SportsHero Toolbar
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is hp.myway.com?
SportsHero is an app developed by Mindspark Interactive Network. It supposedly allows users to access sports-related, social media, and other websites directly from their browsers.
Initially, this app may seem legitimate, however, it is categorized as a potentially unwanted application (PUA) - a browser hijacker to be more precise - since many users install it unintentionally and it promotes the dubious search.mysearch.com and hp.myway.com search engines.
SportsHero targets popular browsers such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox. Once installed, it changes the homepage, new tab, and search engine URLs to search.mysearch.com (or hp.myway.com). These changes may not seem significant, but users are forced to visit search.mysearch.com (or hp.myway.com) when they start using their browsers.
It is impossible to undo these changes normally, since SportsHero reassigns browser options when attempts are made to revert them. It is not known or confirmed whether SportsHero collects data, but many browser hijackers perform this function.
They collect various data (including personal or sensitive information) and share it with third parties who often misuse private details to generate revenue. Thus, having this application installed will put your privacy and browsing safety at risk. In some cases, people end up having their identities stolen. You are advised to uninstall SportsHero immediately.
Name | SportsHero browser hijacker |
Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser(s) settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). User's are forced to visit hijacker's website and search the Internet using their search engines. |
Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers. |
Damage | Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites. |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
SportsHero is not the only app developed by Mindspark Interactive Network. Others include RadioRage, Your Daily Trailer, LearnTheLyrics, etc. These apps offer different features, but most hijack browsers, promote dubious search engines, provide no real value, and are designed only to generate revenue for their developers.
How did SportsHero install on my computer?
SportsHero can be downloaded from its official websites, however, it more commonly infiltrates systems without direct permission. Software developers often use the "bundling" method to proliferate various PUAs. Bundling is a deceptive marketing method used to install PUAs with regular software.
Typically, PUAs are hidden in "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings of the installation processes. Information regarding the presence of these apps in set-ups is not properly disclosed and, therefore, users, who skip installation steps or install software without checking settings, often install PUAs without their knowledge.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Avoid using any third party software downloaders, torrents, or other similar sources of this kind. Download software from official, trustworthy sources and using direct links. Install software carefully by paying attention to each detail and studying each step.
Check settings and options such as "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual" and other similar sections, and deselect/opt-out of any additional unwanted software that is offered. Remember, most intrusive and untrustworthy advertisements appear legitimate - cyber criminals invest time and money into their design and make them seem legitimate.
They can usually be recognized, since they redirect to untrustworthy websites (for example, gambling, adult dating, pornography, etc.). If you continually encounter these ads/redirects, check for unwanted plug-ins, extensions, and add-ons installed on your browser, and uninstall all suspicious entries immediately.
Also check installed programs on your computer and remove unwanted/unknown entries. If your computer is already infected with SportsHero, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Website promoting SportsHero browser hijacker:
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Quick menu:
- What is hp.myway.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall SportsHero application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove hp.myway.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove SportsHero 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.
SportsHero 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, "SportsHero Internet Explorer..."), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications 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.
SportsHero 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 "hp.myway".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the sportshero 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 "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "SportsHero" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, look for a "SportsHero" browser hijacker URL (hp.myway.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click on the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.
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 engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list, look for "Ask Web Search", and when located, click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Remove from list".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the sportshero 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 on "Extensions" and remove "SportsHero", as well as 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, disable "SportsHero" , 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 sportshero 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 sportshero 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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