or any sites containing illegal content.

1startpage – More Information About the Browser Hijacker

The main site, used as a homepage of the 1startpage browser hijacker is the 1startpage(.com) search engine. While it looks fairly inconspicuous, there are some telltale signs of the site’s true nature. 1startpage(.com) contains a Bing search bar, a few links under it, and a rather large amount of ads for a search engine start page.
The homepage of the browser hijacker:

The search engine is also powered by Bing, which meant that 1startpage doesn’t have a database specific for their site. Why would a search engine lack individual searching capabilities? The answer is that the hijacker isn’t interested in providing a good service, or any service at all. The reason for its existence is to display ads and collect user information.
A screenshot of the Privacy Policy

The sites may collect all sorts of data, including:

• IP addresses
• Usernames
• Location
• Browser type
• First and last name of the user
• Personal Interests
• Accounts in various social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others

So, in addition to being an annoying inconvenience to your web browsing, 1startpage could violate your privacy. The only logical conclusion is that you should remove the browser hijacker from your computer.

1startpage – Complete Removal

The two best ways of removing the 1starpage browser hijacker are the manual, file-by-file removal of all its files or scanning the system with an anti-malware program that will do that for you. We have provided a tutorial containing valuable information for the removal process. You can find it bellow. You should consider getting an anti-malware tool, as it’ll keep your PC safe from browser hijackers in the future. In addition to that, that kind of software will protect you from the more dangerous malware threats on the web.

How to Enter Safe Mode

Booting Into Safe Mode in the Windows XP, Vista, 7 operating systems

• Unplug devices such as USB flash drives, Memory Sticks, DVD’s, CD’s, anything that can be bootable
• Now you have to decide which of the following methods is right for your computer. If you have:
• –One operating system on your PC, then press F8 repeatedly when you see the first boot screen after restarting your computer. If the Windows logo appears, repeat the same action until you enter the
  –Multiple operating systems on your computer. This is very similar to booting with a single operating system. Press F8 repeatedly when you see the first boot screen. You just have to use the arrow keys to choose which system you should boot.
• When the Advanced Boot Options appear, you should select the Safe Mode option with the arrow keys. Confirm the selection by pressing Enter
• Log into your computer using the Administrator account

While you’re in safe mode, your screen will be windowed.

Booting into Safe Mode on the Windows 8, 8.1, and 10 Operating Systems

• Open the Start menu
• Hold down the Shift button and left-click on the Power icon, then click Restart
• After the reboot, the Startup menu will appear. From there, choose Troubleshoot
• From the Troubleshoot menu choose Advanced Options
• Once you’re in Advanced Options, click on Startup Settings
• Click Restart
• A menu should appear after the reboot. Choose Safe Mode by pressing its corresponding key number. The PC will restart and boot into Safe Mode.

Remove/Uninstall 1startpage(.Com) from Windows

Here’s a way to remove the program. This method will work regardless if you’re on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP. Simply selecting the program and pressing delete won’t work, as it’ll leave a lot of small files. That’s bad because these leftovers can linger on and cause all sorts of problems. The best way to delete a program is to Uninstall it. Here’s how you can do that:

• Hold the “Windows” button (It’s between CTRL and Alt on most keyboards) and press “R.” You’ll see a pop-up window
• In the textbox, type “appwiz.cpl”, then press “Enter.”
• The “Programs and features” menu should now appear. It’s a list of all the programs installed on the PC. Here you can find the program, select it, and press Uninstall.
  Follow these instructions and you’ll be able to uninstall it successfully.

How to Remove 1startpage(.Com) from Your Browser

Before resetting your browser’s settings, you should know that this action will wipe out all your recorded usernames, passwords, and other types of data. Make sure to save them in some way

Internet Explorer

• Start Internet Explorer
• Go to the Tools menu and click on Manage add-ons.
• In the Manage add-ons window, bellow Add-on Types, select Toolbars and Extensions
• If you see a suspicious toolbar, select it and click Disable
• In Manage Add-ons window, in Add-on Types, Select Search Providers
• Chose a search engine and click Set as default
• Select the unknown search engine and click Remove and Close
• Open the Tools menu, select Internet Options
• In the General tab, in Home page, enter your preferred page
• Click Apply and OK
• On the desktop, right-click on Internet Explorer icon and select Properties
• In the Properties window, under the Shortcut tab, in Target delete the text after iexplore.exe
• Click Apply, click OK to save
• Click Close

Google Chrome

• Start Google Chrome
• On the upper-right corner, there a Customize and Control Google Chrome menu icon. Click on it, then click on Settings
• Click Extension under Chrome
• In the Extensions menu, click on the unknown extensions, then click on the trash bin icon
• Under Chrome, Click on Settings
• In Settings, under on Startup click Set pages
• In the Startup pages menu, select the suspicious entries and click on X
• Click OK
• In Settings, under Appearance select the Show home button and click Change
• In the Home page menu, click Use New Tab page and press OK
• In the Settings window under Search, click on Manage search engines
• Once you enter Search engines, select your search engine of choice and click Make default
• In the default search settings list, find the unknown search engine and click on X
• Click Done

Mozilla Firefox

• Start Mozilla Firefox
• In the upper right corner, click on the Open menu icon and select Add-ons
• Inside the Add-ons Manager select Extensions
• Search the list of extensions for suspicious entries. If you find any, select them and click Disable
• Click on the Open menu icon, then click Options
• In the Options window, under General tab, Click Restore to Default
• Click OK
• In the Firefox window, right next to the URL field, click the down arrow icon. Select Manage Search Engines
• In Manage Search Engines List window, select the unknown search engine and press Remove
• Click OK

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