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How to remove mtabs.org from your browser

Also Known As: mtabs.org browser hijacker
Damage level: Medium

What kind of page is mtabs.org?

During our testing of mtabs.org, we discovered it to be a fake search engine. Pretty often, search engines of this type are promoted through browser hijackers. Typically, these types of applications change the browser settings to hijack them. Therefore, search engines that are promoted in this way should not be considered trustworthy.

mtabs.org browser hijacker

More about mtabs.org and browser hijackers

Mtabs.org is a fake search engine that displays search results from Bing (a legitimate search engine). In other words, after entering a search query, users are redirected to bing.com. The issue with mtabs.org is that it may collect various user data, including but not limited to search queries, browsing history, IP addresses, geolocation data, and other personally identifiable information.

This data can be used for malicious purposes, such as targeted advertising, identity theft, or even sold to third-party advertisers. It is highly recommended to avoid using such fake search engines and use reputable ones instead.

As mentioned in the introduction, a big part of fake search engines is promoted via browser-hijacking apps. These apps can modify the default homepage, search engine, and new tab settings to redirect users to unwanted websites. Persistent browser hijackers often require specialized tools or manual removal techniques to eliminate them from the system.

Threat Summary:
Name mtabs.org browser hijacker
Threat Type Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Supposed Functionality Accurate search results
Affected Browser Settings Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine
Detection Names N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address 192.64.119.38
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.
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Conclusion

Mtabs.org is a fake search engine that may be promoted through browser hijacking. It is not clear what user data it may collect, but it is advisable to avoid using it and to remove any associated browser hijackers from the system. More examples of unreliable search engines are magic-dark.xyz, top-search.xyz, and seekfreeonline.com.

How did mtabs.org promoting software install on my computer?

Users can add browser hijackers to their browsers or install them on their computers unintentionally, often by downloading and installing free software or applications from untrusted or malicious sources. In some cases, browser hijackers are bundled with legitimate software or masquerade as useful browser extensions or add-ons, tricking users into installing them.

Also, users can inadvertently install browser hijackers by clicking on malicious links or pop-up ads while browsing the Internet.

How to avoid installation of browser hijackers?

Be cautious when downloading software or apps from the Internet, especially from untrusted or unknown sources. Always download from the official website of the software developer. Pay attention to the installation process of software and uncheck any boxes offering to install additional apps or change your browser settings.

Keep your operating system and browsers up to date with the latest security patches and updates. Be careful when clicking links and ads on dubious pages. Remove any suspicious browser extensions or add-ons from your browser. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Mtabs.org redirects to bing.com (GIF):

mtabs.org shows bing results

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Quick menu:

mtabs.org redirect removal:

Windows 11 users:

Accessing Apps and Features in Windows 11

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:

Accessing Programs and Features (uninstall) in Windows 8

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:

Accessing Programs and Features (uninstall) in Windows 7

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:

Uninstall app in OSX (Mac)

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.

mtabs.org browser hijacker uninstall via Control Panel

In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently installed suspicious applications, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the mtabs.org website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

mtabs.org redirect removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser redirects:

Google Chrome logoRemove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Removing mtabs.org related Google Chrome extensions

Click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Removing mtabs.org from Google Chrome homepage

Click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable the malicious extension (if present), look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.mtabs.org) 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:

Removing mtabs.org from Google Chrome default search engine

To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon Google 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 "mtabs.org", when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Delete".

  • If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the mtabs.org browser hijacker, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon Google 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.

Google Chrome settings reset step 1

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

Google Chrome settings reset step 2

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Google Chrome settings reset step 3

Mozilla Firefox logoRemove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

Removing mtabs.org related Mozilla Firefox extensions

Click the Firefox menu firefox menu icon (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Removing mtabs.org from Mozilla Firefox homepage

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu firefox menu icon (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Settings", in the opened window disable malicious extension (if present), remove hxxp://mtabs.org and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change your default search engine:

Removing mtabs.org from Mozilla Firefox default search engine

In the URL address bar, type "about:config" and press Enter. Click "Accept the Risk and Continue".

In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled". Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the Mozilla Firefox switch about:config entry button button.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with mtabs.org 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, firefox menu icon in the opened menu, click Help.

Accessing settings (Reset Firefox to default settings step 1)

Select Troubleshooting Information.

Accessing Troubleshooting Information (Reset Firefox to default settings step 2)

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

Clicking on Refresh Firefox button (Reset Firefox to default settings step 3)

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Confirm your want to reset Firefox settings to default (Reset Firefox to default settings step 4)

safari browser logoRemove malicious extensions from Safari:

Removing browser hijackers from safari step 1 - accessing preferences

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...

removing browser hijacker from safari step 2 - removing extensions

In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.

Removing browser hijackers from safari step 3 - changing homepage

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.

removing browser hijackers from safari step 4 - changing the default Internet search engine

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...

resetting safari step 1

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

resetting safari step 2

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) logoRemove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 1

Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) 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:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 2

Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) 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:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 3

To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) 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 Microsoft Edge (Chromium) puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the mtabs.org browser hijacker, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 1

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 2

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.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 3

  • If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

declining installation of browser hijackers while downloading free software sampleA 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.

Post a comment:
If you have additional information on mtabs.org browser hijacker or it's removal please share your knowledge in the comments section below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of forcing users visit mtabs.org website?

The purpose of forcing users to visit mtabs.org website could be to generate revenue through advertising or to collect user data. By redirecting users to their websites, creators can display advertisements or collect data on users' browsing habits and search queries, which can be used for targeted advertising or sold to third-party advertisers.

Is visiting mtabs.org a threat to my privacy?

It is possible that visiting mtabs.org could be a threat to your privacy, as fake search engines like mtabs.org are often associated with data tracking and collection practices.

How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?

Some common tactics include displaying fake browser notifications, using misleading ads, offering fake software updates, and disguising the hijacker as a legitimate browser extension.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove a browser hijacker?

Combo Cleaner scans and removes browser hijackers. Manual removal may not be sufficient when multiple hijackers are present, as they can reinstall each other and affect certain settings. Thus, it is recommended to remove all hijackers at once.

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About the author:

Tomas Meskauskas

Tomas Meskauskas - expert security researcher, professional malware analyst.

I am passionate about computer security and technology. I have an experience of over 10 years working in various companies related to computer technical issue solving and Internet security. I have been working as an author and editor for pcrisk.com since 2010. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest online security threats. Contact Tomas Meskauskas.

PCrisk security portal is brought by a company RCS LT. Joined forces of security researchers help educate computer users about the latest online security threats. More information about the company RCS LT.

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Software uninstall instructions
Malware activity

Global malware activity level today:

Medium threat activity

Increased attack rate of infections detected within the last 24 hours.

QR Code
mtabs.org browser hijacker QR code
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