Search.hdirectionsandmap.com Hijacker Removal

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

A browser hijacker lurks on your computer. The appearance of the Search.hdirectionsandmap.com website is a clear symptom of the infection. You are in for trouble. The intruder is a complete and utter menace. This parasite makes unauthorized changes to your browser and displays hundreds of ads. The hijacker makes a mess out of your browser. It replaces both your default search engine and preferable homepage. No matter how hard you try, you cannot undo the changes. The hijacker forces you to use its dubious search tool. And if you are not sure, that’s bad. This search engine injects sponsored links among the results it provides. The ads, however, are not marked as such. Hundreds of dodgy websites pay for their links to be displayed at the top. And since you cannot be sure which results are organic, you are likely to end up on questionable and inappropriate pages. That’s the nature of the hijacker. It exists to generate ad revenue. Your comfort and well-being are not part of the deal. Brace yourself! The appearance of the Search.hdirectionsandmap.com website is just the beginning. The hijacker inserts in-text and banner ads on every website you visit. It opens pop-ups, loads notifications, and plays video commercials. It even dares load third-party websites in new tabs and windows. The hijacker knows no boundaries. This parasite gets more and more aggressive with each passing day. Do not wait for it to get out of control. Stop this menace before it’s too late. As soon as the Search.hdirectionsandmap.com page pops up, take action. Find where the hijacker lurks and delete it upon detection. The sooner you clean your computer, the better.

How did I get infected with?

The Search.hdirectionsandmap.com web page appears by courtesy of a hijacker. As for the parasite, it employs dozens of tricks. This menace lurks behind freeware, fake updates, pirated software, and spam messages. The hijacker hides in the shadows and waits for you to let your guard down. Do not make that mistake. The hijacker preys on your naivety. This parasite needs you, the user, to approve its installation. That’s not a bad joke. The hijacker cannot proceed without your “Yes.” This parasite is bound to seek your consent. And it does. It always asks. But it does so I the sneakiest way possible. Make sure you pay attention to the fine print, otherwise you risk providing it with the green light it desperately needs. Only your caution can deny it access. So, don’t be lazy. Always take the time to do your due diligence. Don’t visit questionable websites. Download software and updates from reliable sources only. And don’t skip installation steps. If available, use the advanced/custom setup option. Under it, you will be able to deselect all unwanted bonus apps that are about to get installed alongside the program you’ve downloaded. Make sure you know what you approve. Read the terms and conditions before you agree to them. If you cannot spare enough time to go through the whole document, scan it with an online EULA analyzer. Opt out of the installation if you notice anything suspicious!

Why is this dangerous?

There is no such thing as a safe hijacker. The parasite behind the Search.hdirectionsandmap.com website is not an exception. This sneaky invader is a nightmare. It jeopardizes both your security and privacy. Do not underestimate the situation. The hijacker spies on you from the moment it invades. This parasite knows your every online move. Which websites you visit, what videos you watch, what search queries you make. The Incognito mode cannot hide you. The hijacker knows everything! And what’s worse, it knows how to use this information against you. The parasite opens your browser to targeted adverts. It bases its advertisements on your browsing habits. The bad news is that the hijacker doesn’t keep this information confidential. Quite the contrary. The parasite sells the data to unknown third parties. Do you think that ends well? Some pieces of the collected information, your search queries, for example, may contain personal and financial details. Do not take unnecessary risks! Every bit of data is sensitive. The hijacker uses everything to turn you into a target. Protect yourself. Take immediate action against the invader. Remove the hijacker ASAP!

How to Remove Search.hdirectionsandmap.com virus

The Search.hdirectionsandmap.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 Search.hdirectionsandmap.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 Search.hdirectionsandmap.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Search.hdirectionsandmap.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Search.hdirectionsandmap.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.

• Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Search.hdirectionsandmap.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 Search.hdirectionsandmap.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 Search.hdirectionsandmap.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Search.hdirectionsandmap.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 Search.hdirectionsandmap.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 Search.hdirectionsandmap.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 Search.hdirectionsandmap.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 Search.hdirectionsandmap.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.