Remove ShowMoreAbout Redirect — How to Fix Guide

ShowMoreAbout – What is it?

“ShowMoreAbout” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is spread as a plugin for your web browser. It is typically marketed as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that helps to search some particular info, for instance, about sporting activity events, make your browser much more secure, enable downloading of any video, and so on. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

However, the “ShowMoreAbout” plugin is quite useless since all such features are already embedded to your browser and/or system. Such advertising and marketing mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, such as pensioners or schoolchildren. But frequently even expert users are getting caught on such an attraction. In certain situations, this hijacker is dispersed together with free tools.

ShowMoreAbout Search Hijacker

How harmful is ShowMoreAbout hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, ShowMoreAbout hijacker is likewise quite harmful for web browser utilization. It alters your search engine to its particular – Showmoreabout.com, and also changes your background, adding its watermark on your wallpaper (or, occasionally, changing it to default with the mentioned symbol).

Apart from viewable adjustments done by ShowMoreAbout hijacker, you might observe that some of your search queries are redirecting to the dubious web pages, filled with links and advertisements – so-called doorway sites. Such sites can contain web links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting increases if you try to launch Google search page forcibly.

But all these actions are a lot more frustrating than truly destructive. The largest danger, especially for people who have a considerable amount of secret information in their browsers, is embedded in data gathering capabilities. Cookie files, chats, often-visited websites, and other activities are easily collected by ShowMoreAbout hijacker.

How to remove ShowMoreAbout search hijacker?

• Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
• Open GridinSoft Anti-Malware and perform a “Standard scan“.
• “Move to quarantine” all items.
• Open “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
• Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
• Restart your computer.

Browser hijackers are often very very easy to remove. In many cases, they have a separate application that can be found in the list of installed apps. Due to the certain distribution method of ShowMoreAbout hijacker, it can be conveniently tracked and removed manually. However, if you got ShowMoreAbout in the package with a free applications, your computer might be contaminated with far more harmful malware – trojans, spyware and even ransomware. That’s why I’d suggest you utilize anti-malware programs to delete the ShowMoreAbout PUA and all other malware.

You can utilize Microsoft Defender² – it is capable of discovering and removing a wide range of malware, including mentioned hijacker. But severe malware, that might be present on your personal computer in the mentioned situation, can disable the Windows antivirus tool by modifying the Group Policies. To avoid such circumstances, it is far better to make use of GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and eliminate all malicious programs on your computer with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to use Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the malware, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and folders.

You can spectate the detected malicious apps sorted by their possible harm till the scan process. But to choose any actions against malicious programs, you need to wait until the scan is over, or to stop the scan.

To set the action for each detected virus or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malicious program. By default, all the viruses will be moved to quarantine.

Reset browser settings to original ones

To revert your browser settings, you need to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action cannot be intercepted by any virus, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be found in the Tools tab.

After choosing the Reset Browser Settings button, the menu will be displayed, where you can choose, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Deleteing ShowMoreAbout hijacker manually

Besides using anti-malware software for browser restoration, you may choose the “Reset browser settings” function, which is usually embedded in all popular browsers.

1. Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
2. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :

1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
2. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :

After choosing this option, you will see the next message :

1. Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
3. Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
   

1. Open Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click “Advanced” option, and choose “Browser” button in the drop-down list. Scroll down, to the bottom of the settings menu. Find there “Restore settings to their original defaults” option :
2. After clicking the “Restore settings…” button, you will see the window, where all settings, which will be reset, are shown :

As an afterword, I want to say that time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of the possibility of other malware injection. This malware can be downloaded autonomously, or offered for you to download in one of the windows with advertisements, which are shown to you by the hijacker. You need to act as fast as you can.

References

1. More information about PUAs
2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender