Prevent Earth & Satellite View hijacking your browser
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Earth & Satellite View?
Earth & Satellite View is a browser hijacker, endorsed as a tool pack, containing quick access to maps and a web searcher (search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com).
It is supposedly designed to provide easy access to various maps, driving directions and local traffic data. In all actuality, it changes browser settings to promote the aforementioned fake search engine - search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com. Earth & Satellite View also spies on users' browsing activities, thereby gathering their personal information.
Since most users install this rogue app onto their systems inadvertently, it is classified as a PUA (potentially unwanted application).
The usual targets of browser hijackers are the most popular browsers (Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox). They operate by altering browser settings to promote their fraudulent web searching tools. Earth & Satellite View promotes search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com.
Hijacking applications change homepages, new tab/window URLs and default search engines. And so, every time a user attempts to use the URL bar for a web search and every single opened new tab/window - all redirect to a fake search engine.
Said tools are rarely capable of providing search results on their own, therefore they often redirect to (or cause redirection chains ending with) a legitimate search engine (e.g. Google, Yahoo, Bing and others). This is the case with search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com, it redirects to search.yahoo.com.
These modifications make using a hijacked browser a nightmarish experience. What is more, said changes cannot be undone without removing the rogue application affecting the browser.
Access to certain settings can be limited or even denied, and any user changes made - automatically reset. In addition to seizing control of browsers, Earth & Satellite View has data tracking abilities. Through monitored browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed and etc.), personal information can be gathered (IP address, geolocation and personal details).
What is of great import, is that this data is passed onto third parties (possibly, cyber criminals), seeking financial gain through information misuse.
Therefore, presence of data tracking content within a device can lead to severe privacy issues, even identity theft. Earth & Satellite View is frequently furthered together with another app called Hide My Searches, which is also classified as a PUA.
Unwanted applications can hijack browsers, generate redirects to untrustworthy/malicious websites, run intrusive advertisement campaigns (banners, pop-ups, coupons, surveys, etc.) and gather sensitive information. To ensure device browser and system integrity, as well as user safety - all PUAs must be removed immediately.
| Name | Earth & Satellite View |
| 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) | Earth & Satellite View, Maps |
| Supposed Functionality | GPS-related features. |
| Promoted URL | search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com |
| Serving IP Address (search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com) | 3.224.86.188 |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine |
| 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. |
| Additional Information | Earth & Satellite View is distributed alongside with another browser hijacker called Hide My Searches. |
| 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. |
Most browser hijackers share certain similarities, some are even identical. For example, Earth & Satellite View is practically analogous with Maps And Directions App, Maps Utility and Find My Route. PUAs are designed form maximum legitimacy and spread by luring users with various "useful" features.
Despite genuine and harmless appearances, unwanted applications are neither. The abilities/features they advertise operate poorly or are outright nonfunctional. The only purpose of these applications are designed for, is to generate profit for their developers.
Which they achieve by hijacking browsers, redirecting to sale-oriented, unreliable and malignant websites, running advertisement campaigns and gathering intel.
How did Earth & Satellite View install on my computer?
Earth & Satellite View can be downloaded from its official website. However, that is not the only way that PUAs invade devices. They can also be installed alongside desired content. "Bundling" is a false marketing technique, by which ordinary software is pre-packed with unwanted applications.
Rushed installations (ignored terms, skipped steps and used pre-sets), enable PUAs to sneak in together with intended programs. Invasive advertisements also further these rogue apps, by executing scripts, designed to autonomously download/install them.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Only official and verified sources should be used for downloading software (ideally, programs, which are verified as legitimate). It is ill-advised to use third party downloaders, as content from such is more likely to be bundled with PUAs. When installing, users are recommended to read terms and study possible options, in order to be certain that there is no foul play involved.
Additionally, they should use "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out/decline supplementary apps, features and offers. Users should take great care when browsing; avoid suspicious websites and adverts. Intrusive advertisements, usually look ordinary and innocuous, however the sites they redirect to (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating and etc.) - are less so.
Should users experience such redirects or ads, they are to inspect their device and remove all dubious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with Earth & Satellite View, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Earth & Satellite View browser hijacker installer set-up:
Earth & Satellite View download page asks for various permissions:
Website promoting Earth & Satellite View browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Earth & Satellite View?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Earth & Satellite View application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Earth & Satellite View browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Earth & Satellite View 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, "Earth & Satellite View"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Earth & Satellite View 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.earthandsatelliteviewtab.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 "Earth & Satellite View".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.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 "Earth & Satellite View" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons (e.g., "Hide My Searches"), 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 "Earth & Satellite View" or "Hide My Searches", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com or hxxps://hidemysearches.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 "hxxp://search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com" and "hxxp://hidemysearches.com", 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.earthandsatelliteviewtab.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 plugins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Earth & Satellite View" (or simply "Maps"), as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins (e.g., "Hide My Searches").
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 "Earth & Satellite View" (or simply "Maps") or "Hide My Searches", remove hxxp://search.earthandsatelliteviewtab.com or hxxp://hidemysearches.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.earthandsatelliteviewtab.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.earthandsatelliteviewtab.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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