Hijacker.StartPage.KS
Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are assessment reports for different malware threats which have been collected and analyzed by our research team. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards evaluate and rank threats using several metrics including real-world and potential risk factors, trends, frequency, prevalence, and persistence. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are updated regularly based on our research data and metrics and are useful for a wide range of computer users, from end users seeking solutions to remove malware from their systems to security experts analyzing threats.
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards display a variety of useful information, including:
Ranking: The ranking of a particular threat in EnigmaSoft’s Threat Database.
Severity Level: The determined severity level of an object, represented numerically, based on our risk modeling process and research, as explained in our Threat Assessment Criteria.
Infected Computers: The number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular threat detected on infected computers as reported by SpyHunter.
See also Threat Assessment Criteria.
| Ranking: | 11,316 |
| Threat Level: | 20 % (Normal) |
| Infected Computers: | 749 |
| First Seen: | August 3, 2012 |
| Last Seen: | September 11, 2023 |
| OS(es) Affected: | Windows |
Hijacker.StartPage.KS is a malicious browser hijacker that PC security analysts have ranked as the third most common home network infection of 2012. Hijacker.StartPage.KS is associated with malicious browser toolbars and is designed to change a web browser's homepage and default search engine. If you find that your web browser's starting page has been changed without your authorization, it is very likely that your machine has become infected with threats similar to Hijacker.StartPage.KS. One symptom of Hijacker.StartPage.KS is that even if you try to change your hijacked homepage, Hijacker.StartPage.KS will change it again every time the affected web browser is launched.
How the Hijacker.StartPage.KS Malware Infection Works
ESG malware analysts have observed that Hijacker.StartPage.KS-related browser redirects take computer users to websites that are set up explicitly to gather sensitive data and generate advertising revenue. Hijacker.StartPage.KS makes changes to the infected computer's Windows Registry, ensuring that Hijacker.StartPage.KS starts up automatically and that Hijacker.StartPage.KS cannot be removed easily. Malicious toolbars associated with Hijacker.StartPage.KS usually cannot be removed through ordinary means and depend upon the use of boosted anti-malware application.
Taking a Look at Hijacker.StartPage.KS and Other 2012 Home Malware Threats
In the year 2012, nearly fifteen percent of all household networks are infected with malware similar to Hijacker.StartPage.KS. Most of the time, these kinds of malware infections will infiltrate the victim's computer through malicious spam email messages. These malicious email messages often contain dangerous embedded links or attached malware files. These malicious links or files take the victim to phishing websites or to legitimate websites that have been hacked in order to make it attack computer users. Although Hijacker.StartPage.KS is not considered a high-level malware threat, Hijacker.StartPage.KS will seldom attack alone. In fact, most Hijacker.StartPage.KS infection will involve very high-level malware components such as the Alueron or ZeroAccess rootkits. Becase of this, malware like Hijacker.StartPage.KS should not be allowed to remain on the infected computer.
Although it is possible to remove Hijacker.StartPage.KS manually, ESG security researchers do not advise doing this. Hijacker.StartPage.KS makes changes to the Windows Registry that must be inverted in order to remove this threat effectively. Since Hijacker.StartPage.KS will seldom infect a computer by itself, manual removal may also be problematic because of other malware threats and rootkits present on the compromised computer. On account of the fact that the bulk of Hijacker.StartPage.KS infections has appeared in 2012, it is important to keep your security software fully up to date.
