Easy Free Recipes Browser Hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Easy Free Recipes?
Easy Free Recipes is a deceptive application that supposedly provides access to various food recipes. Judging on appearance alone, this app may seem legitimate and useful, however, Easy Free Recipes is categorized as a browser-hijacker and a potentially unwanted application (PUA).
This application typically infiltrates systems without users’ permission, promotes a fake search engine (search.heasyfreerecipes.com), and gathers various information relating to users' browsing activity.
Following infiltration, Easy Free Recipes hijacks the most popular web browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox) and modifies the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options by assigning them to search.heasyfreerecipes.com. These changes may seem insignificant, however, users are unable to revert them.
Easy Free Recipes reassigns browser settings (or simply prevents users from accessing them) when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, users cannot return browsers to their previous states and are forced to visit search.heasyfreerecipes.com when they open a new browser tab/window or search via the URL bar.
Note that search.heasyfreerecipes.com is a useless search engine, since it simply redirects users to search.yahoo.com. Therefore, users simply end up searching the web via Yahoo (a legitimate web search engine) and search.heasyfreerecipes.com is this redundant. Another significant downside is data tracking.
Both search.heasyfreerecipes.com and Easy Free Recipes record information relating to web browsing activity. Collected data (IP addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, etc.) is likely to contain personal details that developers share with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse private information to generate revenue.
Therefore, the presence of data-tracking apps such as Easy Free Recipes might lead to privacy issues and even identity theft. You should remove the Easy Free Recipes browser hijacker and never return to search.heasyfreerecipes.com
| Name | Easy Free Recipes |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Detection Names | Avast (Win32:AdwareSig [Adw]), DrWeb (Adware.Spigot.145), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of Win32/WinWrapper.V Potentially Unwanted), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.Win32.WebSearch.gen), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Browser Extension(s) | Recipes, Easy Free Recipes |
| Supposed Functionality | This app claims to provide access to various food recipes. |
| Promoted URL | search.heasyfreerecipes.com |
| Serving IP Address (search.heasyfreerecipes.com) | 52.5.182.68 |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine |
| Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser(s) settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). Users are forced to visit the 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 browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of 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. |
Easy Free Recipes is identical to Your Easy Forms, Your Package Tracked Now, Fast Weather App, and dozens of other browser-hijacking applications. By offering many "useful features", these applications attempt to give the impression of legitimacy and trick users to install, however, the purpose of all PUAs is to generate revenue for the developers.
Rather than enabling the functions promised, PUAs and sites such as search.heasyfreerecipes.com cause redirects and gather data. Furthermore, fake search engines feed users with intrusive advertisements and false results. These lead to dubious websites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, etc.) and using them can lead to further system infections.
How did Easy Free Recipes install on my computer?
Easy Free Recipes is free for anyone to download on its official website, however, many users install this application inadvertently, without their consent, since developers proliferate the app using intrusive advertisements and a deceptive marketing method called "bundling".
Intrusive advertisements usually redirect users to dubious websites or execute scripts that download and install unwanted applications. "Bundling", on the other hand, is stealth installation of third party applications together with regular software.
Developers hide "bundled" apps behind "Custom/Advanced" settings (or other sections) of the download/installation processes. Furthermore, users often skip most download/installation steps and click advertisements. In doing so, they expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent this situation, be very cautious when browsing the Internet and downloading/installing software. Carefully analyze each step of the download/installation processes using the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings. Opt-out of all additionally-included applications and decline offers to download/install them.
We also recommend that you download your software from official sources only, using direct download links. Third party downloaders/installers often include rogue apps, and thus such tools should never be used.
Be aware that intrusive advertisements typically seem legitimate, however, once clicked they redirect to dubious websites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, etc.). They are often delivered by adware-type applications. Therefore, if you encounter these ads, remove all suspicious applications and browser plug-ins immediately.
If your computer is already infected with Easy Free Recipes, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Easy Free Recipes browser hijacker installer set-up:
Website promoting Easy Free Recipes browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is Easy Free Recipes?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Easy Free Recipes application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.heasyfreerecipes.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Easy Free Recipes browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.heasyfreerecipes.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.heasyfreerecipes.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Easy Free Recipes 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, "Easy Free Recipes"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.heasyfreerecipes.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Easy Free Recipes browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects (Windows OS):
Video showing how to remove Easy Free Recipes browser hijacker using Combo Cleaner (MacOS):
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.heasyfreerecipes.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 "Easy Free Recipes".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.heasyfreerecipes.com redirect, 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 "Easy Free Recipes" 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 "Easy Free Recipes" look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.heasyfreerecipes.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 "search.heasyfreerecipes.com", 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 search.heasyfreerecipes.com redirect, 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 "Easy Free Recipes" (or simply "Recipes"), 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 "Easy Free Recipes" (or simply "Recipes") remove hxxp://search.heasyfreerecipes.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: "moz-extension"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with search.heasyfreerecipes.com redirect 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 search.heasyfreerecipes.com redirect, 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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