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Suddenly Protectedio.com took over your homepage and you cannot remove it.
As you’re sitting here reading this article, it’s safe to say you have a problem. In this case there is probably no need to explain to you why exactly it’s highly recommended to delete protectedio.com from the PC. This program is a typical browser hijacker that enters your device in absolute silence, affects your browser almost immediately, ruins your entire Internet experience and exposes both your personal information and your computer system to danger. No matter how harmless the program may seem, protectedio.com gives you plenty of reasons to get rid of it. In order to learn more about this pesky virus and the ways to protect yourself from similar threats in the future, please keep reading.
How did I get infected with?
Protectedio.com usually travels the web in so-called bundles. This may be a painfully unoriginal and old trick but we can’t question its efficiency. Hackers like to take advantage of every weakness PC users show in their browsing habits and they seem to have found the biggest one – rushing through the installation process. Remember, clicking trustingly the “Next” button in the Setup Wizard only guarantees you speed. It doesn’t guarantee you safety. The only way to make sure there is no additional program in the software bundle is to pay attention and not skip a single installation step as this may cost you the security of your entire computer. Never get tempted to download software from illegitimate websites as these are a perfect opportunity for cyber criminals to get you infected with not just protectedio.com but many more parasites as well. Also, avoid third-party web links, spam email-attachments and basically anything online that looks suspicious.
Why is this dangerous?
To begin with, this program gets installed without your knowledge. Not many PC user would appreciate such underhanded techniques and that should be your first red flag concerning protectedio.com. The virus is compatible with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox as well as Internet Explorer so no matter which browser you prefer using, it will be affected. The hijacker will replace your homepage and default search engine with its own and needs neither your permission nor consent to do so. Once protectedio.com modifies your browser settings, it will start redirecting you. Why does it do that? Because the hackers standing behind this infection want to gain illegal revenue and will stop at nothing to succeed. You are to be redirected to all kinds of sponsored and unreliable web pages and you already know that many of them could be corrupted. The problem is, there is no way to tell which web link is safe and which leads to a virus so our advice is to keep your virtual safety a priority and not trust anything brought to you by protectedio.com. Don’t expose your PC to further damage; you already have a hijacker to worry about. The list of protectedio.com’s malicious effects is quite impressive – apart from everything mentioned above, it may also install some new and potentially dangerous software that you never wanted, deny you access to some reliable webpages or even affect your antivirus program. Needless to say your computer will be acting slowly and might occasionally crash. In order to delete this malicious hijacker permanently and regain control over your browsing activities, please follow the instructions bellow.
How to Remove Protectedio.com virus
Please, have in mind that SpyHunter offers a free 7-day Trial version with full functionality. Credit card is required, no charge upfront.
If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Protectedio.com 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.
The Protectedio.com adware is specifically designed to make money. It generates web traffic, collects sales leads for other dubious sites, and will display advertisements and sponsored links within your web browser.
STEP 1: Uninstall Protectedio.com from Add\Remove Programs
STEP 2: Clean Protectedio.com from Chrome Firefox or Internet Explorer
STEP 3: Permanently Remove Protectedio.com leftovers from the System
STEP 1 : Uninstall Protectedio.com from your computer
Simultaneously press the Windows Logo Button and then “R” to open the Run Command Window
Type “regedit”
navigate to HKCU\software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Modify the string with a value data and set it to google.com for example.
STEP 2 : Remove Protectedio.com homepage from Chrome, Firefox and IE
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Open Google Chrome
- In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
- Remove the Protectedio.com by clicking on the little recycle bin
- Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind
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Open Mozilla Firefox
- Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
- Disable the unwanted Extension
- Go to Help
- Then Troubleshoot information
- Click on Reset Firefox
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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
How to Permanently Remove Protectedio.com Virus (automatic) Removal Guide
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.