How to Remove My Utility Box Malware

Can’t Remove My Utility Box hijacker virus? This page includes detailed My Utility Box Removal instructions!

My Utility Box is a browser extension that is advertised as a great online assistant. Once you install it, though, you discover its true nature. The app is a parasite which falls under the browser hijacker category. It is a menace that throws you into a whirlwind of reshuffles and online ads. The hijacker replaces both your default search engine and homepage. It locks the changes and forces you to put up with the modifications. And if you are not sure, that’s dangerous! The hijacker uses a customized search engine that inserts sponsored links among the search results it provides. It doesn’t, however, mark the links as ads. You can never be sure which results are organic and which are advertising content. That’s hazardous! My Utility Box has no filters nor security mechanisms. Its sole purpose of existence is to generate revenue for its unethical owners. As you can imagine, these people are inclined to accept questionable offers. As long as they get their fees, any crook out there can use My Utility Box. Hundreds of dodgy websites pay for their links to be displayed at the top. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The hijacker not only displays fake search results but it also floods your browser with banner ads. This parasite inserts various adverts on every web page you load. It also opens pop-ups, plays video commercials, and turns text into hyperlinks. Do not put up with this situation. My Utility Box is a menace. Remove it the first chance you get. The sooner you clean your OS, the better!

How did I get infected with?

Spam messages, corrupted links, fake updates, pirated software. There are myriads of malware distribution tricks. You can never know where a parasite might strike from. My Utility Box, however, tends to travel the Web through software bundles. This hijacker gets installed when you “forget” to deny it access. Confused? Most of the apps we download off the Web come bundled with bonus software. If you are not careful, some of these extras may sneak into your computer and wreak havoc. Do not give into naivety. The bonuses might be malicious! If you rush, if you don’t pay attention to the fine print, a parasite might sneak into your computer. Don’t rely on luck! Forget about the “Next-Next-Finish” setup strategy. When available, use the advanced/custom installation option. Make sure you know what you are approving on board. Go through the terms and conditions before you agree to them. If you can’t read the whole document, scan it with an online EULA analyzer. Even a little extra attention can spare you an avalanche of problems! Opt out of the installation if you notice anything suspicious!

Why is this dangerous?

My Utility Box is a nightmare. As soon as it invades, corruption follows. Pop-ups urge you to “Allow” or “Install” questionable ads. Coupons and discounts cover web pages that used to be ad-free. Commercials pause your videos. Questionable websites load in new tabs and windows. You can barely get a simple task done. The hijacker always finds a way to interrupt you. It bombards you with dozens and dozens of ads. Click nothing, though. These ads arise unwarranted expectations at best. At worst, they redirect traffic to deceptive and potentially malicious websites. And as if that’s not bad enough, but the hijacker also threatens to leak sensitive information about you! Don’t be confused. Just take a closer look at the ads and you’ll see the true threat. The hijacker targets you with a customized ad selection. The parasite studies your browsing habits and uses the collected data against you. This menace spies on you from day one. It knows which websites you visit, which links you follow, what videos you watch. The Incognito mode cannot hide you. The hijacker knows everything! And if you are out of luck, some pieces of data, your search queries, for example, may contain sensitive information. Do not take unnecessary risks! As soon as you become aware of the infection, take action. Find where My Utility Box hides and delete it upon detection!

How to Remove My Utility Box virus

The My Utility Box 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 My Utility Box 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 My Utility Box related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate My Utility Box startup location

STEP 3: Delete My Utility Box traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down My Utility Box 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 My Utility Box 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 My Utility Box 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 My Utility Box traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the My Utility Box 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 My Utility Box

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 My Utility Box, 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 My Utility Box 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 My Utility Box 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.