How To Remove The Fox Tab Search Browser Hijacker Virus (Search.FoxTab.com, Foxtab.com)

What Is The Fox Tab (Search.FoxTab.com) Virus?

Fox Tab (Foxtabtoolbar, Foxtab.adware) is adware and spyware categorized as a browser hijacker. Foxtab is distributed as a freeware extension for Mozilla Firefox (and other browsers), just like most common adware applications are in order to successfully track, trace, and over all “control” computer systems, computer users, and internet browsers without repercussions. As well as being publicly distributed, Foxtab (Fox Tab) also infects computers along side other malware bundles. If Foxtab was installed to your system without your consent, then Foxtab most likely bundled with other malware. Or as Foxtab.com likes to call them: “partners”.

Fox Tab is commonly refereed to as a redirection virus due to it’s capabilities (by use of associated malware) to edit internet browser settings, such as homepage (startup page), extensions/toolbars, managed search engines (default engines) and more. The changes in these settings allows the Fox Tab task to run oppsed to your “realistic” settings which cause web searches and inputted URLs to redirect to search.foxtab.com or other/similar malicious website search engines. Similar malicious search engines include SearchYa!, Searchqu, My Web Search, All Search, Claro Search, Search The Web, and Browser Seek. Some of these malicious search engines are exactly the same.

Fox Tab may install with freeware/adware products such as Babylon Toolbar, IWantThis, Dealply, Norston Security Scan (not Symantec), and BrowserForChange. If you are experience “in text advertising” spam links then please refer to the associated infection Text Enhance to remove the standalone adware infection.

Fox Tab claims to be a realistic product (pictured above), it is… It’s also malware. Using their product will only harm your computer. Foxtab is extremely dangerous if not removed.

What Are Symptoms of a Fox Tab Infection?

• Fox Tab creates dynamic files to support their toolbar on your internet browser.
• Fox Tab uses Browser Helper Objects such as toolbars and managed search engines to alter infected intenet browsers. In turn this allows Foxtab to redirect website searches and URLs inputted into the Firefox address bar.
• Fox Tab opens a backdoor for other malware infections and third parties. Foxtab.com’s terms state they are not held responsible for any third party actions or malicious occurrences which transpire after use of the Foxtab Toolbar. Third party infections may include malware, Trojans, and viruses which can be potentially fatal to your computer system and well being.

How To Remove The Fox Tab Virus

There are seperate infections which may occur when Foxtab infects a computer system, therefore there may be certain necessary removal steps.

1. Antivirus/Anti-Malware Software – Scan and remove malware.
2. Uninstall Software – Uninstall Fox Tab from your Window’s computer system.
3. Remove Add-Ons – Remove Fox Tab add-ons and extensions from Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.
4. Remove Associated Malware – Babylon Toolbar, IWantThis, Dealply, Norston Security Scan (not Symantec), and BrowserForChange.
5. Restore your computer – Side step everything, restore your computer to a date and time before infection using Window’s automatic restore points. Please click here for more System Restore information and directions.

1. Antivirus/Anti-Malware Software

If you do not wish to manually remove the Fox Tab virus and associated malware, your safest guarantee is to install Antivirus or Anti-Malware Software.

Malwarebytes (free or paid version) is the leading Anti-Malware software and is suggested above others for browser hijackers due to their large sample rate. Once installed, make sure Malwarebytes is updated, and proceed to scan for and remove any malware infections.

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• Click “Start”
• Click on “Control Panel”
• Double-click the “Add/Remove Programs” icon.
• Select “The Software” and right click, then select Uninstall/Change.
• Click “Yes” to confirm the uninstallation.

3. Remove Add-ons And Extensions

Fox Tab can install it’s add-on and extension on both Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome internet browsers.

How do I remove an add-on from Mozilla Firefox?

• Open up Firefox the way you usually do.
• Click the Tools menu from Firefox’s main menu.

• From the Tools menu, select the Add-ons item by clicking it.
• Click the Extensions tab.
• Look at the extension item in the list of browser add-ons. When you find it, click the Remove button on its right.
• To confirm your choice, you will have to restart Firefox. Simply click the Restart button.

How do I remove an extension from Google Chrome?

• Open up Chrome the way you usually do.
• Click the Settings button on Chrome’s toolbar. It’s the button that has a wrench icon on it.

• Go all the way to the Tools item, and select the Extensions item when it appears on the left.
• Look at the extension item in the list of the browser extensions. When you find it, click the Remove button on its right.
• Confirm your choice to remove the extension by clicking the Uninstall button in the confirmation dialog window.

4. Remove Associated Malware

Foxtab may bundle with a ton of other malware such as Babylon Toolbar, IWantThis, Dealply, Norston Security Scan (not Symantec), and BrowserForChange. Removal steps for these infections are described below.

For directions to remove associated malware from Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, please go over the instructions just above this section.

How to uninstall Babylon Toolbar

In order to remove Babylon Toolbar, please follow the instructions below – this will also remove the Babylon Toolbar from Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer browsers.

• Click on the Start Menu button.
• Click on the Control Panel option.
• Select “Add/Remove Programs” from the Control Panel. For Windows Vista/7 users, this will be called “Programs/Features”.
• Select Babylon Toolbar from the list of programs.
• Uninstall the program by clicking Remove/Uninstall button.
• Click “Yes” to confirm the uninstallation.
• Babylon Toolbar is now uninstalled. this will also remove the Babylon Toolbar from your browser (Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer)

How to uninstall IWantThis

In order to remove IWantThis, please follow the instructions below – this will also remove the IWantThis from Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer browsers.

• Click on the Start Menu button.
• Click on the Control Panel option.
• Select “Add/Remove Programs” from the Control Panel. For Windows Vista/7 users, this will be called “Programs/Features”.
• Select IWantThis from the list of programs.
• Uninstall the program by clicking Remove/Uninstall button.
• Click “Yes” to confirm the uninstallation.
• IWantThis is now uninstalled. this will also remove IWantThis from your browser (Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer)

How to uninstall Dealply

In order to remove Dealply, please follow the instructions below – this will also remove the Dealply from Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer browsers.

• Click on the Start Menu button.
• Click on the Control Panel option.
• Select “Add/Remove Programs” from the Control Panel. For Windows Vista/7 users, this will be called “Programs/Features”.
• Select Dealply from the list of programs.
• Uninstall the program by clicking Remove/Uninstall button.
• Click “Yes” to confirm the uninstallation.
• Dealply is now uninstalled. this will also remove Dealply from your browser (Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer)

How to uninstall BrowseForChange

In order to remove BrowseForChange, please follow the instructions below – this will also remove the BrowseForChange from Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer browsers.

• Click on the Start Menu button.
• Click on the Control Panel option.
• Select “Add/Remove Programs” from the Control Panel. For Windows Vista/7 users, this will be called “Programs/Features”.
• Select BrowseForChange from the list of programs.
• Uninstall the program by clicking Remove/Uninstall button.
• Click “Yes” to confirm the uninstallation.
• BrowseForChange is now uninstalled. this will also remove BrowseForChange from your browser (Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer)