How to stop browsers from opening vitosc.xyz?

What is vitosc.xyz?

vitosc.xyz is the address of a fake search engine. Typically, fake search engines are promoted through various potentially unwanted applications (PUAs), browser hijackers. This fake search engine is promoted through a PUA named SApp+ (or Smash App+) and Nittok, however, other apps might also promote vitosc.xyz.

Typically, browser hijackers promote addresses such as vitosc.xyz by changing browser settings. Furthermore, these apps often gather information.

In most cases, browser hijackers promote fake search engines by changing settings such as the address of the default search engine, homepage, and new tab. In this way, they ensure that a particular address is opened when users open a browser, enter search queries into the URL bar and open a new tab.

Research shows that SApp+ (Smash App+) and Nittok do not actually modify browser settings, however, they can detect when the user enters search queries, and then load results generated by the vitosc.xyz fake search engine.

Note that when SApp+ is installed on Mozilla Firefox, vitosc.xyz is opened through searchmes.xyz, and; when Nittok is installed on Google Chrome, vitosc.xyz is opened through srchus.xyz. Neither vitosc.xyz nor these other addresses can be trusted. Fake search engines generate misleading results, and therefore should not be used.

Furthermore, apps such as SApp+, Nittok often gather information. For example, addresses of visited pages, IP addresses, geolocations, entered search queries, and other browsing data. In some cases, they record personal, sensitive details as well. The developers sell the data to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse it to generate revenue in other ways.

These actions can cause problems relating to browsing safety, privacy, and other issues. It is also possible that collected data will be misused to steal users' identities. For these reasons, remove any installed browse hijackers immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	vitosc.xyz browser hijacker
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab.
Browser Extension(s)	SApp+ (Smash App+), Nittok
Supposed Functionality	Improved browsing experience.
Affected Browser Settings	Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine.
Detection Names	Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
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. ▼ 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.

Examples of addresses of other fake search engines are qlopx.xyz, vprx.xyz and srchpx.xyz. In most cases, they are promoted through apps that hijack browsers and change settings.

Browser hijackers are commonly advertised as supposedly improving the browsing experience and delivering various features, however, most are designed to promote the address of fake search engines and gather data. They deliver no real value and simply cause problems.

How did vitosc.xyz install on my computer?

In most cases, people download/install browser hijackers and other potentially unwanted applications together with other programs that they wish to acquire. This happens when PUAs are included into the download/installation set-ups of other software as "additional offers".

This PUA distribution method is called "bundling". Generally, offers to download or install PUAs are mentioned in settings such as "Advanced", "Custom", and "Manual". Many people download and install their software without even checking these settings. Leaving the default settings unchanged allows for PUAs to be installed with other, regular software.

Downloads and installations of unwanted apps are also caused by clicking rogue advertisements that execute certain scripts.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

PUAs are often distributed through Peer-to-Peer networks (e.g., torrent clients, eMule), dubious pages, third party downloaders, installers and other channels/tools of this kind. Therefore, it is not safe to use these methods to download or install your software.

Files and programs should be downloaded only from official pages and via direct links. Download and installation set-ups often contain settings such as "Custom", "Advanced". Check these and dismiss any offers to download or install potentially unwanted applications before completing the process.

Advertisements that appear on dubious pages can open dubious websites and/or cause unwanted download and installation. Do not click these advertisements. Remove any unwanted, suspicious extensions, add-ons and plug-ins installed on the browser immediately. Also remove software of this kind that is installed on the operating system.

If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate it.

Hijacked Google Chrome browser redirects to vitosc.xyz (GIF):

Hijacked Mozilla Firefox browser redirects to vitosc.xyz (GIF):

Deceptive website offering to update Mozilla Firefox with a fake Firefox installer (updater) that installs SApp+:

A dubious website designed to promote Nittok:

Notification stating that SApp+ can access and store various data (on Mozilla Firefox):

 

 Notification stating that Nittok can read and change various data (on Google Chrome):

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Quick menu:

• What is vitosc.xyz?
• STEP 1. Uninstall unwanted applications using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove vitosc.xyz redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove vitosc.xyz browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove vitosc.xyz homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove vitosc.xyz redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

vitosc.xyz redirect 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 (e.g., "SApp+", "Smash App+", "Nittok"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the vitosc.xyz website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

vitosc.xyz redirect 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 (e.g., "SApp+" or "Smash App+", "Nittok"), 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://vitosc.xyz 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 "SApp+" (or "Smash App+"), or "Nittok".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the vitosc.xyz browser hijacker, 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 all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons (like "Nittok"), 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 "Nittok", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.vitosc.xyz) 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 "vitosc.xyz", 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 vitosc.xyz browser hijacker, 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 all recently installed browser plug-ins like SApp+" (or "Smash App+").

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 SApp+" (or "Smash App+"), remove hxxp://vitosc.xyz 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 vitosc.xyz browser hijacker 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 vitosc.xyz browser hijacker, 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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