How to remove the Sports Streaming Now browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Sports Streaming Now?
Sports Streaming Now is a rogue app, endorsed as a tool for easy access to sports news, results and other related content. It is categorized as a browser hijacker due to the modifications it makes to browsers to promote a fake search engine (search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com).
Furthermore, Sports Streaming Now can track browsing-related data. Since most users install this app inadvertently, it is also classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA). Sports Streaming Now is often distributed with another PUA called Hide My Searches.
Common hijacker targets include Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and other popular browsers. After successful installation, browser hijackers assign the addresses of their bogus search engines as the default search engine, homepage, new tab/window URL.
With Sports Streaming Now infiltrated into the system, it assigns these settings to search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com. To elaborate on how this affects browsers: each new tab/window opened and search queries typed into the URL bar redirects to search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com.
Additionally, fake search engines are typically unable to provide search results, and therefore they redirect to genuine sites (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.). In the case of search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com, all searches redirect to search.yahoo.com.
Furthermore, Sports Streaming Now significantly diminishes the browsing experience and its modifications are also impossible to undo without removal of the browser hijacker. Any changes users attempt to make are automatically reset, if indeed access is allowed at all.
Sports Streaming Now also monitors and records users' browsing activity (URLs visited, web pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and personal information (IP address, geolocations and other details). This vulnerable data can then be shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) seeking to misuse it for profit.
Having data tracking software present on the system can lead to serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. To ensure device integrity and user safety, you are advised to remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins without delay.
| Name | Sports Streaming Now |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab. |
| Detection Names | Avast (Win32:Adware-gen [Adw]), GData (Win32.Application.Agent.04S4T2), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of Win32/WinWrapper.V Potentia), Fortinet (Riskware/WinWrapper), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Browser Extension(s) | Sports Streaming Now |
| Supposed Functionality | Quick access to sports-related content. |
| Promoted URL | search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com |
| Serving IP Address (search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com) | 3.219.120.252 |
| 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. |
| Additional Information | Sports Streaming Now is distributed with another browser hijacker called Hide My Searches. |
| 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. |
PUAs often seem legitimate and temp users to install with offers of "useful" functions. These features are rarely operational - even if they do work, it not as advertised. The only purpose of PUAs is to generate revenue for the developers at users' expense.
Rather than delivering any real value, PUAs hijack browsers and promote fake search engines, run intrusive advertisement campaigns (i.e., deliver pop-ups, banners, coupons, etc.), cause redirects to untrusted/malicious sites and gather private data.
How did Sports Streaming Now install on my computer?
PUAs can be downloaded/installed together twith other programs. This deceptive marketing method of pre-packing normal products with unwanted or malicious software is called "bundling". Rushing download and installation processes (e.g. skipping steps and sections, using pre-set options, etc.) endangers devices with potential system infiltration and infections.
Some PUAs have "official" promotional pages, from which they can be downloaded. Intrusive ads also proliferate these applications. Once clicked, they can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without users' permission.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
It is important to verify the legitimacy of products, prior to download/installation or purchase. Use only official and verified download channels. Avoid free file-hosting websites, P2P sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.) and other third party downloaders - these are untrusted and can offer likewise dubious content.
When downloading/installing, read the terms, study all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features and so on. Intrusive ads may seem legitimate and harmless, however, they can cause redirects to dubious sites (e.g. pornography, adult-dating, gambling and others).
If you experience these advertisements/redirects, check the system immediately remove all suspicious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with Sports Streaming Now, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Sports Streaming Now browser hijacker installer set-up:
Sports Streaming Now browser hijacker asking for various permissions:
Website promoting Sports Streaming Now browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Sports Streaming Now?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Sports Streaming Now application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Sports Streaming Now browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Sports Streaming 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, "Sports Streaming Now"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.sportsstreamingnowtab.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Sports Streaming 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.sportsstreamingnowtab.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 "Sports Streaming Now".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.sportsstreamingnowtab.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 "Sports Streaming 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 "Sports Streaming Now" or "Hide My Searches", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://search.sportsstreamingnowtab.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.sportsstreamingnowtab.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.sportsstreamingnowtab.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 "Sports Streaming Now", 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 "Sports Streaming Now" or "Hide My Searches", remove hxxp://search.sportsstreamingnowtab.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: "extensionControlled"
Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the 
button.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with search.sportsstreamingnowtab.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.sportsstreamingnowtab.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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