How to Remove Handy Tab Adware

Can’t Remove Handy Tab ads? This page includes detailed ads by Handy Tab Removal instructions!

Handy Tab is a chrome extension which is supposed to enhance your browsing experience. Unfortunately, looks deceive. Security experts have classified this app as adware (ad-generating software). This application sneaks into your computer unnoticed and wreaks havoc. Upon installation, the Handy Tab adware takes over your web browser. From this point on, every single ad you see is provided by the adware. This tool blocks its competitors’ adverts and replaces them with its own. For every ad you click on, the owners of the malicious tool will be paid. So, you will be exposed to various commercials. Ad banners and in-text ads will cover every page you visit. Pop-up and pop-unders will appear at the most unexpected times. Even your videos will get paused for commercial breaks. You will hate the experience. Basically, for every ad you click on, the owners of the adware will get paid. They will get even more money for every sponsored website you view. Hence, the adware will redirect your browser to numerous sponsored pages. Don’t trust a word you read. These websites are not verified. The adware has no checking mechanism. Anyone willing to pay can use its services to promote. All sorts of people take advantage of this situation. You may end up on scam websites or even on infected ones. Your best course of action is the removal of the virus. Do it now! You have nothing to lose. Yet, the rewards will be tenfold.

How did I get infected with?

The Handy Tab adware did not materialize by magic. This program uses trickery to get your assistance. Yes, that is right. It was you the one who installed the adware. Don’t be too harsh on yourself, though. You were cleverly deceived. The adware travels hidden in torrents, software bundles, and spam email attachments. A little extra caution can prevent these techniques from succeeding. Download your software from reliable sources only. Whenever you are installing an app, opt for the Advanced option in the Setup wizard. It can be a button or tab. Use it. Only under the advanced method can you see all extra apps that are about to be installed. Examine the list of extras carefully. Read the Terms and Conditions and do some online research. Install only the apps you trust. Or, don’t install them at all. You can deselect all extras and still install the program you originally planned to set up. This is your computer. You are the one who is responsible for its security. Always do your due diligence.

Why is this dangerous?

The Handy Tab adware is not a direct threat to you. Yet, given enough time, this application can cause serious troubles. Every ad displayed by the adware is potentially dangerous. As we already mentioned, the adware doesn’t check what is being promoted via its services. If you click on a corrupted ad, you may download malware or viruses on your computer. There, unfortunately, is no way to tell which adverts are corrupted and which are not. You can try to avoid the commercials, but you will fail. The Handy Tab adware is designed to generate clicks. At the most unexpected times, it will open pop-ups right under the cursor of your mouse. One second of carelessness can cost you a lot. The adware is a giant hole in your security wall. This program cannot be beneficial to you. You have no reason to keep it. On the contrary, you have many reasons to remove it. This utility jeopardizes your privacy. It monitors your browsing habits and uses the collected data for better ad targeting. Yet, it may record personally identifiable information too. This data will not be used for marketing purposes only. The adware will sell every bit of data to third parties. Can you imagine what may happen if a hacker buys your usernames and passwords? Nothing good comes from adware applications. Luckily, you don’t need to put up with this parasite. Use a trustworthy anti-virus app or follow our detailed guide. You have options. Remove the Handy Tab adware for good!

How to Remove Handy Tab virus

The Handy Tab infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Handy Tab infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

STEP 1: Track down Handy Tab in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Handy Tab startup location

STEP 3: Delete Handy Tab traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Handy Tab in the computer memory

• Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
• Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.

• Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Handy Tab startup location

Reveal Hidden Files

• Open any folder
• Click on “Organize” button
  
• Choose “Folder and Search Options”
• Select the “View” tab
• Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
• Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
• Click “Apply” and “OK” button

Clean Handy Tab virus from the windows registry

• Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

• WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

• and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

• Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.

Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection

Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host

If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:

STEP 3 : Clean Handy Tab traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Handy Tab by clicking on the little recycle bin
• Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

• Open Mozilla Firefox

• Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
• Disable the unwanted Extension
• Go to Help
• Then Troubleshoot information
• Click on Reset Firefox

• Open Internet Explorer

• On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
• Click on Internet options
• go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
• Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset

• Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by Handy Tab

This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.

Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Handy Tab, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.

To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.

• Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
• go to Network and Internet
• then Network and Sharing Center
• then Change Adapter Settings
• Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!

You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to

• Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.

• in the target field remove Handy Tab argument and then apply the changes.
• Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
• Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove Handy Tab Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your system and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.