by Gergana Ivanova | March 8, 2018 | 0 Comments browser hijacker, PUP, redirect, removal guide

Threat Summary My.looksmart.me – Spread My.looksmart.me – Activity and Purpose

This article provides a step-by-step guide that shows how to remove the My.looksmart.me from your browser and PC.

My.looksmart.me is a website of unknown origin that is able to hijack commonly used web browsers. It may occur after an unintended installation of a potentially unwanted program on your system or browser. The functionalities of such nasty programs allow them to change essential browser settings and set the domain My.looksmart.me as browser homepage and new tab page. In addition, the hoax search engine provided by My.looksmart.me can be set as a default one. Once your browser gets hijacked, you may notice lots of advertisements that slow down the performance of affected web browser.

Threat Summary

Name	My.looksmart.me
Type	Browser Hijacker, PUP
Short Description	You are redirected to the suspicious website My.looksmart.me during browsing sessions.
Symptoms	Many redirects and advertisements can occur during browsing sessions. My.looksmart.me pushes various offers on its main page.
Distribution Method	Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join Our Forum to Discuss My.looksmart.me.

My.looksmart.me – Spread

Several ways of distribution may be utilized by the owners of My.looksmart.me redirect. The annoying hijacker may be incorporated into the installers of various free apps available across the net. As the information of additional components is usually hidden, you can unnoticeably install them along with the desired program. That’s why we advise you to choose the Advanced or Custom configuration options where you can check whether some undesired programs are set to install or not. If you find some, you can quickly deselect them before you proceed with the installation of the desired application.

An unintended installation of dubious browser extension is another commonly used way of distribution for hijackers like My.looksmart.me. They can compromise commonly used web browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. Once enabled they replace the homepage and default search engine with My.looksmart.me.

My.looksmart.me – Activity and Purpose

My.looksmart.me is a suspicious website associated with undesired programs that sneak into computer systems. After infection, you can notice some configuration of your browser homepage, new tab page and default search engine. As they can be all set to display My.looksmart.me you are likely to see the main page of the site each time you open the affected browser:

Among the not so obvious My.looksmart.me’s activities are data collection and installation of additional suspicious software. Thus, the redirect may install various browser extensions and adware programs on your device. Furthermore, its access to your browser allows it to track your online activities and keeps a record of your search queries, visited websites, downloaded files and logins.

In addition, My.looksmart.me website is a type of infection that aims to display many advertisements and cause redirects to dubious websites. The advertisements (pop-ups, pop-unders, ad-supported search results, banners, highlighted text ads, etc.) may flood your browser and as a result, make it slower than usual. What’s more, they can land you on malicious websites that may infect your computer with severe malware infections.

Apparently, a Privacy Policy page associated with the redirect is not available. So there is no information about the owners of this vicious website, nor for the data they obtain and record. And as long as you are using their services, the records of your data may be used for advertising or disclosed to third-parties of unknown origin.

In case that you care about your online privacy, it is strongly advisable to remove My.looksmart.me redirect from the affected browser and check the system for files associated with the infection. Better do it immediately as the risk of some malicious intenders obtaining sensitive details of yours and misusing them is real.

How to Remove My.looksmart.me Redirect

Follow the removal instructions below in case that you get redirected to My.looksmart.me during browsing sessions. It is strongly advised to remove the redirect immediately from the affected browser and system. Have in mind that since it may be pushed by a suspicious software installed on the PC, it is good to run a scan with advanced malware removal tool.

Gergana Ivanova

Highly motivated writer with 5+ years of experience writing for ransomware, malware, adware, PUPs, and other cybersecurity-related issues. As a writer, I strive to create content that is based on thorough technical research. I find joy in the process of creating articles that are easy to understand, informative, and useful. Follow me on Twitter (@IRGergana) for the latest in the field of computer, mobile, and online security.

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Guide 1: How to Remove My.looksmart.me from Windows.
Guide 2: Get rid of My.looksmart.me on Mac OS X.
Guide 3: Remove My.looksmart.me in Google Chrome.

Guide 4: Erase My.looksmart.me from Mozilla Firefox.
Guide 5: Uninstall My.looksmart.me from Microsoft Edge.
Guide 6: Remove My.looksmart.me from Safari.
Guide 7: Eliminate My.looksmart.me from Internet Explorer.
Guide 8: Disable My.looksmart.me Push Notifications in Your Browsers.

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

How to Remove My.looksmart.me from Windows.

Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove My.looksmart.me

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

1. Hold Windows key() + R

2. The "Run" Window will appear. In it, type "msconfig" and click OK.

3. Go to the "Boot" tab. There select "Safe Boot" and then click "Apply" and "OK".

Tip: Make sure to reverse those changes by unticking Safe Boot after that, because your system will always boot in Safe Boot from now on.

4. When prompted, click on "Restart" to go into Safe Mode.

5. You can recognise Safe Mode by the words written on the corners of your screen.

Step 2: Uninstall My.looksmart.me 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:

1. Hold the Windows Logo Button and "R" on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear.

2. In the field type in "appwiz.cpl" and press ENTER.

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

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

Step 3: Clean any registries, created by My.looksmart.me 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 My.looksmart.me there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:

1. Open the Run Window again, type "regedit" and click OK.

2. When you open it, you can freely navigate to the Run and RunOnce keys, whose locations are shown above.

3. You can remove the value of the virus by right-clicking on it and removing it.

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.

IMPORTANT!
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.

Step 4: Scan for My.looksmart.me with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

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.

2. After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.

3. After the update process has finished, click on the 'Malware/PC Scan' tab. A new window will appear. Click on 'Start Scan'.

4. 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.

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

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Get rid of My.looksmart.me from Mac OS X.

Step 1: Uninstall My.looksmart.me and remove related files and objects

OFFER

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

We Recommend To Scan Your Mac with SpyHunter for Mac

Keep in mind, that SpyHunter for Mac needs to purchased to remove the malware threats. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy

1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:

2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:

3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to My.looksmart.me:

Tip: To quit a process completely, choose the “Force Quit” option.

4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.

5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to My.looksmart.me. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash”.

6: Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference. Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to My.looksmart.me. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.

7: Remove any left-over files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:

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 My.looksmart.me 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:

Disclaimer! If you are about to tamper with Library files on Mac, be sure to know the name of the virus file, because if you delete the wrong file, it may cause irreversible damage to your MacOS. Continue on your own responsibility!

1: Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:

2: Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:

3: Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as My.looksmart.me. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.

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 My.looksmart.me files from your Mac

When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as My.looksmart.me, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.

Click the button below below to download SpyHunter for Mac and scan for My.looksmart.me:

Download

SpyHunter for Mac

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Remove My.looksmart.me 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 Stop Push Pop-ups

Erase My.looksmart.me 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 Stop Push Pop-ups

Uninstall My.looksmart.me 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 Stop Push Pop-ups

Remove My.looksmart.me 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 My.looksmart.me will be removed.

How to Reset Safari
IMPORTANT: Before resetting Safari make sure you back up all your saved passwords within the browser in case you forget them.

Start Safari and then click on the gear leaver icon.

Click the Reset Safari button and you will reset the browser.

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Eliminate My.looksmart.me 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.