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Why is my browser being redirected?

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When I type in some URLs such as google.com or yahoo.com, instead of getting the real website, I appear to be redirected to some other site ending in .ru. But the site I typed in still stays displayed in the address line. Is this a virus or someone trying to take over my computer? How do I clean this up?

It isn't someone, but something that's trying to take over your browser, yes. This is a fairly classic case of a browser hijacking.

More commonly referred to as spyware.

It's fairly straightforward, actually. Somehow, somewhere, software was downloaded onto your computer, and somehow inserted itself into your browser. Now, when you try to go one place, this software sends you somewhere else.

"Install a scanner and run an up-to-date anti-spyware scan."

It's also fairly classic that the destination it sends you to ends in ".ru". That's a domain based in Russia, where some significant percentage of spyware originates.

Fixing it should be fairly easy.

Install a scanner and run an up-to-date anti-spyware scan. Personally I recommend Microsoft Anti-Spyware, however there are several good anti-spyware packages out there. One important feature to look for is real-time checking ... so that the next time some software attempts to install itself, the tool will prevent it.

And while you're at it, make sure you're running a good anti-virus scanner as well.

Article C2452 - November 3, 2005

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Recent Comments
27 Comments

I am working a relatives desktop computer that has some kind of redirect virus. Any time you go on any browser, Internet Explorer or Firefox, the homepage will redirect you to a chinese "Prima Hosting page cannot be found" website. Before that it was Baidu chinese search engine, but i got rid of that one virus. If i use the search toolbar in the top right corner I will be redirected several times. I've tried uninstalling the web browsers and reinstalling, I've removed Norton and installed AVG, but that didn't even work. I've tried A-squared and combo-fix, still nothing. I've looked up the Google redirect virus in the registry and can't find it. Any answers please let me know. Thank you

Posted by: Bill Snyder at October 6, 2009 2:40 PM

Everytime I try to search a website through google in firefox, I can see all the search results but when I go to click on one of them it redirects me to somewhere completely different, each time I try a different link its a different site, never the same one twice. But if I copy the address directly into the address bar its fine, it only seems to happen in firefox. I've run all my scans and found a few virus's and they've been removed or quarantined. Its driving me mad!!

Posted by: Lee-Anne at December 27, 2009 8:21 PM

Search for and download this patch for Windows "MS08-067". As suggested buy "Ricky Bohan" This worked for me! I'm good to go. This is the fix in Windows XP Service Pack 2 and 3.

Hope this helps

Posted by: melvin_melvin@yahoo.com at January 5, 2010 6:22 PM

I had a very similar problem and the above comments didnt really help. What did help was running ComboFix. That really did the trick!

Posted by: Rob-oto at January 7, 2010 5:16 PM

Everytime I try to use Internet Explorer it goes to ! I am unable to look at my email, shop online, or do anything because it automatically goes to this site which is nothing. I can't even download spyware or new virus updates because it only goes to this page. I have already tried getting rid of my cookies & temp files, but that did not help. Anyone...help!

Posted by: Angie at February 4, 2010 9:02 PM

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