Webalta.ru

If your browser home page changes to Webalta.ru without your permission, your computer may have been infected with a Russian browser hijacker. The presence of this hijacker means that your privacy has been breached; Webalta.ru has made arbitrary changes to your home page and default search engine settings, most probably, in both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox browsers. The sample we have tested did not affect Google Chrome; however, it is possible that other versions do. These setting changes enable this hijacker to expose you and your operating system to potentially unsafe content. Apart from that, it is also likely that there are other threats on your computer that came with this search tool. All in all, you need to delete Webalta.ru from your system as soon as possible, before you are introduced to more serious system security issues.

Once Webalta.ru sneaks onto your computer and gets installed, it changes the Target line of the affected browsers’ shortcuts. That way your attempts at restoring your home page settings will be futile. When you launch your browser, it will still display Webalta.ru as your home page. This is a rather pushy method, but, fortunately, you can change it back to default and we will shortly tell you how.

Although this is a Russian browser hijacker that is mostly “popular” in Russia, it does not mean you cannot get infected with it. Since this infection mainly spreads in freeware bundles that contain other malware programs as well, it is possible to download it from unreliable file-sharing websites. Therefore, we suggest that you make sure you download software from only reputable websites. Most people do not know that even if they download an infected bundle, they still have a choice to say no to unwanted components. That is why it is advisable to go for Custom or Advanced installation options when offered. If there is no such option, there may be checkboxes to inform you about additional tools to be installed or browser settings changes to be made. It is worth being careful as it can save you from later issues. Deleting Webalta.ru from your system may not solve all your virtual security problems. Therefore, we recommend using a free online malware scanner to figure out about the number of threats that may be on your computer. When you have the results, you had better act soon because having infections on your PC can result in damage to your files or even identity theft.

Webalta.ru is a Russian search tool, a website that offers news and quick links to popular websites, such as Facebook, Google+, and YouTube. Unfortunately, it also displays third-party ads, which might redirect you to unsafe websites. Therefore, we advise you to refrain from clicking on these ads if you happen to end up on this site. Another potential threat coming from this hijacker is the search results themselves. Webalta.ru may alter search results pages and insert third-party ads and sponsored links. What is worse, these can be tailored to match your interests. “How is that even possible?” you might ask. Well, this hijacker might collect information about you and your browsing activities and based on its findings, it can make the assumptions what you may be interested in, what products you want to buy, or what online content you want to see more. If you click on a potentially corrupted ad, you might be taken to a malicious website. You should remove Webalta.ru, if you want to stay away from the consequences of such an encounter.

If you are ready to win the final battle manually, here is what you have to do. First, you have to remove the application via Control Panel. Second, you have to restore the Target lines of your browser shortcuts. Finally, you have to reset your affected browsers so that all settings go back to default. But even if you follow all the steps below in our instructions, it is possible that some Windows registry entries remain untouched. If you want to make sure that your computer is free of infections, it would be better to use an antimalware program to automatically detect and remove all present threats.

How to remove Webalta.ru from Windows

Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10

1. Tap Win+I and open Control Panel.
2. Select Uninstall a program.
3. Click on the unwanted program and click Uninstall.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista

1. Open the Start menu and select Control Panel.
2. Click Uninstall a program.
3. Select the undesirable program and click Uninstall.

Windows XP

1. Click Start and select Control Panel.
2. Open Add or Remove Programs.
3. Click on the unwanted program and click Remove.

Restore the Target line

1. Right-click on you browser’s shortcut and select Properties.
2. On the General tab, make sure the box next to Read-only is unchecked.
3. Click on the Shortcut tab and delete the part in the URL address after the quotation marks in the Target line.
4. Press OK.

Reset your browsers

Internet Explorer

1. Tap Alt+T and choose Internet Options.
2. On the Advanced tab, click Reset.
3. Mark the Delete personal settings checkbox and click Reset.
4. Press Close.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Tap Alt+H and select Troubleshooting Information.
2. Press Refresh Firefox.
3. In the confirmation window click Refresh Firefox.
4. Press Finish.