How to remove the Movie Quick Tab browser hijacker?
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is Movie Quick Tab?
Movie Quick Tab is a rogue browser extension, which promotes the quicknewtab.com fake search engine. This piece of software operates by modifying browser settings in order to cause redirects to quicknewtab.com. Due to this behavior, it is classified as a browser hijacker.
Additionally, Movie Quick Tab likely has data tracking abilities, as it is common for software within this classification. Since most users download/install browser hijackers unintentionally, they are also categorized as PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).
Movie Quick Tab in detail
Browser hijackers assign fake web searcher addresses as browsers' new tab/window, default search engine, and homepage URLs. Movie Quick Tab modifies browsers in this manner as well. Hence, with it installed: new browser tabs/windows opened and web searches performed via the URL bar - redirect to quicknewtab.com.
Illegitimate search engines rarely can provide search results, so they tend to redirect (or cause redirection chains ending with) genuine ones. This is also true of quicknewtab.com, yet where it redirects to - may vary.
At the time of research, in some cases, it redirected straight to the Google (google.com) search engine. In others, quicknewtab.com caused a redirect chain beginning with my-search.com, then redirecting to trafficjunction.com, and concluding with the legitimate Bing (bing.com) search engine.
Furthermore, browser hijackers can undo any changes users try to make to their browsers, or they restrict/deny access to the browser setting outright. Therefore, restoring a hijacked browser is impossible without removing the software affecting it.
As mentioned in the introduction, most browser hijackers can track data. Targeted information typically includes: browsing and search engine histories, IP addresses/ geolocations, personally identifiable details, and so forth. The gathered data is monetized by being shared with and/or sold to third-parties, likewise intent on misusing it for profit.
In summary, the presence of data-tracking software on devices can lead to severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft. To ensure device integrity and user safety, all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins must be eliminated immediately upon detection.
Name | Movie Quick Tab |
Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
Browser Extension(s) | Movie Quick Tab |
Promoted URL | quicknewtab.com |
Serving IP Address (quicknewtab.com) | 104.21.40.106 |
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. |
Browser hijackers in general
TopPDFConverterSearch, SuperMovieSearch, and DigitalMusicSearch are a few examples of browser hijackers. This software appears legitimate and handy.
It entices users into download/installation with offers of various functionalities. However, the features seldom work as advertised, and in most cases - they are utterly nonoperational.
This tactic of luring users into allowing rogue software into their devices with false promises is typical of nearly all PUAs. The sole goal of unwanted apps is to generate revenue for the developers; they have no real value to users. Instead of delivering on any promises, PUAs can hijack browsers, force-open unreliable and malicious sites, run intrusive advertisement campaigns (adware), and collect vulnerable data.
How did Movie Quick Tab install on my computer?
Some PUAs (e.g., Movie Quick Tab) have "official" download webpages. These applications are also proliferated via intrusive advertisements. Once clicked on, the adverts can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without user permission.
However, the most commonly used method is distribution through download/installation setups of other programs. "Bundling" is the term that defines this deceptive marketing technique - packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions.
Rushed downloads/installations (e.g., ignored terms, skipped steps, used "Easy/Express" settings, etc.) increase the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the device, thereby endangering the system with potential infections.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
It is highly recommended to research software prior to download/installation and/or purchase. It is crucial to download only from official and trustworthy sources. Dubious download channels, e.g., unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, and other third-party downloaders - often offer bundled and harmful programs/media.
When downloading/installing, it is advised to always read terms, study all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt-out from additional apps, tools, functions, and so on.
It is just as important to exercise caution when browsing. Intrusive advertisements look legitimate and innocuous; however, they redirect to various unreliable and questionable sites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).
In case of encounters with such ads and/or redirects, the system must be checked and all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - removed from it without delay. If your computer is already infected with Movie Quick Tab, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Movie Quick Tab browser hijacker asking for permissions:
Website promoting Movie Quick Tab browser hijacker:
Appearance of quicknewtab.com redirecting to the Google search engine (GIF):
Appearance of quicknewtab.com redirecting (via my-search.com and trafficjunction.com) to the Bing search engine (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 Movie Quick Tab?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Movie Quick Tab application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Movie Quick Tab browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove quicknewtab.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove quicknewtab.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
- STEP 6. Remove quicknewtab.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
Movie Quick Tab 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, "Movie Quick Tab"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the quicknewtab.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Movie Quick Tab browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
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 "Movie Quick Tab" 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 "Movie Quick Tab", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.quicknewtab.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 "quicknewtab.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 quicknewtab.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 "Movie Quick Tab", 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 "Movie Quick Tab", remove hxxp://quicknewtab.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 quicknewtab.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 quicknewtab.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.
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://quicknewtab.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 "Movie Quick Tab".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the quicknewtab.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.
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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