DefaultTab Virus

What is DefaultTab?

DefaultTab virus is a term used to describe a potentially unwanted application created by Search Results, LLC. This browser hijacker infiltrates users' Internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox) via free software downloads and modifies the browser settings by assigning the new tab and default search engine fields to mysearchresults.com

Whilst this browser extension claims to make Internet browsing more productive (by enabling searches from each website visited), in fact it is a potentially unwanted program (PUP), which diminishes browser performance, causes redirect issues, and tracks users' Internet browsing activity by recording IP addresses, browser types, operating systems, details regarding computer hardware, installed applications, Internet service providers, and web pages visited.

This add-on is not technically a virus or malware, however, the presence of DefaultTab add-on on your system can lead to serious security infections and privacy issues.

Computer users should be aware that the Internet search engine provided by the mysearchresults.com website returns dubious search results and is crowded with sponsored ads, which lead to installation of additional adware or even malware.

DefaultTab is a useless browser plugin, which adds no real value, and therefore, you are advised to eliminate this adware from your Internet browser/s.

DefaultTab is similar to other browser settings-changing adware, which install together with free software downloaded from the Internet. Examples include Search Protect by Conduit, Trovi.com, Triple-search.com, and Gophoto.it

To avoid installation of PUPs, be attentive when downloading and installing freeware since, today, most free software download websites (including download.com, softonic.com, and many others) employ 'download clients' - small programs offering installation of promoted browser extensions together with the chosen freeware.

Not paying close enough attention to the downloading steps can result in adware infections. Computer users who experience browser redirects to mysearchresults.com should use this removal guide to eliminate DefaultTab adware from their Internet browser/s.

Deceptive free software download clients promoting DefaultTab by Search Results, LLC:

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Quick menu:

• What is DefaultTab?
• STEP 1. Uninstall DefaultTab application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove DefaultTab add-on from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove DefaultTab plugin from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove DefaultTab extension from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove DefaultTab extension from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

DefaultTab 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 "DefaultTab", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling DefaultTab (which causes browser redirects to the mysearchresults.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software. Remove all entries that this program detects to ensure your PC is clean from any possible spyware and malware infections.

DefaultTab removal from browsers:

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Remove DeafultTab extension:

Click on the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Manage Add-ons". Look for the "DefaultTab", select it and click "Remove".

Change default search engine:

Click on 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 "Search Here".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the the defaulttab search bar, 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:

Remove DefaultTab extension:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) select "Tools" and click on "Extensions". Locate: "DefaultTab", select it and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the the defaulttab search bar, 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:

Remove DefaultTab extension:

Click on the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Default Tab".

Change 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: "mysearchresults.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with the defaulttab search bar 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 the defaulttab search bar, 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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