How to remove the Road Maps & Traffic browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is the Road Maps & Traffic browser hijacker?
Road Maps & Traffic is rogue software endorsed as a multi-purpose tool. It is supposedly capable of providing easy access to maps, route planning, news outlets, weather forecasts and email services. In fact, Road Maps & Traffic operates by making changes to browsers to promote search.roadmapsandtraffic.com, a fake search engine.
Therefore, it is classified as a browser hijacker. Additionally, Road Maps & Traffic monitors browsing activity and, since most users install Road Maps & Traffic unintentionally, it is also classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and other popular browsers with large user bases are common targets of browser hijackers. This dubious software operates by reassigning the homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs to the addresses of fake search engines.
Road Maps & Traffic makes these modifications to browsers as well to promote search.roadmapsandtraffic.com. Therefore, with this browser hijacker installed, each new browser tab/window opened and search query typed into the URL bar redirects to search.roadmapsandtraffic.com.
Fake search engines have no real value to regular users, as they are unable to provide unique results. Therefore, they tend to redirect to (or cause redirection chains ending with) Google, Yahoo, Bing and other legitimate sites.
The web searcher of search.roadmapsandtraffic.com is no exception to this, and simply redirects to Yahoo (search.yahoo.com), a genuine search engine. Browser hijackers can restrict/deny access to the browser settings and undo any permitted changes made.
Recovering a hijacked browser is impossible without removing the software affecting it. As mentioned, Road Maps & Traffic has data tracking capabilities. It can monitor browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and gather personal information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details).
This vulnerable data is typically shared with and/or sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) seeking to misuse it for profit. In summary, the presence of data-tracking content can result in financial loss, serious privacy issues and even identity theft.
To protect device integrity and user safety, all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins must be removed without delay.
| Name | Road Maps & Traffic |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab. |
| Browser Extension(s) | Road Maps & Traffic |
| Supposed Functionality | Easy access to maps, routes and other content. |
| Promoted URL | search.roadmapsandtraffic.com |
| Serving IP Address (search.roadmapsandtraffic.com) | 34.206.45.123 |
| 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. |
SimpleDIYOnline, FormFinderHQ, Satellite And Earth Maps and Go To My News are some examples of other browser hijackers. They may seem legitimate and harmless, and users are enticed into download/installation with offers of various "useful" functionality.
The advertised features are rarely operational, and this is common to most PUAs. The only purpose of this unwanted software is to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than delivering any real value, PUAs modify browsers, cause redirects, run intrusive advertisement campaigns and collect private information.
How did Road Maps & Traffic install on my computer?
PUAs are often downloaded/installed with other programs. This deceptive marketing technique of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling". By rushing through download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, etc.), many users risk inadvertently allowing bundled content into their devices.
Certain PUAs have "official" download web pages. When clicked, intrusive ads can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without users' permission.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
You are strongly advised to research all software prior to download/installation and/or purchase. All downloads must be done from official and verified sources.
Untrusted download channels such as unofficial and free file-hosting sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.) and other third party downloaders commonly offer deceptive and/or bundled content.
When downloading/installing, it is important to read the terms, explore all possible options, use the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings and opt-out of supplementary apps, tools, features, and so on. Intrusive advertisements may seem legitimate and innocuous, however, they can redirect to various dubious web pages (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).
If you encounter ads and/or redirects of this kind, inspect your devices and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with Road Maps & Traffic, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Road Maps & Traffic browser hijacker asking for various permissions:
Appearance of Road Maps & Traffic browser hijacker (GIF):
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is Road Maps & Traffic?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Road Maps & Traffic application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.roadmapsandtraffic.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Road Maps & Traffic browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.roadmapsandtraffic.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.roadmapsandtraffic.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Road Maps & Traffic 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, "Road Maps & Traffic"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.roadmapsandtraffic.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Road Maps & Traffic 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.roadmapsandtraffic.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 "Road Maps & Traffic".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.roadmapsandtraffic.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 "Road Maps & Traffic" 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 "Road Maps & Traffic", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.roadmapsandtraffic.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 "search.roadmapsandtraffic.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.roadmapsandtraffic.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 "Road Maps & Traffic", 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 "Road Maps & Traffic", remove hxxp://search.roadmapsandtraffic.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.roadmapsandtraffic.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.roadmapsandtraffic.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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