This article aims to show you how to remove Hi.ru hijacker from your computer completely and protect your computer against future infections as well.
Hi.ru is Russian website that is most likely neither malicious nor suspicious. However, according to user complaints, hi.ru takes over the browser and will continually redirect the user to it without his consent. Both Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox can be affected. The redirect is reported to be persistent and difficult to remove. Hi.ru may have been brought by a potentially unwanted program that should be eliminated from the PC.
Threat Summary
| Name | Hi.ru |
| Type | Browser Redirect, Hijacker |
| Short Description | Hi.ru is a Russian website that may take over the user’s home or search page. |
| Symptoms | The user may have the website set as his homepage without his approval. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads, unsafe browsing |
| Detection Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware Download Malware Removal Tool |
There have been multiple different browser hijackers that are related to the hi.ru browser domain or domains similar to it. This has resulted in the global Alexa ranking of the site to increase.
Hi.ru Redirect Details
Previous informatiom from VirusTotal showed that only one anti-virus program detects it as malicious, and five solutions haven’t rated it. Currently, as of March 2020, no engine on VirusTotal detects the domain as malicious, but we have been receiving complaings from users, experiencing issues with this redirect. Another example of a very annoying and persistent redirect is Gestyy.com.
The Hi.ru browser hijacker may be part of a worldwide network of related threats. Its structure is based on an ordinary template and its contents may be “mapped” to various domains.
Nonetheless, what is troublesome about it is the way it was brought to the user’s browser as a home page.
If the user has recently downloaded a piece of free software, hi.ru may have been included in the Download Agreement as a home page. However, more information is needed to confirm the ways hi.ru employs to hijack the browser.
To avoid being exposed to a malicious threat or unwanted software, the user should consider scanning his system. Additionally, he may want to think twice before clicking on an advertisement brought by hi.ru. Doing so may:
- Redirect users to dubious websites employed for phishing or other forms of social engineering scams.
- Add tracking technologies to the browser – persistent and Flash cookies, beacons, etc.
- Collect relevant information about the user and his system.
Hi.ru Removal Options
As we already said in the beginning, hi.ru has been persistent in the attempts to be removed from Firefox and Chrome. There still may be an easy solution to rid the PC from the intrusive page.
Оne thing to be tried is launching the browser from the Start Menu instead of the taskbar. Unpinning it from the taskbar may also do the work. Also, try the steps at the bottom of the article. They are a proven solution for removing unwanted browser extensions with hijacking capabilities.
Note that running a full system scan to determine if there is potentially unwanted software hiding in your system may still be required.
Milena Dimitrova
An inspired writer and content manager who has been with SensorsTechForum since the beginning. Focused on user privacy and malware development, she strongly believes in a world where cybersecurity plays a central role. If common sense makes no sense, she will be there to take notes. Those notes may later turn into articles! Follow Milena @Milenyim
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- Guide 1: How to Remove Hi.ru from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of Hi.ru from Mac OS X.
- Guide 3: Remove Hi.ru from Google Chrome.
- Guide 4: Erase Hi.ru from Mozilla Firefox.
- Guide 5: Uninstall Hi.ru from Microsoft Edge.
- Guide 6: Remove Hi.ru from Safari.
- Guide 7: Eliminate Hi.ru from Internet Explorer.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
How to Remove Hi.ru from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Hi.ru
Step 2: Uninstall Hi.ru and related software 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:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.Step 3: Clean any registries, created by Hi.ru on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by Hi.ru there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Get rid of Hi.ru from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Hi.ru and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove Hi.ru via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove malware from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts, programs and malware, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. Combo Cleaner offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove Hi.ru from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Erase Hi.ru from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Uninstall Hi.ru from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove Hi.ru from Safari.
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the Hi.ru will be removed.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Eliminate Hi.ru from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: 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'.
Step 5: 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.
