Stop Online News Now hijacking your browser

What is Online News Now?

Online News Now is a browser hijacker, advertised as a quick access tool to topic news content, accompanied by a fake search engine. This application is supposedly capable of providing swift access to top news sources and breaking headlines of current news, additionally it allegedly enhances web search.

However, Online News Now hijacks browsers, by changing certain settings within them, in order to promote its fraudulent search engine - search.onlinenewsnowtab.com. This app also has data tracking abilities, with information of interest being browsing activity.

Due to most users installing Online News Now unintentionally, it is considered to be a PUA (potentially unwanted application).

Browsers boasting greatest popularity are the most common targets of browser hijackers. These rogue apps operate by changing browser's homepages, default search engines and new tab/window URLs. Hence, every search query typed into the URL bar and every single new tab/window opened - all redirect to their fraudulent web searching tools.

Online News Now changes these settings to search.onlinenewsnowtab.com. Due to the fact that most fake search engines are unable to generate search results, they redirect (or cause redirection chains ending in) a legitimate search engine (e.g.Yahoo, Bing, Google or others).

The search.onlinenewsnowtab.com is also unable to produce said results, therefore it redirects to search.yahoo.com. While these alterations may appear to be easily reversible, without removal of the hijacking applications - that is not possible. Access to certain settings can be limited and/or denied, and changes made - automatically reset.

Another heinous ability that Online News Now possesses is data tracking. By spying on users' browsing habits, it can gather their personal information (IP address, geolocation and real-life personal details). What is vital to understand, is that this data is then shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals), intent on misusing it to generate profit.

Therefore, presence of data tracking content on users devices can lead to serious privacy issues, even culminate in identity theft. It is noteworthy, that Online News Now is often distributed with another PUA called Hide My Searches.

Aside from hijacking browsers, unwanted apps can cause redirects to unreliable/malignant webpages, deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns (pop-ups, banners, surveys, etc.) and they can also gather sensitive intel. To ensure device and user safety, all dubious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins must be removed immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	Online News Now
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)	Online News Now, News
Supposed Functionality	Worldwide news
Promoted URL	search.onlinenewsnowtab.com
Serving IP Address (search.onlinenewsnowtab.com)	3.217.80.216
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	Online News Now 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. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Browser hijackers are released by the thousand and they frequently share certain traits. If created by the same developers, they may even be identical. Relevant examples of similar applications to Online News Now include: Current & Breaking News, Breaking News Hub, Live Radio Now and many others.

All PUAs tend to be similar; while they are advertised as having uses for different purposes - they usually operate much the same way. By offering a wide variety of "useful" features, they bait users into allowing them onto their systems. And while they many sound very beneficial, all features they promise tend to be nonfunctional.

It must be understood, that the only goal that unwanted apps have is to create revenue for their designers; to users they have no genuine value. PUAs generate redirects, run invasive advert campaigns, hijack browsers and track sensitive data.

How did Online News Now install on my computer?

Online News Now can be downloaded from its official website. Another way that PUAs can infiltrate devices is by being installed alongside desired software. The pre-packing of ordinary programs with undesirable content is termed "bundling". This false marketing tactic is widely used by PUA developers.

By moving hastily through download/installation setups (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps, using pre-set options and etc.) - users increase the risk of unwanted apps invading their systems. Intrusive ads are also known to spread these rogue applications. Once clicked, they can be triggered to execute scripts, designed to autonomously download/install PUAs.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Only trustworthy and verified sources (ideally, direct download links) are recommended for downloading content. Using third party downloaders is ill-advised, as they are far more likely to offer bundled software. Reading download/installation terms is strongly encouraged, as by doing so users can make sure that they will get exactly what they intend to.

Additionally, users are advised to explore possible options, use "Custom/Advanced" install options and opt-out/decline supplementary offers. Should users encounter suspicious adverts and redirects to unreliable websites, they are recommended to perform a system check for dubious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins.

If/When such are found - they must be removed without delay. If your computer is already infected with Online News Now, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Online News Now browser hijacker installer set-up:

Website promoting Online News Now browser hijacker:

Another website used to promote Online News Now browser hijacker;

IMPORTANT NOTE! This deceptive site asks to enable web browser notifications.

Therefore, before commencing, perform these steps:

Google Chrome (PC):

• Click the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen
• Select "Settings", scroll down to the bottom and click "Advanced"
• Scroll down to the "Privacy and security" section, select "Content settings" and then "Notifications"
• Click three dots on the right hand side of each suspicious URL and click "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)

Google Chrome (Android):

• Click on the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen and click "Settings"
• Scroll down, click on "Site settings" and then "Notifications"
• In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs and click on them one-by-one
• Select "Notifications" in the "Permissions" section and set the toggle button to "OFF"

Mozilla Firefox:

• Click the Menu button (three bars) on the right upper corner of the screen
• Select "Options" and click on "Privacy & Security" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen
• Scroll down to the "Permissions" section and click the "Settings" button next to "Notifications"
• In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs, click the drop-down menu and select "Block"

Internet Explorer:

• Click the Gear button on the right upper corner of the IE window
• Select "Internet options"
• Select the "Privacy" tab and click "Settings" under "Pop-up Blocker" section
• Select suspicious URLs under and remove them one by one by clicking the "Remove" button

Microsoft Edge:

• Click the menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the Edge window and select "Settings"
• Click on "Site permissions" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen and select "Notifications"
• Click three dots on the right hand side of each suspicious URL under "Allow" section and click "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)

Safari (Mac):

• Click "Safari" button on the left upper corner of the screen and select "Preferences..."
• Select the "Websites" tab and then select "Notifications" section on the left pane
• Check for suspicious URLs and apply the "Deny" option for each

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Quick menu:

• What is Online News Now?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Online News Now application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove search.onlinenewsnowtab.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Online News Now browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove search.onlinenewsnowtab.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove search.onlinenewsnowtab.com redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Online News Now 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, "Online News Now"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the search.onlinenewsnowtab.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Online News Now 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.onlinenewsnowtab.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 "Online News Now".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.onlinenewsnowtab.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 "Online News Now" 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 "Online News Now" or "Hide My Searches", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://search.onlinenewsnowtab.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.onlinenewsnowtab.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.onlinenewsnowtab.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 "Online News Now" (or simply "News"), 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 "Online News Now" (or simply "News") or "Hide My Searches", remove hxxp://search.onlinenewsnowtab.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.onlinenewsnowtab.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.onlinenewsnowtab.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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