Search.htrackyourpackages.co Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is search.htrackyourpackages.co?
search.htrackyourpackages.co is yet another fake search engine that, according to the developers, enhances the browsing experience by providing quick access to various websites and delivering the most relevant results.
Its appearance suggests that search.htrackyourpackages.co is legitimate and useful, however, developers promote this site using a browser-hijacking app called Track Your Packages, which usually infiltrates systems without users’ permission. In addition, search.htrackyourpackages.co and Track Your Packages record information relating to browsing activity.
After successful infiltration, Track Your Packages assigns search.htrackyourpackages.co as the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage. As with most browser hijackers, Track Your Packages targets popular browsers such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox.
Although the aforementioned changes may seem insignificant, users are unable to revert them, unless Track Your Packages is uninstalled. Ultimately, users are encouraged to visit search.htrackyourpackages.co when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar. These redirects significantly diminish the browsing experience.
Furthermore, search.htrackyourpackages.co is a useless search engine, since it redirects users to search.yahoo.com each time they enter a search query. Therefore, users end up searching via the Yahoo search engine. Another important issue is information tracking.
Research shows that search.htrackyourpackages.co and Track Your Packages continually record user-system information relating to browsing habits. In most cases, fake search engines and browser hijackers gather information such as IP addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and so on. Personal information might also be recorded.
Developers later share the information with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who generate revenue by misusing it.
Thus, data tracking can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. If you encounter redirects to search.htrackyourpackages.co, immediately remove Track Your Packages browser hijacker and never return to search.htrackyourpackages.co.
Name | Track Your Packages 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). Users 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 unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites. |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
The internet is full of fake search engines that share similarities with search.htrackyourpackages.co. Note that internet-start.net, funkystreams.com, and search.fastpackagetracker.co are just some examples from many. By offering various "useful features", websites such as search.htrackyourpackages.co attempt to give the impression of legitimacy.
In fact, these sites have just one purpose: to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than giving any real value for regular users, fake search engines cause unwanted redirects and gather information.
Some of these sites feed users with false search results and intrusive advertisements, both of which typically lead to dubious websites. Therefore, using fake search engines can lead to various system infections.
How did Track Your Packages install on my computer?
Research shows that although Track Your Packages has an official download website, in most cases, this app infiltrates computers without permission.
This is very common to browser hijackers, since developers often promote them using intrusive advertising and "bundling" methods. Intrusive advertisements (coupons, banners, pop-ups, and similar) redirect users to malicious websites and run scripts designed to download/install certain software.
"Bundling" is essentially stealth installation of third party applications together with regular software. Developers are not honest enough to adequately disclose installation of potentially unwanted applications, and thus "bundled" software is hidden within "Custom/Advanced" settings (or other sections) of the download/installation processes.
Furthermore, many users often click various advertisements and skip download/installation steps. In doing so, they expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
The main reasons for computer infections are poor knowledge and careless behavior. Caution is the key to computer safety. To prevent infection, be very cautious when browsing the internet and downloading/installing software. Carefully analyze each step of the download/installation processes and opt-out of all additionally-included programs.
Download software from official sources only, via direct download links. Third party downloaders/installers often include rogue apps, and thus these tools should never be used. Bear in mind that intrusive advertisements are usually delivered by adware-type applications.
Therefore, if you encounter ads and redirects, immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with Track Your Packages, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Website promoting Track Your Packages browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is search.htrackyourpackages.co?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Track Your Packages application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.htrackyourpackages.co redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Track Your Packages browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.htrackyourpackages.co homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.htrackyourpackages.co redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Track Your Packages 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, "Track Your Packages"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.htrackyourpackages.co website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Track Your Packages 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://search.htrackyourpackages.co 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 "Track Your Packages".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the track your packages 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 "Track Your Packages" 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, disable "Track Your Packages" (or simply "Packages") look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.htrackyourpackages.co) 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 "search.htrackyourpackages.co", 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 track your packages 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 "Track Your Packages" (or simply "Packages"), 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 "Track Your Packages" (or simply "Packages") remove hxxp://search.htrackyourpackages.co 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: "moz-extension"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with track your packages 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 track your packages 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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