MapFinderz Toolbar
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is hp.myway.com?
MapFinderz is a deceptive application that falsely claims to provide access to various maps and other GPS-related functions.
On initial inspection, MapFinderz may appear legitimate and useful, however, this app usually infiltrates systems without consent. In addition, it modifies browser settings and stealthily tracks users' Internet browsing activity. For these reasons, MapFinderz is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and a browser hijacker.
Following infiltration, MapFinderz hijacks Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome, stealthily assigning the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options to hp.myway.com. These changes may seem insignificant, however, MapFinderz reassigns the aforementioned settings when attempts are made to change them.
Therefore, returning browsers to their previous states becomes impossible and users are automatically redirected to MapFinderz when they open a new browser tab or attempt to search via the URL bar. Another downside is information tracking.
Research shows that MapFinderz continually records IP addresses, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other similar information relating to users' Internet browsing activity. There is a high probability that this data will contain personal details that developers (Mindspark Interactive Network) share with third parties who misuse them to generate revenue.
Therefore, the presence of a data-tracking app can result in serious privacy issues or even identity theft. We strongly advise you to uninstall the MapFinderz browser hijacker immediately.
Mindspark Interactive Network has developed dozens of browser-hijacking applications identical to MapFinderz including 100sofRecipes, MergeDocsNow, and MyFileConvert - these are just some examples from many. Note that these applications offer different features, and yet have identical behavior.
Mindspark Interactive Network aims to generate as much revenue as possible and the products developed by this company simply cause unwanted redirects and track Internet browsing activity. MapFinderz, and these other applications, are useless for regular users.
How did MapFinderz install on my computer?
MapFinderz has an official download website, however, many users install this browser hijacker inadvertently, without their consent, since they often rush the download/installation processes and skip steps.
Aware of this, developers employ a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" and hide bundled programs within "Custom" or "Advanced" settings of the download/installation processes. Skipping this section can lead to inadvertent installation of rogue applications such as MapFinderz.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent system infiltration by PUPs, be very cautious when downloading and installing software. Select the "Custom/Advanced" settings and carefully analyze each step. Opt-out of all additionally-included programs and decline offers to download/install them.
Website promoting MapFinderz browser hijacker:
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Quick menu:
- What is hp.myway.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall MapFinderz application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove hp.myway.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove MapFinderz browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove hp.myway.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove hp.myway.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
MapFinderz browser hijacker removal:
Windows 11 users:
Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.
Windows 10 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
macOS (OSX) users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently-installed suspicious applications (for example, "MapFinderz Internet Explorer..."), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the hp.myway.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
MapFinderz browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
Change your homepage:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://hp.myway.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.
Change your default search engine:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "myway".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the mapfinderz browser hijacker, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.
Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.
In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.
Click the Reset button.
Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "MapFinderz", and other recently-installed suspicious add-ons, select these entries and click the trash can icon.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over hp.myway.com and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "myway" and add or select your preferred domain.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the mapfinderz browser hijacker, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions" and remove "MapFinderz", and all other recently-installed browser plug-ins.
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://hp.myway.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "myway"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with mapfinderz browser hijacker removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...
In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.
In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.
In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage and new tab settings:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".
Change your default Internet search engine:
To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the mapfinderz browser hijacker, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.
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