Siteken.com Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Siteken.com?
Siteken is a rogue application, which employs a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of additional programs together with the chosen software) to install on Internet browsers without users' permission.
Bundling allows developers to distribute their applications together with other software, and therefore, most users inadvertently install this potentially unwanted program (PUP) during download of free software from freeware download websites.
After successful infiltration on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, Siteken modifies default search engine and homepage browser settings by assigning them to ihotseen.com.
Be aware that most popular freeware download websites such as download.com, softonic.com, soft32.com, etc. use download managers to monetize their free services by offering advertised (according to the developers, '100% legitimate and virus-free') browser add-ons together with the chosen software.
Despite these statements, reckless download and installation of freeware frequently results in adware or malware infections. Siteken is known to track users' Internet browsing activity, and therefore, installation of this software may lead to serious privacy issues or identity theft.
Additionally, ihotseen.com should not be used as the default search engine or homepage, since the displayed results are likely to cause further high-risk adware or malware infections. Internet users are strongly advised to eliminate Siteken from their Internet browsers.
Siteken.com is similar to other browser hijacking applications, which also use bundling as an installation method. Some examples are Searchmania, SearchAlgo, Delta-Homes, and Search-Plaza among many others.
None of these applications provide any significant value for the user - their purpose is to generate revenue by enforcing unwanted browser redirects and sharing collected data with third parties. To prevent installation of Siteken, be attentive when downloading free software and never accept installation of any additional programs offered.
Furthermore, all software downloaded from the Internet should be installed using the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' installation options, rather than 'Quick' or 'Typical' - this will reveal any hidden applications listed for installation and allow you to decline them.
If you have installed Siteken, and your Internet browsers redirect you to ihotsee.com, follow the removal guide provided to uninstall this adware from your Internet browsers.
Deceptive free software installers used in Siteken.com (disclosed as iHotSee.com) browser hijacker distribution:
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Quick menu:
- What is Siteken.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall potentially unwated applications using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Siteken.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Siteken.com browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove Siteken.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove Siteken.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Siteken.com 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 “Siteken”, "ihotsee" and other recently-installed suspicious software, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs (which cause browser redirects to the Siteken.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Siteken.com browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
At time of research, Siteken browser hijacker did not install its browser plug-ins on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, however, it was bundled with other adware. Therefore, you are advised to remove all potentially unwanted browser add-ons from your 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 browser add-ons, 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://ihotsee.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 "Siteken".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ihotsee.com browser hijacker, 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 "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser extensions, select these entries and click the trash can icon.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over hxxp://ihotsee.com and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.
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" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "Siteken.com" and add or select your preferred domain.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ihotsee.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 suspicious 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://ihotsee.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: "ihotsee"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with ihotsee.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 ihotsee.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.
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