Eliminate the World Time News browser-hijacking application
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is World Time News?
World Time News is a browser hijacker, a potentially unwanted application (PUA), however, developers present it as a useful app that allows users to access various news pages. In fact, this browser hijacker changes browsers settings, promotes the app.worldtime.news fake search engine, and gathers information relating to users' browsing habits.
It is categorized as a PUA, since most people download and install apps such as World Time News unintentionally.
PUAs such as World Time News can usually be installed on Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer. After installation, they change settings such as the default search engine and new tab URL. World Time News assigns them to app.worldtime.news.
None of these settings can be undone or modified in any other way, unless World Time News is uninstalled. Typically, if an attempt to change or undo them is made, browser hijackers reassign the settings.
Therefore, users with World Time News installed on their systems are forced to visit app.worldtime.news when they open a browser (new window), new tab, or enter a search query into the URL bar. To avoid this, users must uninstall World Time News. Note that app.worldtime.news is the address of a fake search engine.
It is fake, since, when used, it simply opens bing.com and displays results that are generated by another search engine. Therefore, app.worldtime.new is not only fake, but also useless.
Furthermore, most browser hijackers and fake search engines collect user-system information that developers share with third parties (potentially cyber criminals) who misuse it to generate revenue. Collected data usually contains information such as IP addresses, geolocations, URLs of visited websites, entered search queries and other similar data.
People with apps such as World Time News installed on their systems risk problems with privacy or browsing safety, or they can even become victims of identity theft. We strongly recommend that you uninstall World Time News and other PUAs of this type immediately.
| Name | World Time News |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Browser Extension(s) | World Time News |
| Supposed Functionality | This app supposedly provides access to various news pages. |
| Promoted URL | app.worldtime.news |
| Serving IP Address (app.worldtime.news) | 52.3.212.43 |
| Detection Names (app.worldtime.news) | Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine |
| Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser 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. |
World Time News is one of many similar applications. Other examples include Maps Directions Home, Weather Forecast and QuickMail. Most of these apps supposedly provide various "useful" features, however, PUAs are used generate revenue for their developers and other parties by collecting data and promoting dubious (fake) search engines.
How did World Time News install on my computer?
People often download and install PUAs through intrusive ads or when software developers use a deceptive marketing method called "bundling". Typically, this method is used to trick people into installing/downloading potentially unwanted applications with other, regular software.
This is achieved by including PUAs into various download or installation set-ups. Information about these possible additional downloads or installations is hidden in "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual", and in other similar parts of software set-ups.
Not all people check these settings, and by leaving them unchanged, they give permission for PUAs to be downloaded and installed with regular programs.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Download software (especially if it is free) from official websites. Do not use third party software downloaders/installers, torrent clients, eMule (and other Peer-to-Peer networks), unofficial pages, etc. Download and install software properly. Check "Advanced", "Custom" (and other similar) settings, and opt-out of offers to download or install unwanted applications.
Additionally, do not click intrusive ads that are displayed on dubious pages. When clicked, they can redirect users to untrustworthy websites or cause unwanted downloads or installations. If the default browser often opens unwanted web pages or shows various ads, remove all unwanted or unknown extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons.
The same should be applied to unknown (unwanted) programs installed on the operating system. If your computer is already infected with World Time News, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Website promoting World Time News browser hijacker:
World Time News on Chrome Web Store:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is World Time News?
- STEP 1. Uninstall World Time News application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove app.worldtime.news redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove World Time News browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove app.worldtime.news homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove app.worldtime.news redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
World Time News 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, "World Time News"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the app.worldtime.news website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
World Time News 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://app.worldtime.news 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 "World Time News".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the app.worldtime.news 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 "World Time News" 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 "World Time News", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.app.worldtime.news) 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 "app.worldtime.news", 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 app.worldtime.news 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 "World Time News", 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 "World Time News", remove hxxp://app.worldtime.news 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: "app.wordltime.news"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with app.worldtime.news 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 app.worldtime.news 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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