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Removing the Expense Tracker Tab browser-hijacking extension

Also Known As: expensetrackertab.com redirect
Damage level: Medium

What kind of software is Expense Tracker Tab?

While investigating dubious websites, our researchers discovered the Expense Tracker Tab browser extension. It is promoted as an expense-tracking and budget-management tool.

We determined that this extension is a browser hijacker. Expense Tracker Tab alters browser settings in order to generate redirects to the expensetrackertab.com fake search engine.

expensetrackertab.com browser hijacker

Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker overview

Typically, browser-hijacking software reassigns browsers' default search engines, homepages, and new tab/window URLs to the addresses of promoted websites. Expense Tracker Tab endorses the expensetrackertab.com illegitimate search engine; hence, users are forced to visit this webpage whenever they search the Web via the URL bar or open a new browser tab/window.

Fake search engines usually cannot generate search results, so they lead to genuine Internet search sites. At the time of research, expensetrackertab.com landed on the Bing search engine (bing.com). It is pertinent to mention that this site could land elsewhere, as user geolocation or other factors might influence redirects.

Browser hijackers commonly use persistence-ensuring techniques to complicate their removal and prevent users from restoring their browsers.

This software usually has data-tracking abilities, and this might be true of Expense Tracker Tab. Targeted information may include: visited URLs, viewed webpages, searched queries, Internet cookies, account log-in credentials, finance-related data, and so forth. This sensitive information can be monetized via sale to third-parties.

To summarize, browser-hijacking software like Expense Tracker Tab may cause system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:
Name Expense Tracker Tab
Threat Type Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Browser Extension(s) Expense Tracker Tab
Supposed Functionality Expense tracking and budget management
Promoted URL expensetrackertab.com
Detection Names (expensetrackertab.com) N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (expensetrackertab.com) 172.67.160.29
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).
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.
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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.

Browser hijacker examples

We have examined thousands of browser hijackers; Military Pride ExtensionStocks Manager, and Weatherly are merely a couple of our latest finds. Software within this category seldom appears suspicious – it tends to look ordinary and harmless.

Users may be lured into downloading/installing browser hijackers by promises of various "handy" functionalities. However, these functions are rarely operational. Note that even if a piece of software works exactly as indicated by its promotional material – that is not definitive proof of either legitimacy or safety.

How did Expense Tracker Tab install on my computer?

Expense Tracker Tab has an "official" promotional webpage. In addition to such sites, browser hijackers are commonly endorsed through online scams. Most visitors access these deceptive pages via redirects generated by intrusive ads, mistyped URLs, websites using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, or installed adware.

"Bundling" – packing ordinary program installers with unwanted/malicious additions – is also used to distribute browser-hijacking software.

The risk of unintentionally allowing bundled content into the system is increased by downloading from dubious channels (e.g., freeware and free file-hosting sites, P2P sharing networks, etc.) and by treating installations with negligence (e.g., skipping steps, using "Easy/Quick" settings, etc.).

Intrusive adverts proliferate this software as well. Once clicked on, some of the advertisements can execute scripts to perform sneaky downloads/installations.

How to avoid installation of browser hijackers?

We strongly advise researching software and downloading it only from official/trustworthy sources. Installation processes must be treated with care, e.g., by reading terms, exploring available options, using the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings, and opting out of all supplementary apps, extensions, tools, etc.

Fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears legitimate and innocuous – therefore, we advise caution when browsing. For example, while intrusive adverts may look harmless – they redirect to unreliable and questionable websites (e.g., gambling, scam-promoting, pornography, adult dating, etc.).

If you keep encountering ads/redirects of this kind, inspect the system and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with Expense Tracker Tab, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Appearance of expensetrackertab.com redirecting to the Bing search engine (GIF):

Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker redirecting to Bing (GIF)

Permissions asked by Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker:

Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker asking for permissions

Website promoting Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker:

Website used to promote Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker

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:

Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker removal:

Windows 11 users:

Accessing Apps and Features in Windows 11

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:

Accessing Programs and Features (uninstall) in Windows 8

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:

Accessing Programs and Features (uninstall) in Windows 7

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:

Uninstall app in OSX (Mac)

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.

Browser-hijacking application uninstall via Control Panel

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, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker using Combo Cleaner:

Google Chrome logoRemove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Removing expensetrackertab.com related Google Chrome extensions

Click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Extensions" and click "Manage Extensions". Locate "Expense Tracker Tab" and other recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Removing expensetrackertab.com from Google Chrome homepage

Click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable "Expense Tracker Tab", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.expensetrackertab.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:

Removing expensetrackertab.com from Google Chrome default search engine

To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon Google 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 "expensetrackertab.com", when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Delete".

  • If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the expensetrackertab.com redirect, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon Google 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.

Google Chrome settings reset step 1

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

Google Chrome settings reset step 2

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Google Chrome settings reset step 3

Mozilla Firefox logoRemove malicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox:

Removing expensetrackertab.com related Mozilla Firefox extensions

Click the Firefox menu firefox menu icon (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate "Expense Tracker Tab", as well as all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Removing expensetrackertab.com from Mozilla Firefox homepage

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu firefox menu icon (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Settings", in the opened window disable "Expense Tracker Tab", remove hxxp://expensetrackertab.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change your default search engine:

Removing expensetrackertab.com from Mozilla Firefox default search engine

In the URL address bar, type "about:config" and press Enter. Click "Accept the Risk and Continue".

In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled". Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the Mozilla Firefox switch about:config entry button button.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with expensetrackertab.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, firefox menu icon in the opened menu, click Help.

Accessing settings (Reset Firefox to default settings step 1)

Select Troubleshooting Information.

Accessing Troubleshooting Information (Reset Firefox to default settings step 2)

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

Clicking on Refresh Firefox button (Reset Firefox to default settings step 3)

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Confirm your want to reset Firefox settings to default (Reset Firefox to default settings step 4)

safari browser logoRemove malicious extensions from Safari:

Removing browser hijackers from safari step 1 - accessing preferences

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...

removing browser hijacker from safari step 2 - removing extensions

In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.

Removing browser hijackers from safari step 3 - changing homepage

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.

removing browser hijackers from safari step 4 - changing the default Internet search engine

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...

resetting safari step 1

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

resetting safari step 2

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) logoRemove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 1

Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) 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:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 2

Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) 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:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 3

To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) 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 Microsoft Edge (Chromium) puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the expensetrackertab.com redirect, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 1

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 2

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.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 3

  • If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

declining installation of browser hijackers while downloading free software sampleA 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of forcing users to visit expensetrackertab.com website?

The motivation behind developing software that causes rogue redirects is profit. In other words, browser hijacker developers generate revenue through redirects to websites like expensetrackertab.com.

Is visiting expensetrackertab.com a threat to my privacy?

To a certain extent, yes. Sites like expensetrackertab.com usually gather (and sell) visitor data.

How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?

The most widely used proliferation methods include: bundled installation setups, freeware and free file-hosting websites, P2P sharing networks, online scams, spam browser notifications, and intrusive ads.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Expense Tracker Tab browser hijacker?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan computers and eliminate detected browser-hijacking applications. It is pertinent to mention that manual removal (unaided by security software) might be ineffective, especially when multiple browser hijackers are present. In these cases, after one is removed – the others may simply reinstall it. Additionally, removal-related settings might be unmodifiable when this software is installed. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate browser hijackers thoroughly and all at once.

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About the author:

Tomas Meskauskas

Tomas Meskauskas - expert security researcher, professional malware analyst.

I am passionate about computer security and technology. I have an experience of over 10 years working in various companies related to computer technical issue solving and Internet security. I have been working as an author and editor for pcrisk.com since 2010. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest online security threats. Contact Tomas Meskauskas.

PCrisk security portal is brought by a company RCS LT. Joined forces of security researchers help educate computer users about the latest online security threats. More information about the company RCS LT.

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Software uninstall instructions
Malware activity

Global malware activity level today:

Medium threat activity

Increased attack rate of infections detected within the last 24 hours.

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