Search.yourspeedtestnow.com Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is search.yourspeedtestnow.com?
According to the developers, Your Speed Test Now is a legitimate application that allows users to test their Internet performance.
Judging on appearance alone, Your Speed Test Now may seem legitimate, however, this app is categorized as a browser hijacker - a form of unwanted software that modifies web browser options without permission. Furthermore, this potentially unwanted program (PUP) collects various information and infiltrates systems without users' consent.
Your Speed Test Now hijacks Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, modifying the default search engine, new tab URL, and homepage options by assigning them to search.yourperformancetestnow.com - a fake Internet search engine.
From this point, users are automatically redirected to search.yourperformancetestnow.com when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar. Although the aforementioned changes may seem insignificant, users are unable to revert them. Research shows that Your Speed Test Now continues to reassign options when attempts are made to change them.
Therefore, returning browsers to their previous states becomes impossible. Your Speed Test Now is essentially used to deceptively build search.yourperformancetestnow.com traffic at the cost of users' Internet browsing experience. As mentioned above, Your Speed Test Now is also designed to gather various information, mostly relating to web browsing habits.
Collected data (e.g., IP addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, etc.) is very likely to contain personal details. Developers record this information to generate revenue - they sell it to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals), thereby putting your privacy at risk.
Be aware that, although Your Speed Test Now is not confirmed to run unwanted processes, some PUPs do. They misuse system resources by mining cryptocurrency or stealthily performing other tasks in the background. In doing so, PUPs significantly diminish overall system performance.
For these reasons, we strongly advise you to uninstall all browser hijackers (including Your Speed Test Now) immediately.
Name | Your Speed Test Now browser hijacker |
Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser(s) settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). User's are forced to visit hijacker's website and search the Internet using their search engines. |
Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers. |
Damage | Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites. |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Your Speed Test Now's developers have released dozens of other identical potentially unwanted programs. For example, Watching News Online, Easy Coupon Access, My Email Signin, and many others. Note that these apps offer different features, however, all have identical behavior. PUPs are designed only to generate revenue for the developers.
Rather than delivering any real value for regular users, PUPs pose a direct threat to privacy and Internet browsing safety. Furthermore, fake search engines often generate false results and/or intrusive ads.
These generated results/ads typically lead to malicious websites. Furthermore, some ads execute scripts that download and install malware/PUPs. Therefore, using a fake Internet search engine is very risky.
How did search.yourspeedtestnow.com install on my computer?
Your Speed Test Now is free for anyone to download on its official website, however, these applications are often distributed using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling", and the aforementioned intrusive ads. Therefore, PUPs often infiltrate systems without permission. "Bundling" is stealth installation of third party apps together with regular (mostly free) software.
Developers hide "bundled" apps within the "Custom/Advanced" settings or other sections of the download/installation processes - they do not disclose such information properly.
Furthermore, users often skip download/installation processes and click advertisements without considering the possible consequences. In doing so, they expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
The main reasons for computer infections are poor knowledge and careless behavior. The key to safety is caution. Therefore, be very careful when browsing the Internet and especially browsing the Internet. Intrusive ads look legitimate, however, they are distinguishable for their redirects - intrusive ads usually lead to gambling, adult dating, pornography, and other dubious websites.
These ads are often delivered by rogue adware-type applications. If you encounter them, uninstall all suspicious programs and browser plug-ins. In addition, be sure to carefully observe each window of the download/installation processes and opt-out of all additionally-included programs.
Criminals use "bundling" to monetize unofficial downloaders/installers (they promote third party programs). Therefore, we strongly advise you to avoid using these tools.
Your Speed Test Now browser hijacker installer set-up:
Website promoting Your Speed Test Now browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is search.yourspeedtestnow.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Your Speed Test Now application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.yourspeedtestnow.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Your Speed Test Now browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.yourspeedtestnow.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.yourspeedtestnow.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Your Speed Test Now browser hijacker removal:
Windows 11 users:
Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.
Windows 10 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
macOS (OSX) users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently-installed suspicious applications (for example, "Your Speed Test Now"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the search.yourspeedtestnow.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Your Speed Test Now browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
Change your homepage:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://search.yourspeedtestnow.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.
Change your default search engine:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "Search".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the your speed test now browser hijacker, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.
Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.
In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.
Click the Reset button.
Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "Your Speed Test Now" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, select these entries and click the trash can icon.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.yourspeedtestnow.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list, look for "search.yourspeedtestnow.com", and when located, click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Remove from list".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the your speed test now browser hijacker, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions" and remove "SpeedTest", as well as all other recently-installed browser plug-ins.
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, remove Your Speed Test Now and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "speedtest"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with your speed test now browser hijacker removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...
In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.
In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.
In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage and new tab settings:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".
Change your default Internet search engine:
To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the your speed test now browser hijacker, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.
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