How to Remove Planktab New Tab (Complete Removal)

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

Planktab New Tab is a browser hijacker menace. The nasty program slithers its way into your system under the guise of something useful. But after it spends some time on your PC, it becomes clear it’s not. You get redirected to the Planktab website non-stop. Every time you go online, search the web, open a new tab. Any time you do anything, involving your browser, you see the site. Odds are, it also replaces your default search engine and homepage. And, do you know what? The tool doesn’t have to bother informing you of the changes. It leaves you to discover them yourself. Furthermore, it doesn’t have to ask your approval. It implements its reshuffles, and that’s that. You have no say. Let that sink in for a moment. If the hijacker chooses to, it can install malware on your PC. As many malicious programs as it so desires. And, you can’t stop it. What if your system gets so flooded with malware that it gives up? What if one day you get greeted with The Blue Screen of Death? That’s a valid possibility! A minor, but a valid one. Last time we checked, minor did not equal non-existent. So, ask yourself. Is it worth it? Do you think it’s with holding onto the hijacker? What do you expect to gain from its stay? Well, apart from negatives and headaches. Nothing positive follows the tool’s installment. Do yourself a favor, and delete it ASAP. Take action as soon as the first opportunity presents itself. Find and delete the infection.

How did I get infected with?

The Planktab tool turns to the old but gold means of infiltration to invade. The most common ones are freeware and spam email attachments. But the infection can also hide behind corrupted links or sites. Not to mention, it can pretend to be a bogus system or program update. Yes, you can think you’re updating your Java, but you’re not. In actuality, you’re green-lighting the installment of a dangerous tool. Cyber threats, like hijackers, rely on carelessness to slither in. They need you to throw caution to the wind. To rush, and to give into gullibility. If you do, it’s that much easier for them to sneak in undetected. Why ease the invasion of infections? Don’t leave your fate to chance. Be thorough. Be vigilant. Don’t allow infection’s into your PC on accident. Always do your due diligence during installations. Always read the terms and conditions. Make sure not to agree to something unfavorable. Even a little extra attention goes a long way. Remember that next time you install updates or tools.

Why is this dangerous?

Hijackers present you with a plethora of problems. They force unwanted third-party pages on you. Bombard you with ads. Slow down your PC. Cause system crashes. They make an utter mess. But none of those issues mentioned so far, compares to the worst one. At the very top, of the spectrum of issues, you find a privacy risk. The Planktab New Tab tool threatens to steal and expose your privacy. And, it will succeed, if you let it. The infection begins to spy on you from the moment it invades. It keeps close track of your online activities. And, not only that. It also records them. So, every move you make, while browsing, gets cataloged. Once the hijacker decides it has stolen enough data, it sends it. To whom? Well, to the unknown individuals that published it. Strangers with questionable agendas. Those are the people, who will get a hold of your private details. Are you okay to trust them with your personal and financial information? Once they get it, they can use it as they wish. And, you can’t stop them. Nothing good can come after that. Don’t allow that scenario to unfold. Protect your privacy. Keep these strangers out of your private life. Don’t take such unnecessary risks. Do yourself a favor, and do what’s best for yourself. Not to mention, your system’s well-being. As soon as you realize the Planktab infection managed to invade, act! Locate its lurking place, then delete it on discovery. The sooner it’s gone, the better.

How to Remove Planktab New Tab virus

The Planktab New 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 Planktab New 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.

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 Planktab New Tab infection, you need to purchase its full version.

STEP 1: Track down Planktab New Tab related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Planktab New Tab startup location

STEP 3: Delete Planktab New Tab traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Planktab New 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 Planktab New 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 Planktab New 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 Planktab New Tab traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Planktab New 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 Planktab New 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 Planktab New 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 Planktab New 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 Planktab New 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.