Guide to Remove Utility Chest Browser Hijacker

Utility Chest is a deceptive application that is available for free downloads from its official site. The application may appear legitimate and claim to be useful with other inbuilt utilities like:

1. Online Calculator
2. Currency Converter
3. Maps
4. To-Do List
5. Translators & More

The Utility Chest extension also offers convenient web search & claimed additional utilities like search for images, news etc from your Chrome Address Bar for free to lure users to download the application.

However, to get all these proclaimed benefits this extension presents certain pre-conditions in front of users. These include:

• Replace New Tab page to Utility Chest to provide these features
• Read and Change all your data on the websites you visit.
• Display Notifications
• Manage your Downloads
• Manage your apps, extensions & themes.

The app may appear legitimate as it claims to be enhanced by Google to gain user confidence. However, if a user agrees to these terms he/she lands in an array of negatives.

Threats posed by Utility Chest Browser Hijacker

Utility Chest application is deemed as a Browser Hijacker that is potentially unwanted.

1. Modification of Browser Settings: Following Infiltration, Utility Chest Browser Hijacker alters browser settings to replace Home Page, Search engine, New Tab page with its own.

• User searches are redirected to apprehensive web locations like search.myway.com that may render system susceptible to other malware infection.
• Moreover, user browsing experience is ruined as the search results are redirected to sponsored web pages.
• Hijackers earn high revenue by luring users to visit certain websites that they never intend to visit.

2. Track users’ Internet browsing activity: These websites may also contain spyware that may pervasively track sensitive information including banking details, login credentials, data related to user identity etc. This information may be used against users to extort them or sold to third parties.

• User’s browsing information may also be tracked to know user interest and display ads accordingly.

3. Sluggish System Behavior: The installation of this forged app may also cause other delusive apps to run in the background without user knowledge. This may render system sluggish and also may lead to malfunctioning of the system and installed application.

The main aim behind this devious act is to mint money by driving user traffic to sponsored web pages and promote good & services of the partnered websites.

Utility Chest Browser Hijacker UI Description

The template of this new search engine incorporates links to legitimate & renowned applications like Gmail, Yahoo, Amazon, FaceBook, YouTube, Instagram etc.

However, a click on these links usually redirects users to similar looking login pages with overlaid screens that aim to steal sensitive information such as usernames and passwords.

Post a user enters the credentials, Utility Chest browser Hijacker doesn’t redirect the user to the searched web page and displays repeated errors or performance related issues.

Users are therefore advised not to fall in the trap and get the Utility Chest browser extension removed as soon as it is detected.

Utility Chest Browser Hijacker – Spread Techniques

The malign application is available for download in its official site.

Utility Chest Browser Hijacker also gets installed in the system with other legitimate applications without user knowledge.

The cybercriminals use various strategies for malware distribution which include –

1. Software Bundling: Software bundling is the process in which a malicious program is distributed with other free software, to get an unnoticed entry into your computer system. When a user installs a free application, the malicious programs gains a front door entry with the free application, the user has downloaded. Thus, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the installation screens while installing these free applications.
2. Infected Storage Devices: Your system can also get infected by using removable media such as USB hard drives and jump drives without scanning them with an anti-virus.
3. Spam Emails – Spamming is the most economic and common method used for the distribution of such malware. The targeted users get genuine looking emails which contain .doc, .txt, and other similar attachments. These attachments can be named as anything which can grab the user’s attention and triggers him/her to open the attachment. As soon as the user opens this attachment, the malware infects the user’s computer system.
4. Malicious Websites or Malevolent Advertisements: The malicious websites are the ones which are created just for promoting the malware infections. Such websites include but are not limited to porn sites, torrent sites and other free downloading platforms. By visiting such websites, the adware infects the user’s computer without permission. Fake advertisements and updates like Flash player and windows updates which ask the user to update to the latest version are a few examples. When the users click on such links, their computer system gets infected. That is why, it is highly recommended to resist clicking on such links. Also avoid clicking on advertisements offering free stuff such as Win an iPhones, cars or free overseas trips etc.

Threat Summary

Name: Utility Chest

Browsers Affected: Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox

Targeted Operating System: Windows

Category: Browser Hijacker

Symptoms: 

• Homepage, new tab and search engine are replaced with search.myway.com domain.
• Appearance of sponsored ads and pop-ups
• Unnatural network activities,
• occasional sluggishness of the infected device.

How to Remove Utility Chest Browser Hijacker  from your computer system?

Note: Before we begin, try to remember how the extension got downloaded  on your computer system. Generally, these programs come bundled with free applications that we download off the internet. It is a good practice to locate and uninstall such programs while removing Utility Chest browser Hijacker / Extensions.

STEP A : Remove malicious extensions from your browser

Google Chrome

1. Open Google Chrome and click on the three vertical dots ( ) i.e.Menu option which are located at the upper right corner of the Chrome Window.
2. Find and click on More tools from the drop down menu that is displayed & select Extensions or you can open a Chrome window and type “chrome://extensions” in the address bar.
3. Check the developer mode option which is located opposite to extensions heading on the top of the Chrome window. By enabling the developer mode, additional details and option related to all the installed extensions will be displayed. One of the details that will be displayed is the ID. ID is the folder name created by the extension at the location “C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions”.
4. Locate the extension you want to uninstall or delete. Copy and paste the folder name opposite to the ID Tag of that extension into a notepad file. In this case the folder name is “mjhegliggajlppkoeochecicaejifndh”
5. Now, uncheck the enabled option next to the extension in question. Make sure you also click the trash icon to delete the extension from the browser. It is important to note that even after uninstalling and deleting the extensions from the browser, the extension might not uninstall properly. Thus, it is a good practice to make sure that we have deleted the folder as mentioned in step 3.
6. Make sure that you have made the hidden files and folders visible.
7. Open My Computer and go to “C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions”. Now, look for folder with the name as specified in Step 4 i.e. “mjhegliggajlppkoeochecicaejifndh”. Delete the folder if present.
8. Close and reopen the browser. It is also advisable to restart your computer once done.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Mozilla Firefox, click on three horizontal lines ( ) at the top right corner of the Firefox Window and select the Add-ons option. ) at the top right corner of the Firefox Window and select the Add-ons option.
2. On the Add-ons manger page, select and click on the Extensions tab as shown below.
3. Find the extensions related to Utility Chest Browser Hijacker and click on the remove button.
4. In addition, try to remember how the extension got downloaded on your computer system. If this extension was bundled with some other software, then make sure to delete that as well.

Internet Explorer

1. Open Internet Explorer, Click on the Gear icon ( ) which is at the top right corner of the Internet Explorer Window.
2. From the newly appeared dropdown menu, click on the option that reads Manage Add-ons.
3. A new window will appear on the screen. On this window choose the option that reads Toolbar and Extensions. Under the Show option, select the option that reads “All add-ons”. This option will allow you to see all the browser extensions.
4. Select the Extension related to Utility Chest Browser Hijacker and click on the Disable button which is at the bottom right of the computer screen.

STEP B: Show Hidden files and Folders

Windows 7

1. Left click on the Organize button on the Windows Explorer. A drop down menu will appear.
   
2. On this menu left click on the option that reads “Folder and search options” as shown above. A folder options dialogue box will appear.
3. On the View tab under the Advanced settings, Check the option that reads “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” and uncheck the option that reads “Hide protected operating system files“.
   
4. Click on the “OK” button to save your changes. This will make all the hidden files and folders visible to you.

Windows 8 and 10

1. On the file explorer toolbar, click on the View
   
2. In the Show/hide section, Click on the “Hidden items” checkbox.
3. Click on the options button.
4. Under folder options, click on the “View” tab.
   
5. Uncheck the “Hide protected operating system files” option.
6. Click the “OK” button to save your changes.

STEP C: How to Reset Your Browser

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Mozilla Firefox and click on the three horizontal lines () which are at the top right corner of the computer screen.
2. A Drop down menu will be displayed. On this menu click on the “Help” () button as shown in the image below. The Help menu will be displayed on the screen.) button as shown in the image below. The Help menu will be displayed on the screen.
3. From this menu click the option that reads “Troubleshooting information“. A new tab will open up with the Troubleshooting information.
   
4. On the Troubleshooting Information page, click on the button that reads “Refresh Firefox” as shown in the image below.
5. The “Refresh Firefox” message box will pop up on the screen. On this message box click on the “Refresh Firefox” button.
6. After this Firefox will close itself and a new window will be displayed which will list the information that is imported. Click on the option that reads “Finish” to complete the task.

Google Chrome

1. Open Google chrome and click on the three vertical dots ( ) which is at the top right corner of the computer screen. A drop down menu will appear on the screen. From this menu choose the option that reads “Settings”. ) which is at the top right corner of the computer screen. A drop down menu will appear on the screen. From this menu choose the option that reads “Settings”.
2. The Chrome’s settings window will be displayed on the screen. On this screen scroll through the bottom of the page and click on the option that reads “Advanced option” as shown below.
3. The Advanced setting options will be displayed on the screen. Scroll through the list of options till you find the “ Reset browser settings” section. Click on the icon as shown below.
4. The reset dialogue box will pop up on the screen. From this dialogue box click on the button that reads “Reset”.

Internet Explorer

1. Open Internet Explorer and click on the gear icon ( ) which is at the top right corner of the browser screen. A drop down menu will be displayed on the screen. From this drop down menu, click on the option that reads “Internet options”. ) which is at the top right corner of the browser screen. A drop down menu will be displayed on the screen. From this drop down menu, click on the option that reads “Internet options”.
2. The “Internet options” dialogue box will be displayed. Click on the “Advanced” tab. In the Advanced tab click on the button that reads “Reset” as shown in the image below. The “Reset Internet Explorer Settings” section will be displayed on the screen. Now click on the button that reads “Reset” .Precautions: In this dialogue box make sure to uncheck the “Delete Personal settings” option to save your passwords and other important data.
3. When it’s done, click on the button that reads “Close” to complete the task. Now close and reopen your browser.

Tips to prevent your computer system from getting infected –

1. Keeping the Operating System Updated- In order to remain protected and avoid such infections, it is recommended to keep your Operating System updated by enabling the automatic update on your system. The systems with outdated or older versions of Operating System become an easy target for the attackers.
2. Resist clicking on spam emails – One of the major techniques used for malware distribution is forwarding spam emails to the user. The system gets infected as soon as the user clicks on the attachment. These mails appear to be genuine, so be aware and resist falling for these tricks.
3. Keep an eye on third party installations- It is quite important that you take due care while installing any third party applications for they are major source of such infections. Such malware programs come bundled with the free applications thereby requiring the user to remain cautious.
4. Regular periodical backup- In order to keep your data and files safe, it is recommended to take regular back up of all your data and files either on an external drive or cloud.
5. Use Anti-Virus Protection- We strongly recommend the use of antivirus protection/internet security in your PC like Hitman pro and Avira so that it remains safe.
6. Enable the Ad Blocker/Popup Blocker in your browser- Enabling the popup blocker/ ad blocker in your chosen browser will help you to stay protected from annoying adware.