How to Remove Startme.today Redirect

Can’t Remove Startme.today hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Startme.today Removal instructions!

Startme.today isn’t a safe search engine. However, it’s supposed to be one. If you realize you’re stuck with the Startme.today program, know you’re dealing with a hijacker. Browser hijackers are quite a common sight online. Hence, you have probably crossed paths with such infections so far. If not, keep in mind these parasites are just as annoying as they are dangerous. And they are impressively annoying so you do the math. As soon as you realize Startme.today is on board, take measures. The virus must be immediately deleted or it could get out of control and cause irreversible damage. It is up to you whether Startme.today will exhibit its full potential. To prevent that, get rid of the hijacker ASAP. Startme.today modifies your search engine as well as homepage. Both are now replaced with the infection’s very own domain. Needless to say, this domain is anything but reliable. Hackers have a very simple reason to alter your default browser settings. Yes, it revolves around the questionable profit crooks gain online. Are you familiar with the pay-per-click mechanism? Unfortunately, hackers are. They force the problematic Startme.today domain on you every single time you browse the Internet. In addition, all modifications happen behind your back. The hijacker isn’t trying to enhance your online experience even though that’s what it promised to do. On the other hand, this pest is solely aiming at causing you trouble. You see, now that your browsers are injected with sponsored links, you turn into a sponsor of cyber criminals. Why support the malicious business of greedy hackers, though? Clicking any web link generated by Startme.today could cause you further harm. Some of these sponsored search results may be safe but others are corrupted. No, there is no telling which link is which until you click it open. As you can clearly see, clicking is a rather big risk. If you’re unlucky enough to open a fake link, you might download more infections. Another possible scenario is to click some bogus product deals. The hijacker adds a malicious extension to all your browsers. That allows it to also generate pop-ups and other commercials as well. Bear in mind that the advertisements are just as dangerous as the search results Startme.today brings to you. Not a single web link that is displayed by an infection should be trusted. Many commercials are bogus and advertise absolutely non-existent products. In order to avoid further damage, stay away from all pop-ups. Clicking them isn’t a risk you should be taking.

How did I get infected with?

The most commonly applied technique is called freeware bundling. It is just as secretive, simple and effective as it sounds. Therefore, always take your time while installing program bundles. Opt for the Custom or Advanced option in the Setup Wizard and be attentive. You might come across a whole bunch of parasites in a single seemingly harmless bundle. Unless you deselect the additional programs, you get infected. It goes without saying that preventing installation is less time-consuming so do yourself a favor. Restrain yourself from downloading unverified programs, especially when they come bundled. Note that rushing the process could allow some potential infections to get installed. Many PC users prefer to skip important steps and end up compromising their own computers. Watch out for infections so you don’t have to deal with parasites afterwards. Be cautious and always be in control of the installation process. Also, avoid opening the spam messages or emails that you might receive. You may prevent malware infiltration that way as hackers often send malware directly to your inbox.

Why is this dangerous?

The Startme.today infection is sneaky. It makes unauthorized changes without bothering to seek any consent. Thus, the hijacker exposes you to cyber threats behind your back. If this pest tricks you into clicking any of its search results open, hackers gain revenue. That means the web links and commercials Startme.today generates may seem harmless. This program is even capable of going one step further. It could spy on your browsing history in order to adjust the links and ads. Once again, Startme.today uses lies and deceit to cause you damage. Remember that such infections always have a rich variety of tricks up their sleeve. They are immensely problematic so the sooner you delete this one, the better. You will find our detailed manual removal guide down below.

How to Remove Startme.today virus

The Startme.today 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 Startme.today 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 Startme.today related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Startme.today startup location

STEP 3: Delete Startme.today traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Startme.today 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 Startme.today 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 Startme.today 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 Startme.today traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Startme.today 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 Startme.today

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 Startme.today, 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 Startme.today 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 Startme.today 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.