Handy Tab Malware Removal

Can’t Remove Handy Tab hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Handy Tab Removal instructions!

Handy Tab is a browser extension. It is promoted as a useful tool that can enhance your browsing experience. Once you install it, though, the app reveals its true nature. This extension is a hijacker. It alters your browser settings and throws you into a whirlwind of issues. The parasite replaces your homepage and default search engine. You cannot restore your preferences no matter how hard you try. As long as the hijacker is active on your computer, you are stuck with its modifications. And here’s the catch: You cannot simply remove the hijacker. Handy Tab leaves files behind. If you fail to remove it completely, it re-installs. Do not tolerate this parasite. It has no place on your system. Heed the experts’ advice: remove the hijacker ASAP! This menace is not a mere annoyance. You should not put up with its reshuffles. The hijacker opens your browser to surveillance and targeted ads. Handy Tab spies on you from day one. It studies your browsing habits and uses the gathered data as a base for ad targeting. The parasite bombards you with a customized selection of in-text and banner ads. It loads notifications and plays video commercials. It even dares pause your videos for commercial breaks. Click nothing! These “great deals” are not trustworthy. Everything “Powered by Handy Tab” is unreliable and potentially dangerous. Spare yourself many future headaches, remove the hijacker right now!

How did I get infected with?

Handy Tab has an official website. It is also available on Chrome Web Store. The utility, however, does not rely on these distribution channels. It also employs tricks to sneak into your computer undetected. The hijacker lurks behind torrents, fake updates, corrupted links, spam messages, and freeware. It hides in the shadows and waits for you to let your guard down. Do not make that mistake! The hijacker preys on your naivety. It attacks when you least expect it. Do not make its job easier. Choose caution over carelessness. Even a little extra attention can spare you an avalanche of problems. Don’t visit questionable websites. Download software from reliable sources only. And forget about the “Next-Next-Finish” setup strategy. More often than not, the programs we download off the Web come bundled with extra software. If you rush, you might install malicious bonuses. Don’t give into naivety! No anti-virus app can protect you if you throw caution to the wind. Always take the time to do your due diligence. If available, use the advanced/custom setup option. Deselect all suspicious extras. Make sure you know what you install. Read the terms and conditions before you agree to them. If you cannot go through the whole document, scan it with an online EULA analyzer. Opt out of the installation if you notice anything suspicious!

Why is this dangerous?

As soon as Handy Tab invades your browser, corruption follows. The parasite forces you to use its search engine and homepage. And if you are not sure, that’s bad. The parasite uses a customized search engine which displays sponsored links among the search results you are provided with. The promoted entries, however, are not marked as ads. You can never be sure which results are organic and which are advertising content. Numerous dodgy websites pay for their links to be displayed at the top. And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg. Handy Tab threatens to lure you into online traps. This parasite has only one goal: to generate revenue. Your well-being is not part of the deal. The hijacker has no filters nor security mechanisms. The crooks can use it to spread deceptive, phishing, and false ads. Do not underestimate the urgency of the situation. This hijacker turns you into an easy target! Do not test your luck. Your best course of action is the immediate removal of the hijacker. Find where this menace lurks and delete it upon detection! The sooner you clean your OS, the better!

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 related processes 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 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 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 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 registry leftovers or temporary files.