How to Remove Somethat.com Hijacker

Can’t Remove Somethat.com hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Somethat.com Removal instructions!

If your browser’s preferable homepage was mysteriously replaced by Somethat.com, you are in trouble. Your computer is infected with a browser hijacker. The Somethat.com hijacker is a nasty ad-generating application. Needless to say, it is ad-supported. Basically, every time you click on a commercial provided by the hijacker, its owners will get paid. So, what do you think, will they simply let you click on any ads? Of course, they won’t. The hijacker blocks its competitors’ content and replaces it with its own. You will see only adverts you are allowed to see. The furtive app is limiting your sources of information. It is turning you into an easy target! The Somethat.com hijacker is a menace that can ruin your browsing experience. It is programmed to inject dozens and dozens of commercials on every website you open. Banners, hyperlinks, video and in-text ads will cover your screen. On top of that, your browser will get redirected to unknown pages. You will hate the experience. Soon, you will notice that your device underperforms. This is again due to the hijacker running in the background. This malicious app uses your computer’s resources as it sees fit. Your comfort and well-being are not part of the equation. The more ads you see, the more resources are consumed, the slower your device is. As simple as that. The Somethat.com hijacker may cause both your OS and browser to freeze and crash. If these crashes become a regular occurrence, you will lose data. You should not put up with this situation. The hijacker is removable. We have attached a detailed manual removal guide below this article. Of course, if you prefer automated solutions, you can always download a trustworthy anti-virus app.

Remove Somethat.com

How did I get infected with?

The Somethat.com website has surprised you. Yet, there is a reason for its appearance. It is the hijacker that has forced this page on you. The thing is, the Somethat.com hijacker cannot infect your computer on its own. It relies on your help. As sophisticated as it sounds, the hijacker is nothing more than a simple computer program. As any other program, it needs your permission to be installed. So, next time you install a program, opt for the Advanced/Custom option in the Setup Wizard. Under it, you will be presented with a list of all extra programs that are about to be installed. Freeware and shareware often get bundled with “bonus” programs. Take your time to examine these extras carefully. More often than not, they are corrupted. Read the Terms and Conditions/ End User License Agreement (EULA). You can also research the programs online. If you spot anything out of the ordinary, abort the installation immediately. Also, keep in mind that you can deselect all extras and still install the program you originally planned to set up. This is your computer. You decide what to be installed on it. It is, again, up to you to keep it virus-free. Always do your due diligence.

Why is this dangerous?

Upon installation, the Somethat.com hijacker takes control of your preferred web browser. It is intrusive and extremely annoying. Yet, given enough time, this furtive app can cause some serious damage. The Somethat.com hijacker does not verify the ads it displays so freely. Anyone willing to spend some money can use the hijacker to promote. Hackers included. They use browser hijackers to spread corrupted content. One click on the wrong commercial is all it takes for a virus to be downloaded. Yet, there is one more way for a virus to be transferred. Your browser may get redirected to an infected website. Unfortunately, the virus threat is far not the only one. The hijacker is also exposing your privacy at risk. This tool tracks your moves online. In other words – it spies on you. The Somethat.com hijacker records your every online move. And when it has a sufficient amount of data, it sends it to its owners. People with questionable interest get access to your private life. Nothing good can come from this. Don’t wait to see what will happen. Protect your personal and financial information. Act against the infection now!

How to Remove Somethat.com virus

The Somethat.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 Somethat.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.

STEP 1: Track down Somethat.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Somethat.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Somethat.com 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.

end-malicious-process

  • Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Somethat.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 Somethat.com virus from the windows registry

  • Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

win-plus-r

  • A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

regedit

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]

delete backgroundcontainer

  • 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:

hosts-redirect-virus

STEP 3 : Clean Somethat.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

  • Open Google Chrome

  • In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
  • Remove the Somethat.com by clicking on the little recycle bin
  • Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

disable Somethat.com from chrome

  • Open Mozilla Firefox

  • Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
  • Disable the unwanted Extension
  • Go to Help
  • Then Troubleshoot information
  • Click on Reset Firefox

remove Somethat.com from 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

remove Somethat.com from ie

  • Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by Somethat.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 Somethat.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.

safebrowsing-biz-shortcut-removal

  • in the target field remove Somethat.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 Somethat.com 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.

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