24socialnews.net is a Russian language browser hijacker that can replace your browser’s homepage address without your knowledge or consent. Therefore, you might want to remove this hijacker and get your old homepage address back. 24socialnews.netis unreliable because it was designed to redirect all entered search queries to ma modified Google search engine that can have additional promotional links and ads set to generate this hijacker’s developers ad revenue. Indeed, making money the primary objective of this hijacker and it will even collect some information about you to personalize the ad campaign. Please continue reading to find out more.
Evidently, since this hijacker was made by either Russian or Ukrainian developers, it is reasonable to assume that it should be distributed on freeware distributing websites visited by Russian and Ukrainian users. This hijacker could be bundled with third-party software, but the installers used to install that software might have been configured to inject this hijacker into your browser without your knowledge or consent. The installers might inject it directly or through a browser extension as we have received reports that 24socialnews.net might have an accompanying extension that is dedicated to injecting this hijacker. Anti-malware programs such as SpyHunter detect 24socialnews.net as a browser hijacker and are set to remove it and stop its installation. However, if your computer is unprotected, then you can get this hijacker onto your web browser.
24socialnews.net is set to replace your browser’s homepage address in order to make you use it for searching the web. Its main page features news articles in the Russian language. If you enter a search query into its search box and click Search, then you will be redirected to the Ukrainian version of Google.com. The problem with this hijacker apart from it hijacking your homepage in the first place is that it can force Google to display customized search results that may feature questionable ads and links. 24socialnews.net might promote PC optimization tools, browser toolbars, and other products in order to generate pay-per-click ad revenue. And, making money is this hijacker’s primary purpose, so do not expect it to provide you with a safe and reliable search service.
As mentioned in the introduction, 24socialnews.net can collect information about you and use it to customize the search results. It does that to present you with more relevant links that you may be more inclined to click. The information collected can include your approximate geographical location, Internet Protocol (IP) address, search history, entered search queries, browser type and version, operating system type and version, and so on. Note that collecting this information is legal, but sharing it with an unreliable entity is not something you should do.
All things considered, 24socialnews.net is a highly unreliable search engine that can show misleading and potentially harmful ads and links. Therefore, we recommend that you get rid of it as soon as the opportunity arises. In order to do that, you can remove the browser extension it comes with (provided that it does) or reset your browser’s settings to default. See the guide below on how to do that.
Windows XP
Windows Vista and Windows 7
Windows 8/8.1/10
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome