Asktoolbarinstaller Trojan Removal

This article can help you to remove Asktoolbarinstaller Virus. The step by step removal works for every version of Microsoft Windows.

The Trojan horses are the most feared type of cyber-infection. Of course, there is a good reason for that. These viruses are devastating. They enter your computer in complete silence and wreak total havoc. Asktoolbarinstaller is the newest member of this malicious family. It, however, is not a typical representative of the category. Asktoolbarinstaller targets your web browsers. If you have more than one installed, be certain, the Trojan got them. This intruder can infect all known browsers, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge, etc. You can easily tell if the virus is on board. The symptoms are obvious: slow Internet connection, frequent system crashes, program failures, online interference, odd system alerts and warnings. Don’t focus on these issues. They are just the side effects of the Trojan’s secret operations. Asktoolbarinstaller opens your browser to targeted ads and surveillance. It monitors your browsing related data and uses it to turn you into a target. The parasite is programmed to bombard you with customized marketing campaigns and to redirect your web traffic to sponsored platforms. It is a type of advertising platform with is used by cyber-criminals. The crooks use the parasite to reach potential victims and to lure them into online scams. This virus a breach of your security. It jeopardizes both your privacy and financial stability. Do not tolerate it. Remove the virus before it gets the chance to cause serious trouble. The sooner it’s gone, the better!

How did I get infected with?

The Asktoolbarinstaller Trojan did not hack your computer. No, to enter your device, it actually received help – your help. You installed the parasite. Not intentionally, of course. The Trojan tricked you. It probably arrived hidden in a software bundle or in a spam email. One second of carelessness is all it needs to succeed. Only your caution can prevent this scenario from unfolding. Be vigilant and doubting. Download your software from reputable sources only. When installing an app, pay attention to the fine print. If available, always select the Advanced/Custom option. Also, read the Terms and Conditions/End User License Agreement. If you don’t have the time to do so, use an online EULA analyzer to scan the document. If you detect anything out of the ordinary, abort the installation immediately. And, of course, be extra careful with your inbox. The good old spam emails are still the number one cause of virus infections. Yes, you know how dangerous an attached file can be. The crooks, however, no longer rely on the attachments. They embed malicious links. One click is all it takes for a virus to be downloaded. Your caution can spare you such trouble. Question everything. Be suspicious of the sender. If you receive an unexpected message, verify the sender. You can enter the questionable email address into a search engine. If the message is supposed to be from an organization, you can also visit their official website. Compare the email addresses listed there with the one you have received a message from. If they don’t match, delete the pretender!

Why is this dangerous?

The Asktoolbarinstaller Trojan should not be underestimated. This parasite knows your every online action. What is worse, it knows how to use this information against you. The Trojan is used to target you. It forces customized adverts on you. You must have noticed that previously ad-free pages are now heavy on advertisements. That is right, the Trojan injected them. What is interesting about the ads is that they are appealing, are they not? That is so because these are created for you. The crooks who use the Trojan know what you are interested in, your hopes and fears. They use the information to display irresistible adverts. When you click on their ads, however, bad thing happen. You are very likely to get redirected to scam and potentially infected pages. Numerous online schemes are run through Asktoolbarinstaller. The parasite is created to serve its owners’ interests. These people are ready to do anything to get your money. They may redirect you to fake websites that sell nonexistent goods, or to pages that display fake errors. They may lure you into contacting fake technical support center or sell you rogue software. The crooks are very likely to try to infect your computer with other parasites. Do not play with your luck. You best and only course of action is the immediate removal of the intrusive Trojan!

Manual Asktoolbarinstaller Removal Instructions

The Asktoolbarinstaller 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 Asktoolbarinstaller 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 Asktoolbarinstaller related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Asktoolbarinstaller startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Asktoolbarinstaller related processes 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 Asktoolbarinstaller 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 Asktoolbarinstaller 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 4: Undo the possible damage done by Asktoolbarinstaller

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 Asktoolbarinstaller, 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!!!

 

• Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove Asktoolbarinstaller Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your whole system or network 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 virus leftovers or temporary files.