How to remove the MyShortcutTab browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is MyShortcutTab?
MyShortcutTab is classified as a browser hijacker, since it promotes a fake search engine (it assigns certain browser settings to search-find.net). Generally, apps of this type also collect details relating to users' browsing activities. Users often download and install browser hijackers inadvertently and, therefore, they are categorized as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).
Generally, browser hijackers promote fake search engines by assigning their addresses as the homepage, new tab and default search engine. After installation, MyShortcutTab sets them to search-find.net. Fake search engines are useless and should not be trusted - in most cases, they do not generate any unique results or include links to dubious web pages in their results.
Commonly, browser hijackers prevent users from modifying the aforementioned settings. Removing the address of the fake search engine from browser settings is thus impossible, until the browser hijacker (in this case, MyShortcutTab) is uninstalled from the browser and computer.
Furthermore, browser hijackers often gather data such as IP addresses, geolocations, addresses of visited pages, entered search queries and other browsing data. In some cases, these PUAs also collect sensitive details. Developers can misuse the data to generate revenue by selling it to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) or in other ways.
This can lead to problems relating to browsing safety, privacy, and it is possible that some users might even become victims of identity theft.
| Name | MyShortcutTab |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab. |
| Detection Names | BitDefender (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Browser Extension(s) | MyShortcutTab |
| Supposed Functionality | This app supposedly improves the browsing experience. |
| Promoted URL | search-find.net |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine. |
| Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). Users are forced to visit the 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 browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Usually, browser hijackers are advertised as apps that supposedly improve the browsing experience, include various features and quick links to popular websites, etc. In fact, they are designed only to change browser settings (promote fake search engines) and collect data.
Browser hijackers simply cause problems. Therefore, never trust these PUAs and uninstall all browser hijackers. Some examples of other PUAs that are also classified as browser hijackers are Image Seeker, Perfect Startpage and Weather Discover.
How did MyShortcutTab install on my computer?
Users often download and install PUAs accidentally when they are included as 'additional offers' in the set-ups of other programs. Typically, offers to download or install PUAs are listed in "Advanced", "Custom" and other settings of the set-ups.
Users who do not check and change these settings when they download or install their programs often allow additional apps to infiltrate. This distribution method is called "bundling". When clicked, some ads are capable of causing unwanted downloads and installations by running certain scripts.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
Programs and files should never be downloaded from unofficial websites, through Peer-to-Peer networks (torrent clients, eMule, and so on), third party downloaders, or installed through third party installers, etc. Using these channels to download or install software can lead to infiltration of unwanted, malicious apps.
You are advised to download software and files only from official pages and through direct links. Check all "Custom" and "Advanced" settings and decline offers to download or install additional, unwanted software before you complete the process.
Do not click intrusive ads that are displayed on dubious web pages, since they can open other dubious websites or even cause unwanted downloads and installations. Remove any unwanted extensions, plug-ins and add-ons that are installed on the browser, and programs of this kind installed on the operating system.
If your computer is already infected with MyShortcutTab, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Notification stating that ShortcutTab is capable of reading and changing certain data:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is MyShortcutTab?
- STEP 1. Uninstall MyShortcutTab application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search-find.net redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove MyShortcutTab browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search-find.net homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search-find.net redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
MyShortcutTab 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, "MyShortcutTab"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search-find.net website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
MyShortcutTab 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-find.net 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 "MyShortcutTab".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search-find.net redirect, 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 "MyShortcutTab" 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, disable "MyShortcutTab", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search-find.net) 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 "search-find.net", 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 search-find.net redirect, 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 "MyShortcutTab", 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 disable "MyShortcutTab", remove hxxp://search-find.net 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: "extensionControlled"
Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the 
button.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with search-find.net redirect 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 search-find.net redirect, 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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