GamingWonderland Browser Hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is home.tb.ask.com?
Developed by Mindspark Interactive Network, GamingWonderland is a dubious app that claims to allow users to play various Flash games directly from their browsers.
Judging on appearance alone, GamingWonderland may seem legitimate and useful, however, this app is categorized as a potentially unwanted application (PUA) and a browser hijacker, since it stealthily infiltrates systems and promotes a dubious search engine - home.tb.ask.com.
Immediately after infiltration, GamingWonderland hijacks popular browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox), assigning the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options to home.tb.ask.com. These changes may seem insignificant, but users are unable to revert them.
GamingWonderland continues to reassign browser options when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, returning browsers to their previous states becomes impossible and users are forced to visit home.tb.ask.com site when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar. This significantly diminishes the browsing experience.
In addition, although GamingWonderland is not confirmed to gather data, many browser-hijacking apps perform this function. These unwanted programs usually record IP addresses, search queries, URLs visited, pages viewed, and other data relating to browsing activity.
Data often includes personal information that developers share with third parties to generate revenue. This can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft, since third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) also misuse private information to generate revenue. Browser-hijacking apps such as GamingWonderland must be uninstalled immediately.
Name | GamingWonderland potentially unwanted application |
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. |
Mindspark Interactive Network has released dozens of browser hijackers, all of which are virtually identical. For instance, RadioRage, Your Daily Trailer, ShoppingDealsLive, etc. These apps offer different functions, but all have identical behavior - they stealthily infiltrate systems and promote a dubious website.
They deliver no real value for regular users - they claim to enable 'useful' functions in attempts to give the impression of legitimacy. These hijackers cause unwanted redirects and gather data, thereby diminishing the browsing experience and posing a direct threat to your privacy and browsing safety.
How did GamingWonderland install on my computer?
GamingWonderland does have an official download website, however, it often infiltrates systems without permission, since developers proliferate home.tb.ask.com using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" - stealth installation of third party apps with regular software/apps.
Developers hide "bundled" apps within "Custom/Advanced' settings (or other sections) of the download/installation processes. Furthermore, many users rush download/installation processes and skip steps - behavior that often leads to inadvertent installation of rogue software. In this way, users expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Select "Custom" or "Advanced" settings and analyze each step of the download/installation processes. Decline offers to download/install third party programs and opt-out of those already included. You should download programs from the official sources, via direct download links only.
Third party downloaders/installers are known to proliferate rogue programs (developers monetize them via the "bundling" method). Therefore, these tools should not be used. Potentially unwanted applications are also distributed using intrusive advertisements that redirect to various websites and execute scripts designed to download/install malware.
These ads usually seem legitimate, but commonly redirect to untrustworthy websites such as surveys, gambling, pornography, adult dating, etc. Most are delivered by adware-type apps. If you experience suspicious redirects, remove dubious applications and browser plug-ins.
The main reasons for computer infections are poor knowledge and careless behavior. The key to safety is caution. If your computer is already infected with GamingWonderland, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
GamingWonderland browser hijacker installer set-up:
Website promoting GamingWonderland browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is home.tb.ask.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall GamingWonderland application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove home.tb.ask.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove GamingWonderland browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove home.tb.ask.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove home.tb.ask.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
GamingWonderland 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, "GamingWonderland"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the home.tb.ask.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
GamingWonderland 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://home.tb.ask.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 gamingwonderland potentially unwanted application, 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 "GamingWonderland" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
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.home.tb.ask.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click on 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 "home.tb.ask.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 gamingwonderland potentially unwanted application, 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 on "Extensions" and remove "GamingWonderland", 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 hxxp://home.tb.ask.com 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: "ask.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with gamingwonderland potentially unwanted application 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 gamingwonderland potentially unwanted application, 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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