12kotov.ru

12kotov.ru is a Russian website promoted by a browser hijacker. Browser hijackers are sneaky threats that tend to enter computers without a user’s consent. If such a threat finds a way to appear on your computer too, you will be redirected to 12kotov.ru every time you open your Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Specialists have found that 12kotov.ru will not be set as your homepage or search engine. Instead, tsirangi.ru, nurili.ru, dimirsa.ru, rgenika.ru or tsonepo.ru will be set in the place of your homepage and then will cause redirections to 12kotov.ru. In order to generate traffic to this website, this browser hijacker places the shortcut Вoйти в Интeрнет.lnk on Desktop as well. It will automatically open 12kotov.ru. At first glance, 12kotov.ru does not seem to be a bad website. Users can check the weather forecast there, read articles, and even search for the information because there is a search box on this website. Even though 12kotov.ru does not seem to be a bad website, specialists cannot say that there is nothing wrong to visit this website. As recent research has shown, this website might even put computers in danger. It will be opened for you every day unless you delete the browser hijacker from the system. Unlike other existing browser hijackers, the one promoting 12kotov.ru makes changes in the system registry as well, so it might not be very easy for you to get rid of it.

Even though 12kotov.ru does not look like an unreliable website, you risk causing harm to your computer by visiting it. According to specialists working at pcthreat.com, it might be true that this website contains links that can take to unreliable websites. You might see sponsored links if you enter a search query into the search box too. These links promote third-party websites as well, so you might be taken to an unreliable website one day. In other words, you might experience security-related problems if you decide to let the browser hijacker stay. To be frank, it is not the only reason we suggest getting rid of it. Researchers are sure that this computer infection also collects information about users to find out more about their interests and Internet browsing behavior. This information might be used to show more relevant ads and content. Also, it is very likely that it will be shared with third parties. This might not sound dangerous, but you should know that these details might reach cyber criminals one day as well.

In order to open 12kotov.ru automatically for you every time you launch your browser, a browser hijacker that enters your computer immediately creates its own Value in the system registry. To be more specific, you will find it in the Run registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. It will have a random name, so it will not be that easy to detect it. Due to these changes, it will, unfortunately, be also harder to remove the browser hijacker promoting 12kotov.ru from the system.

Research carried out by our specialists has shown that the 12kotov.ru browser hijacker targets people living in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. Like similar threats, it also tends to enter computers without permission. According to researchers, is very likely that this computer infection is spread via fake installers. Users usually download them from untrustworthy P2P websites or other Russian websites. It might come together with any of the following programs: Torrent Search, Searchgo, Mail.ru, Amigo browser, and Kometa browser, which means that you might have another untrustworthy application installed on the system if a browser hijacker that opens 12kotov.ru for you is inside your computer.

To remove 12kotov.ru fully from all your browsers, you will have to undo the changes it has made in the system registry and then reset browsers to their default settings one by one. If you wish to get rid of it quicker, you can scan your computer with an automatic malware remover, e.g. SpyHunter. You can download this scanner quickly – click on the Download button and the automatic download will start within seconds.

Delete the Value

1. Tap Win+R simultaneously.
2. Type regedit.exe and tap Enter.
3. Move to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
4. Locate the Value having a random name and delete it.

Reset your browsers

Internet Explorer

1. Open your browser.
2. Tap Alt+T.
3. Open Internet Options.
4. Click on the Advanced tab and then select Reset.
5. Put a tick in the Delete personal settings box.
6. Click Reset.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open your browser.
2. Tap Alt+H simultaneously.
3. Select Troubleshooting information from the menu.
4. Click Refresh Firefox.
5. Click again on this button when the pop-up window appears.

Google Chrome

1. Open your browser.
2. Tap Alt+F and then click Settings.
3. Scroll down and click Show advanced settings.
4. Click Reset settings.
5. When the new window is opened for you, click on the Reset button.