How to remove krestinaful.com from settings of a web browser
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is krestinaful.com?
Krestinaful.com is a fake search engine promoted by various browser-hijacking applications. Two of the apps promoting krestinaful.com are called Settings and Options. Browser hijackers promote fake search engines by changing the web browser's settings. Apps of this type often are promoted and distributed using deceptive methods.
Krestinaful.com in detail
Krestinaful.com shows results generated by Bing (it redirects to bing.com via searchithub.com and media-search.xyz, a couple of shady URLs). Since it is a fake search engine, it can show misleading results, redirect users to untrustworthy websites, show results generated by dubious search engines.
Browser-hijacking apps used to promote krestinaful.com set it as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab page. Usually, browser hijackers prevent users from undoing their changes until they are no longer present. At the time of the research, the "Options" browser hijacker was distributed using a file named "CS_installer.exe".
| Name | krestinaful.com browser hijacker |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Browser Extension(s) | Settings and other shady browser-hijacking apps |
| Supposed Functionality | Improved browsing experience |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine |
| Detection Names (krestinaful.com) | N/A (VirusTotal) |
| Detection Names (ISO file used to distribute Settings browser hijacker) | Avast (Win32:TrojanX-gen [Trj]), AVG (Win32:TrojanX-gen [Trj]), Bkav Pro (VEX.Webshell), McAfee (Artemis!66FD44FFAEDB), 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. |
More about fake search engines
Fake search engines (and browser hijackers) can be used as tools to gather information about their users. In such cases, their creators could misuse obtained data for malicious purposes. Either way, fake search engines and apps promoting them cannot be trusted. More examples of fake search engines are mysearch.space, searchzone.xyz, searchfor.cc.
How did krestinaful.com install on my computer?
One of the browser-hijacking applications promoting krestinaful.com is distributed through an ISO file. That ISO file is promoted on a deceptive website. Also, browser hijackers used to promote this fake search engine could be bundled with other programs and distributed through deceptive advertisements.
Programs bundled with browser hijackers have "Custom", "Advanced", or other settings in their downloaders or installers. Users agree to download or install browser hijackers alongside other programs when they leave those settings unchanged.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Unreliable sources for downloading files and apps (like P2P networks, shady websites, third-party downloaders) should not be trusted. Files and apps should be downloaded only from legitimate pages. Ads appearing on shady websites should not be clicked as well.
It is also recommended not to download and install programs without checking their downloaders and installers for unwanted apps. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate it.
Krestinaful.com redirects to bing.com via searchithub.com and media-search.xyz (GIF):
Screenshot of the deceptive website used to promote ISO file designed to inject "Settings" browser hijacker:
Screenshot of a deceptive website used to promote the "Options" browser hijacker (an installer named "CS_installer.exe"):
Screenshot of the "Settings" browser-hijacking app description:
Screenshot of the "Options" browser-hijacking app description:
"Options" browser hijacker installed on a browser:
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 krestinaful.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall unwanted applications using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove krestinaful.com browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove krestinaful.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove krestinaful.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
krestinaful.com 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, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the krestinaful.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
krestinaful.com redirect 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 "Settings" or 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, look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.krestinaful.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 "krestinaful.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 krestinaful.com 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 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 all 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 remove hxxp://krestinaful.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 krestinaful.com 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 krestinaful.com 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.
Post a comment:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the purpose of forcing users visit krestinaful.com website?
The more visitors visit krestinaful.com, the more money its creators make.
Is visiting krestinaful.com a threat to my privacy?
Fake search engines (websites like krestinaful.com) and apps promoting them can be designed to gather various information about their users.
How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?
Browser hijackers are distributed using social engineering tactics, like browser notifications, intrusive advertisements. Also, they are promoted using deceptive websites, downloaders for other programs. A browser hijacker promoting krestinaful.com is distributed using an ISO file promoted by a deceptive page.
Will Combo Cleaner help me remove browser hijackers?
Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan the operating system and eliminate all browser-hijacking applications. When multiple browser hijackers are present, they can reinstall one another. In such cases, all browser hijackers have to be removed at once. It can be challenging to do that manually. Thus, it is recommended to remove browser hijackers automatically (using specialized software).
Outstanding!
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