Remove 12startpage.com Redirect

Berta Bilbao

Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.

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This article will help you to remove 12startpage.com in full. Follow the browser hijacker removal instructions given at the end of the article.

12startpage.com is a browser hijacker redirect. The website will redirect you and push advertisements on pages. While using its services, you can find yourself on both popular search engines and unfamiliar pages with lots of pop-ups and sponsored content that go through this hijacker. The hijacker will change the start page, new tab, and search settings for the browser applications you have on your computer system.

Threat Summary

Name	12startpage.com
Type	Browser Hijacker, PUP
Short Description	Each browser application on your computer could get affected. The hijacker can redirect you and will display lots of advertisements.
Symptoms	Browser settings which are altered are the homepage, search engine and the new tab.
Distribution Method	Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by 12startpage.com Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join Our Forum to Discuss 12startpage.com.

12startpage.com – Distribution Techniques

12startpage.com might be distributed through various techniques. One of those techniques is via third-party installations. Those installer setups come from bundled applications and freeware that could be set to install additional content by default on your computer system. Usually, that could happen without any notification. You might have tried installing a media player or free software and got your browser settings modified by the hijacker. To avoid unwanted programs from affecting your PC is doable if you find Custom or Advanced settings. There you should be able to deselect what you don’t want.
12startpage.com could be distributed via other methods, like add-ons or browser extensions which install on your browser. Other distribution ways use advertisements, such as banners, pop-ups, pop-unders, and redirect links. Sponsored advertisements, including targeted content on suspicious websites could distribute the hijacker, too. These websites might also be partners or affiliates of the 12startpage.com website and services. These browsers could be affected: Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Safari.

12startpage.com – Technical Insight

12startpage.com is the search URL address of a browser hijacker redirect. At first glance it seems okay, but many users have reported it being installed on their machines without their permission. You will get redirected when you are using its services, from links, ads and pages that may load from the search results. The main domain page can be viewed from the screenshot given below:

The page displaced above can replace the homepage, new tab and default search of every browser that you have installed. 12startpage.com browser hijacker will redirect you if you use its services and interact with links, ads and other content from its search pages.

Take note that each search that you do on its pages will be sending information to servers connected to the Trovi.com hijacker. Below you can see how you are redirected to Trovi, every time you make a search query:

The photo that you see under this paragraph shows a clear example of what the results of a search query look like when they go through the 12startpage.com and Trovi.com. Here the search results that you end up on are from Bing, but other popular search engines could be used. Every query in the search will get filtered and sent to servers connected to that of the hijacker and Trovi. Thus, everything that you give out as information will be gathered by the browser hijacker and its partners in question.

The 12startpage.com website can push advertisements and heaps of redirects that can put browser cookies on your computer system, and they can track your online activity. Other, more advanced tracking technologies could have been used, especially from Trovi. Be wary of the information you provide on such search pages, especially on ones, associated with 12startpage.com and Trovi.com. Refrain from clicking on suspicious advertisements and links that can show up.

12startpage.com – Privacy Policy

The Privacy Policy page of the 12startpage.com site is accessible from a hyperlink, located at a sub-menu on the bottom left of its main page. The Policy provides some information about the data collection done by this browser hijacker. Below, you can see that information which is to be gathered from you when you are using the 12startpage.com service.

You can see the Policy page from the screenshot right here:

The following information can be collected by the hijacker:

• the IP address of the requesting terminal device
• the date and time of access
• the name and URL of the file called up
• the website from which the file is accessed
• the operating system of your terminal device
• the browser you are using
• the name of your internet access provider
• the date and time of the installation of your OCS-Product
• the version no. of your OCS-Product
• the name and URL of the file called up
• gen. geo-marketing data (city, country-id)
• your search keyword
• the date and time of your search query
• any unique identifiers from any cookies used by Microsoft or Yahoo or others
• the the search- and browser settings of your browser
• your browser’s language-settings and type of browser

There is also data collected by Trovi, according to the policy of Trovi.com which can be divided into a few information types:

Technical Information

• Your browser type
• Type, name and version of Operating System
• Type, name and version of other software
• Your ISP (Internet Service Provider)
• Your physical location
• Your Internet protocol (IP) address
• Anonymous user identifiers
• Device configuration and identifiers
• The version, configuration and settings of their Software

Usage Information

• Your use and interaction with your device
• When and how you use their software
• How you use your internet browser and internet search related applications
• The web pages you visit and the content you see
• Your interactions with offerings and advertisements that you view
• Your search queries
• The time and date of your searches

Social Networks Information

• Your interactions on social networks via their software
• Friends or contact lists
• Notes
• Updates
• Photos

Registration Related Information

• Information you provide when you register for their software
• Your name
• Home or work addresses
• Your E-mail address
• Telephone and fax numbers
• Your birth date
• Your gender

Support Related Information

• Your email address
• Your name
• Any information voluntarily submitted by you

Information that may be collected by the site “unintentionally”

• Social security numbers
• Credit card numbers
• Login information

Cookies connected to the browser hijacking site and services of 12startpage.com are also dropped by them to acquire more information related to your internet activity and habits. The 12startpage.com service could collect even more data with which you could be identified.

In conclusion, you should be wary of what information you give out to search engines and websites. In case you do not like the idea of any information to be acquired about you by this browser hijacker or its services, you should consider removing it.

Remove 12startpage.com Redirect

To remove 12startpage.com manually from your computer, follow the step-by-step removal instructions provided below. In case the manual removal does not get rid of the hijacker redirect and its files completely, you should search for and remove any leftovers with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such a program can keep your computer safe in the future.

Note! Your computer system may be affected by 12startpage.com or other threats.
Scan Your PC with SpyHunter
SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as 12startpage.com.
Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.

To remove 12startpage.com follow these steps:

1. Uninstall malicious programs from Windows

OFFER

Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!

We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter

Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria

How to Uninstall malicious programs from Windows:

Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:

Hold the Windows Logo Button and “R” on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear (fig.1).

In the field type in “appwiz.cpl” and press ENTER (fig.2).

This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC.
Select the program that you want to remove, and press “Uninstall” (fig.3).

Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.

2. Clean your Browser and Registry from 12startpage.com

Remove 12startpage.com by cleaning your Browser and Registry.

Remove an extension from Mozilla FirefoxRemove an extension from Google Chrome Remove an extension from Internet Explorer Remove an extension from Microsoft Edge Fix registry entries created by 12startpage.com on your PC.

Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window

Select the “Add-ons” icon from the menu.

Select the unwanted extension and click “Remove“

After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red “X” button at the top right corner and start it again.

Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu

Move the cursor over “Tools” and then from the extended menu choose “Extensions“

From the opened “Extensions” menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its “Remove” button.

After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red “X” button at the top right corner and start it again.

Start Internet Explorer:

Click on the gear icon labeled ‘Tools’ to open the drop menu and select ‘Manage Add-ons’

In the ‘Manage Add-ons’ window.

Select the extension you want to remove and then click ‘Disable’. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click ‘Disable’.

After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red ‘X’ button located at the top right corner and start it again.

Start Edge

Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.

From the drop menu select “Extensions”.

Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.

Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.

Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.

Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs

3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

Scan your PC and Remove 12startpage.com with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data

1. Install SpyHunter to scan for 12startpage.com and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove 12startpage.com. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.

Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.

Download

Malware Removal Tool

It is recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.

Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.

Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.

Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.

Step 2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.

Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.

Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future

IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup .

SOS Online Backup

Berta Bilbao

Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.

More Posts

Berta Bilbao

Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.

More Posts