How Can You Remove Play-bar.net Completely?

“Is my computer infected by Play-bar.net ? I noticed that my default browser homepage had been changed by it when I ran the Google Chrome this afternoon. When I wanted to visit some websites in my favorites, I was redirected to other unwanted websites. I didn’t know what happened on my PC and the antivirus programs either detected nothing. How can I get rid of this annoying browser hijacker?” If you have no ideas how to remove the threat, please follow the removal guide in this post to deal with it.

Descriptions of Play-bar.net

Play-bar.net is a dangerous browser hijacker which is used by cyber criminals to affect the web browsers and steal the important information of those whose browsers are hijacked. Many unwary users have been cheated by the appearance of this browser hijacker with its licensed search engine. To appear more convincing, it provides users with useful features like news, images, maps and videos browsing functions. By the help of the browser hijacker, you may usually have no idea how to reach to the website you need for the browser hijacker keeps redirecting your searches to a predefined websites which seem to promote specific things. When you open a new web page or watch a video, there will be a lot of pop-ups that ask you to purchase some products, install or update some software or click on some clicks there. More annoyingly, the hijacker modifies your default search engine and browser settings. To safeguard your privacy, you may eradicate this malware as soon as you experience it.

This browser hijacker is invasive, for it not only infects your web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer, but also affects other programs and the computer performance. The hijacker infection even degrades your system speed and modifies system files and registry entries to make system vulnerable to other additional computer threats. Actually, this browser hijacker infection may lead to other infections like adware infection, spyware infection, and Trojan infection, etc. Once it is installed, it can cause a lot of computer problems. For instance, if some .dll files are corrupted by the threat, your computer may end up starting failure. Also, the redirect causes malfunction of your security application to make it unable to delete any computer virus effectively. Thus, manual removal can work.

Play-bar.net browser hijacker is so vicious that it stealthily allows the remote hackers to gain access to your compromised system, so that they can capture your sensitive information like usernames and passwords for malicious purposes. While being invaded, you may find it unable to login your Yahoo mail, Facebook, and online bank account, for the hijacker messes up your web browsers terribly. Never set the browser to be your default search engine and homepage because it will put your computer into risk. Immediate removal of this browser hijacker is very necessary, because only by doing so you can surf safely.

To protect your computer and your privacy, remove Play-bar.net redirect promptly. If you are not computer savvy and have no idea on how to remove this hijacker, you can follow the removal guide below.

Warning signs of Infection:

1. Play-bar.net redirect gets on browsers without permissions and reset default structures of affected browsers, making you unable to change them back;

2. Online sessions will be greatly interrupted by constant displaying ads or pop-up links;

3. This browser hijacker would directly or indirectly lead to other malware infections.

4. The infected browser may stop responding or crash frequently and the PC performance will slow down.

5. It modifies site scripting and disables browser’s Content Security Policy.

Play-bar.net Browser Hijacker Manual Removal Guide

Since the advanced anti-virus software can’t do a complete removal of the browser hijacker, the manual removal can be one way worth trying. The manual removal is a cumbersome and risky task which should only be performed by the highly skilled computer users. If you are confident that you can handle it, follow the step-by-step guide below to get rid of Play-bar.net: (Be careful when deleting the files and registry entries in different systems).

Step 1: Set the default homepage back

For Internet Explorer:
Click on Browser Tools
Select Manage Add-ons on the tools window
Click Search Provider
Here you can see many kinds of search engine option as Bing and Google, select your favorite one to be a default homepage.
Choose Search Results and click on Remove icon to eliminate it
Click Tools, select Internet Options and then the General tab. Here you can option a website you like and save it.
c. Select ‘Search Results’ and click ‘Remove’ to remove it;

For Google Chrome:
Open Customize and control
Click on Settings
Select on Basic Options icon
Here you can reset your homepage (e.g.Google.com）
Once you choose a default homepage, click on Manage Search Engines and then click Google to be your default search engine.
Remove it from the browser by clicking Search Result and then the X’ mark

For Mozilla Firefox:
Click Manage Search Engine
Select Search Results and then click Remove option, click OK
Open Tools, under the General tab, set Google.com as default homepage

Step 2: Locate related files of Play-bar.net and remove them from the computer
%AllUsersProfile%
%AllUsersProfile%\Programs\{random letters}\
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~r
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~dll

Step 3: Remove cookies on all browsers
Internet Explorer:
Click options on the browser and then choose Internet Options
Open General tab, click Delete Browsing History to remove all related cookies
Select cookies and click Delete

Firefox:
Click option
Select Privacy and then click on Remove Individual Cookies icon
Delete relevant cookies list on the box

Google Chrome:
Click option
Open Under the Bonnet tab
Select Privacy and then click Clear browsing data
Delete all cookies

Step 4: Remove malicious registry entries
Open Registry Editor on the start menu
Type in Regedit and click OK
Remove all the following registry entries
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings “CertificateRevocation” = ‘1’
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments “SaveZoneInformation” = ‘0’

Conclusion

Play-bar.net browser hijacker is really pesky and harmful for PC users, so it needs to be deleted from the infected computer quickly before it brings much damage to the system. The redirect virus will naturally slow down your system performance and block functions of your executable programs. When you launch your browsers or click on the search results, you will always be redirected to some unwanted websites. A pile of popup advertisements will be displayed on your computer and attract you to download unnecessary programs or pay for their products. Even if the malware contains a user- friendly interface, it is eventually a browser search tool utilized by notorious cyber hackers to obtain illegal profits from compromised user. Be aware of your online activities, and get rid of the harmful hijacker infection immediately once your computer is infected. The manual removal guide provided above will assist you to completely get rid of it from your infected computer system.