Startgo123.com

If you ever come across a search engine called Startgo123.com, you should be aware that it is a browser hijacker. Thus, it might modify particular data on the system to settle on user’s browser and change specific settings. Currently, it is compatible with the major browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome. What’s more, it is also important to know that the application could show results injected with third-party advertising. Such ads could appear to be rather annoying and disturb your browsing. Moreover, some of them might even redirect the user to harmful web pages. Therefore, our specialists recommend its deletion. There are a couple of ways to deal with Startgo123.com. For instance, you could use the instructions located at the end of the article. As for more information about this browser hijacker, continue reading the text.

The reason Startgo123.com might have managed to settle on the system is because you may have clicked a malicious pop-up. The specialists who researched the application say that such threats could be distributed via suspicious ads, which might be shown to the user by a different unreliable program, e.g. adware, potentially unwanted programs, other browser hijackers, and so on. In case you did notice such suspicious pop-ups, it is advisable to check the computer with a trustworthy antimalware software. It would help to take care of possible threats and erase the browser hijacker as well.

Since the software might affect different browsers it does so by affecting data specific to them. To provide you with an example, we can tell that the application settles on Internet Explorer by replacing value data of a value name called Start Page. The value name is located in the Windows Registry or more precisely in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main directory. Start Page is responsible for the Internet Explorer user’s start page settings. Thus, by replacing its value data, you can change the homepage. Startgo123.com similarly affects the other browsers too. If you want to fully understand how it happens, the instructions below may be of assistance to you since they show how to undo modifications made by the program.

Other similar threats change not only the start page but also user’s default search engine or new tab page. However, Startgo123.com should hijack only the homepage, which makes it easier to get rid of it. The reason some users could want to eliminate the applications is because it may display altered search results. It means that if you search with the tool, it might show you various third-party pop-ups, banners, sponsored links, and other suspicious content. What you should worry about is where these advertisements may come from, because it is possible that some of them could originate from malicious web pages. As a result, by clicking the ads, you could visit websites that may try to collect your personal information or offer you to download files infected with viruses, Trojans, and other malware.

We have no doubt that any user who cares about his computer’s safety would not want to keep an unreliable software on it. As you realize, the search engine cannot be considered as trustworthy, so if you do not want to take any chances with it, it would be better to erase it. As we said earlier, the deletion instructions below will show how to fix or remove data that was affected by the browser hijacker. For example, Google Chrome users should simply delete such files as fixing them could be too difficult without proper tools for the task and any experience on such matters.

On the other hand, if you are an inexperienced user then installing a security tool might be the easiest option to eliminate Startgo123.com. A legitimate tool would help the user to scan the system and detect not only the hijacker but also other possible threats. Besides, what makes it easy is that all detections can be erased with only one mouse click. No matter what you decide, you can always leave us a message here or on social media if there is anything else you would like to ask about the application.

Remove Startgo123.com

Internet Explorer

1. Press Win+R at the same time.
2. Type regedit in the provided box and select OK to launch the Registry Editor.
3. Find this path HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main and locate a value name called Start Page.
4. Right-Click the Start Page and choose Modify.
5. Erase http://startgo123.com and type any other URL address of a web page you trust.
6. Select OK.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Press Win+E and go to the listed directory: C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Unique Mozilla user ID}
2. Find a file that is titled as Prefs.js and launch it with Notepad.
3. Look for the following line and remove it: user_pref(“browser.startup.homepage”, “http://startgo123.com”).

Google Chrome

1. Access the Explorer and go to this location: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default.
2. Find and delete the following data: Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data.