Search.webalta.ru

Browser hijackers are not extremely dangerous computer infections, but they can still cause quite a lot of trouble if you let them fester. Hence, if your default homepage was changed to Search.webalta.ru, you should take care of this intruder immediately. This browser hijacker can easily collect data on your web browsing habits and then use it for online marketing purposes.

You will find the manual removal instructions below this description. We would like to remind you that automatic removal is also an option. For that, you will need to acquire a licensed antispyware application that would do the job for you.

If we take a look at what this program can do, it does not differ much from other browser hijackers out there. In fact, it may also be cataloged under more than one name, and that is not surprising. Our researchers say that Search.webalta.ru and Webalta.ru are both the same applications. It is just that the Webalta.ru keyword is associated with the main homepage, and Search.webalta.ru is related to the search engine itself. However, both of these keywords denote the same program that modifies your browser’s settings. So if you have encountered Webalta.ru before, you can apply the same removal methods to Search.webalta.ru.

Perhaps one of the most annoying things about browser hijackers is that users tend to install them on their computers willingly (albeit unwittingly). That happens because such programs employ a certain distribution method. Normally, Search.webalta.ru and other browser hijackers do not get distributed directly. After all, who would want to have such program on their computer? It is a lot more likely that the browser hijacker entered the target system in a software bundle. Bundled downloads are the most common distribution method used by freeware applications, adware, and browser programs. And the biggest problem is that users do not understand that they are the ones installing these apps on their computers.

For example, if you need a particular program and you find it on a third-party website, you are probably more likely to download it from that third-party source because it is easier and free-of-charge. However, whenever a program comes from a file-sharing website, it usually arrives in a third-party installer. Third-party installers are bound to bundle several applications together, and Search.webalta.ru will be one of them. The chance to get infected with this browser only grows if you often visit Russian freeware websites, as it is more than obvious that the browser hijacker targets users in the Russian-speaking countries.

So let us say that Search.webalta.ru enters your computer. What happens then? Well, the way this browser hijacker behaves may differ depending on what browser you use. From what we have seen during our tests, this program affects the Internet Explorer browser the most. For instance, when the browser hijacker tries to adds its extension to Firefox, the browser blocks. The sample we worked with was not even compatible with the Chrome browser. Although that does not mean that other versions of the same hijacker would not be able to affect Chrome.

Either way, when Search.webalta.ru enters your system, it will change your default homepage, and it will also add a new toolbar on Internet Explorer. With these modifications, Search.webalta.ru can collect information on your web browsing habits. When it has enough data, it will change those advertisements you see under the hijacker search box with the content you may find interesting. The truth is this browser makes money by promoting third-party content, but it does not really check whether it is safe or not. So it makes it rather easy for cyber criminals to make use of Search.webalta.ru for malware distribution. And that is actually the main reason any computer security expert will urge you to remove this browser hijacker immediately.

You can follow the manual removal instructions to terminate Search.webalta.ru. However, let us not forget that this intruder comes bundled with freeware. This means that you are bound to have more unwanted programs on-board. To determine which programs have to be deleted from your system, you should scan your PC with the SpyHunter free scanner. When the scan is complete, you will know whether you have more programs to remove. And you will be able to take care of them automatically if with the security tool of your choice.

How to Remove Search.webalta.ru

1. Press Win+R and type %AppData%. Click OK.
2. Remove the WebAlta folder from the directory.
3. Press Win+R and type %LocalAppData%. Press OK.
4. Delete Webalta Toolbar.

Change Internet Explorer Settings

1. Press Win+R and the Run prompt will open.
2. Type regedit into the Open box. Click OK.
3. Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.
4. Right-click the Start Page value on the right.
5. Choose Modify and edit the homepage address.
6. Press OK and close Registry Editor.