How to Remove Faststartpage.com Redirect (Virus Removal Guide)

The Faststartpage.com site is indicative of a browser hijacker. If the page starts to plague your screen, there’s a hijacker in your system. There’s no question about it. The nasty threat slithered into your PC, and is wreaking havoc. The site’s continuous display is the first sign of its interference. Burt there are many, many more. First come the incessant redirects to Faststartpage.com, and other suspicious websites. They’re followed by the ever-flowing stream of pop-up ads. Obnoxious, unreliable ads that don’t only annoy you to no end. There’s more to them than annoyance. Each ad conceals more malicious threats. And, do you know what? Every time you press one, you install said threats. That’s right. A click, accidental or purposeful, equals your consent on installment. So, the more pop-ups you press, the more malicious tools, you end up with. Unless you wish to flood your PC with infections, be wary! Click nothing, the program throws at you. Neither the websites nor the pop-ups are trustworthy. Unfortunately, it gets worse. Not even the malware threat is the biggest issue you face. When stuck with a hijacker, that title is held by the security hazard. The cyber menace threatens to steal and expose your private information. The question is, are you going to stand by and let it succeed? Or, will you act against the infection, and save yourself a ton of troubles? Figure out your priorities, and act in accordance. But, know that experts advise towards the hijacker’s immediate deletion.

How did I get infected with?

Hijackers give off the appearance of appearing one day, as if by magic. But they don’t pop up out of the blue. No, they have to get invited in. You have to allow their installation. And, if you get stuck with Faststartpage.com when you browse, you did. A hijacker came forward, and sought permission for its install. And, you gave it. However, it’s not as straightforward of an exchange as it seems. Yes, the hijacker has to seek your approval. But don’t think it does it out in the open. What if you say ‘No?’ It doesn’t risk it. Instead, it’s found a loophole. It still asks for your consent. But it does it in a way that you don’t even realize it. For example, with freeware. Hijackers often hide behind freeware. And, if you’re not careful enough to spot them, they slip by you. Then, you suffer the consequences of your carelessness. Listen to experts’ advice, and choose caution over carelessness. Always read the terms and conditions when installing tools or updates. Always take the time to e thorough and vigilant. Even a little extra attention goes a long way. Infections’ sneakiness knows no bounds. Freeware, spam email attachments, bogus, updates, corrupted links. They could come at you in a myriad of ways. Don’t make it easier for them to sneak in.

Why is this dangerous?

After the hijacker gains access to your system, brace for impact. It throws you into a whirlwind of trouble. Every time you open your browser, you endure a waterfall of disruption. You get redirected to Faststartpage.com. Not to mention, all the other sites, the tool throws at you. Also, you face a full-on bombardment of pop-up ads. Your preferred search engine and homepage get switched. You find Faststartpage.com in their stead. Did you agree to that switch? No. But is it fact? Yes. And, these are only the surface invasions you experience. The obvious annoyances. But they’re minor. Especially, in comparison to the severe security threat, you face. The hijacker, using Faststartpage.com as a front, spies on you. It keeps track of your online activities, and catalogs your every move. After it decides it has enough data, it sends it. To whom? Well, to the third parties behind it. The malicious strangers that unleashed the threat onto the web. Are you willing to give these people access to your privacy? If the hijacker succeeds in its thieving agenda, cyber criminals get a hold of your private details. So, ask yourself. Are you willing to allow strangers to get their hands on your personal and financial data?

How to Remove Faststartpage.com virus

The Faststartpage.com 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 Faststartpage.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.

WARNING! Stopping the wrong file or deleting the wrong registry key may damage your system irreversibly.
If you are feeling not technical enough just use Spyhunter Professional Malware Removal Tool to deal with the problem!
>>Download SpyHunter – a Professional Remover.

Please, keep in mind that SpyHunter’s scanner tool is free. To remove the Faststartpage.com infection, you need to purchase its full version.

STEP 1: Track down Faststartpage.com in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Faststartpage.com startup location

STEP 3: Delete Faststartpage.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Faststartpage.com 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 Faststartpage.com 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 Faststartpage.com 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 Faststartpage.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Faststartpage.com 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 Faststartpage.com

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 Faststartpage.com, 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 Faststartpage.com 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 Faststartpage.com 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.