Search.yourmapsnow.com Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is search.yourmapsnow.com?
Your Maps Now is a deceptive application identical to My Maps XP, My Coupons XP, My Weather XP, and number of other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). This application supposedly provides functions for online maps and Internet searches - "Easily search maps and satelite images, and instantly get map driving directions."
These false claims to deliver 'useful' functionality often trick users into believing that Your Maps Now is a legitimate app. Be aware, however, that this app infiltrates systems without users’ permission. In addition, Your Maps Now modify browser settings, displays intrusive online advertisements, and continually tracks Internet browsing activity.
After infiltrating the system, Your Maps Now assigns the Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox default search engine, homepage, and new tab URL browser settings to the search.yourmapsnow.com website. Furthermore, it installs several 'helper objects' (plug-ins/applications) to prevent users from rolling back these changes.
These modifications lead to continual unwanted browser redirects. Be aware that Your Maps Now generates intrusive online advertisements that might redirect to malicious sites. By continually redirecting users without their consent and generating ads concealing underlying website content, Your Maps Now significantly diminished the Internet browsing experience.
In addition, this browser hijacker gathers various Information relating to users' Internet browsing activity. Some of the collected data might be personally identifiable.
According to the Your Maps Now Privacy Policy, this information is recorded to improve the relevance of generated ads and search results, however, the data is shared with third parties who are likely to misuse personal details to generate revenue.
Thus, the presence of Your Maps Now can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. We strongly recommend that you uninstall this browser hijacker immediately.
Your Maps Now Privacy Policy regarding data sharing with third party companies:
We may also collect, use and store information about your search activity when you use web search services (such as search queries) (“Search Data”). This information may be shared with third-party applications that use Search Data to function, or to offer you more customized information, advertising and services. Your Search Data is collected and stored and may include personally identifiable information, depending on your search query. For instance, if you search your own name, personally identifiable information would be included in the search query. BY USING THE SERVICES, YOU ARE CONSENTING TO GRANT Your Maps Now PERMISSION TO COLLECT YOUR URLS AND SEARCH DATA, INCLUDING SEARCH QUERIES THAT MAY CONTAIN PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION, SHARE THEM WITH THIRD PARTIES, AND USE SEARCH-RELATED COOKIES.
Name | Your Maps Now |
Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
Browser Extension(s) | Your Maps Now |
Supposed Functionality | Driving directions, GPS-relating features. |
Promoted URL | search.yourmapsnow.com |
Serving IP Address (search.yourmapsnow.com) | 23.23.191.139 |
Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine |
Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser(s) settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). User's are forced to visit 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 browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites. |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Your Maps Now is identical to the above applications, however, there are hundreds of other browser hijacker that are very similar. Terra.im, search.golliver.com, and search.findwide.com are just some examples. By giving fake promises to enhance the Internet browsing experience, browser-hijacking apps attempt to trick users to install.
After infiltrating the system, these applications provide no significant value for users. Their purpose is to generate revenue for the developers - these apps generate advertisements, cause unwanted browser redirects, and track users' Internet browsing activity.
How did search.yourmapsnow.com install on my computer?
Your Maps Now has an official download website, however, it is also distributed using a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of third party programs with regular software/apps) and, thus, often infiltrates systems without users’ consent.
Research shows that many users rush the download/installation processes unaware that developers conceal bogus apps within the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings. This behavior often leads to inadvertent installation of PUPs.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
The key to computer safety is caution. The download and installation processes should not be rushed - performed them using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings, rather than 'Quick' or 'Typical', otherwise bundled software will remain hidden and you will not be able to opt-out.
Website promoting Your Maps Now browser hijacker:
Your Maps Now browser hijacker installer set-up:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is search.yourmapsnow.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall search.yourmapsnow.com application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.yourmapsnow.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove search.yourmapsnow.com browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.yourmapsnow.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.yourmapsnow.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Search.yourmapsnow.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 any recently-installed suspicious applications (for example, "Your Maps Now"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the search.yourmapsnow.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Search.yourmapsnow.com browser hijacker removal from 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 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://search.yourmapsnow.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 "OneSearch".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the your maps now 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 "Your Maps Now" and other recently-installed suspicious add-ons, 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 start-up" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over hxxp://search.yourmapsnow.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 "yourmapsnow" (in some cases "amazion.com") and add or select your preferred domain.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the your maps now 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 plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions" and remove "Your Maps Now", as well as 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, remove hxxp://search.yourmapsnow.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: "yourmapsnow"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with your maps now 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 your maps now 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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