Hotwebfree.com Removal Guide

If you have noticed that your browser’s homepage has been changed to Hotwebfree.com, then we want to inform you that your browser has been infected with a browser hijacker. You should remove it not only because it replaced the homepage address, but also because it was designed to feature promotional links and ads in its search results and these results can feature content of unverified legitimacy. Furthermore, it can collect information about you and use it to tailor and personalize the ads you see. All of this is done to generate advertising revenue, but the there is no telling whether the promoted links are safe to click.

Currently, there is no solid information on how this hijacker is disseminated. However, we assume that it should be distributed via malicious bundled software installers because it does not look like it has a browser extension that could serve as a vehicle to get it on your browser. We do not know what installers could be used or where it could be featured, but it is reasonable to think that the installers should be configured to install Hotwebfree.com automatically — without your knowledge or approval. This is a highly deceptive and undesirable way to distribute any kind of software, but this hijacker’s developers do just that because their search engine is worthless. Our research has revealed that it is most popular in the US, so we assume that it is also distributed on US-based software distributing websites. Now that we know a little bit about its origins let us discuss how this hijacker works.

Now, truth be told, you can use it as a regular search engine. You might even think that Google changed its main page layout because Hotwebfree.com features the Google logo on its main page. Nevertheless, it also features links to popular websites such as Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and several others. Also, it is worth mentioning that this hijacker uses Google’s Custom search, so it will present you with Google’s search results, but the twist here is that the search results will also feature customized promotional links. This hijacker can promote anything and there is nothing to filter out harmful search results. We, therefore, recommend not using it. In the worst case scenario, Hotwebfree.com might promote websites that feature spyware, ransomware or fake anti-virus programs. Nevertheless, in most cases, it should just promote useless websites that feature advertisements that promote useless products and services.

It is worth mentioning that Hotwebfree.com was designed to gather some non-personally identifiable information about you to advance its agenda. We have found that it will gather and store information such as your visited URLs, IP address, browser type, language preferences, time and date of visiting Hotwebfree.com, and so on. All of this and some other information is used to customize and tailor the promotional links and generate more advertising revenue.

There is no doubt that Hotwebfree.com is a highly malicious search engine. Our research has revealed that, in all likeliness, this browser hijacker is distributed via malicious software bundles. It was also revealed that it could promote anything its developers want which is very worrying indeed because it can feature links to very dangerous software. As if that was not enough, it collects anonymous information about its victims to tailor and personalize the promotional campaign. All things considered, Hotwebfree.com poses a significant threat to your computer’s security, so, to be on the safe side of things, we recommend that you remove it and replace it with a legitimate search engine.

Removal Instructions

Mozilla Firefox

1. Launch the browser.
2. Press Alt+T and click Options.
3. Select General.
4. Enter a new URL in the Home page address box.

Google Chrome

1. Launch the browser.
2. Press Alt+F.
3. Select Settings in the dropdown menu.
4. Click Set pages.
5. Enter a new homepage address.
6. Click OK.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

1. Launch the browser.
2. Press Alt+T.
3. Select Internet Options in the dropdown menu.
4. Enter a new homepage address in the address line.
5. Click OK.