Amisites.com Removal Guide

Do you know what Amisites.com is?

Amisites.com masquerades as a search engine, but on closer inspection, it becomes apparent that it is just another browser hijacker that preys on vulnerable PC's. Its developers have set up deceptive distribution channels that get this infection on your PC without your knowledge. We find this unacceptable. Therefore, to ensure your computer’s security, you must remove it. Failure to d so may be the result of undesirable consequences, such as information theft or additional computer infection. In short, this undesirable search engine’s objective is to present promotional links and, as a result, generate advertising revenue.

According to our malware analysts, this particular browser hijacker is another addition to the Elex browser hijacker family. Other hijackers belonging to this family include names such as Maniihome.com and Ooxxsearch.com. At present Ooxxsearch.com seems to be down which is very good news. However, Maniihome.com is still up and running, and it is attracting many users due to its attractive main page that features a digital clock, links to social media networks, and a nature-themed background image. Amisites.com, on the other hand, is a more traditional search engine that is supposed to attract those who only want search results without any gimmicks. Elex has also released an adware named AdSkip that claims to block advertisements but does the opposite. This application renders additional ads, so nothing that comes from Elex is good or trustworthy.

This hijacker came out only recently, so its dissemination methods are still unknown. Nevertheless, a browser hijacker is limited in its means to be distributed on the web because it requires additional software. Previous browser hijackers from Elex came with browser extensions compatible with the three most popular web browsers that are Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox. So, if this hijacker comes with browser add-ons, then they may be hosted on a dedicated website set up specifically for allowing users to download and install them at will. Also, this website would be promoted via adware. However, it the developers opt for a different distribution channel, then they will most likely get Amisites.com alone or together with the browser extension to be bundled with malicious installers that would be programmed in install it secretly.Amisites.com Removal GuideAmisites.com screenshot
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Regardless, of the distribution method used, according to our researchers, this browser hijacker should hijack the homepages of Internet Explorer and Google Chrome while for Firefox it will change the search provider only. This may not look like much of a change because Amisites.com redirects all search queries to Google.com anyway. However, we strongly recommend that you get rid of this hijacker because it may cause you problems. If you are not troubled by the fact that it changes the search engine, then you should consider the fact that this hijacker may inject promotional links in the search results. It is important to understand that given Amisites.com’s shady background it is quite likely that its developers will make it promote questionable websites that may turn out to be phishing or some other scam websites. Also, it may promote certain software such as potentially unwanted programs. Surely you do not want to be subjected to content such as this. Therefore, we highly recommend that you delete this hijacker as soon as you can.

As you can see from the information provided above, this seemingly legitimate search engine is nothing more than a browser hijacker that may present you with advertisements. Given where this search engine comes from, it is no surprise that its distribution methods include installing it without your approval or knowledge. Thankfully, it is easy to remove, and we have included a removal guide that will help you do just that.

How you can remove this browser hijacker

Microsoft Internet Explorer

  1. Press Windows+R keys on your keyboard.
  2. Enter regedit in the dialog box.
  3. Click OK.
  4. In the Registry Editor, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
  5. Locate Start Page and right-click it.
  6. Select Modify.
  7. Replace http://maniihome.com with your desired homepage address.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Press Windows+E keys on your keyboard.
  2. In the address bar, enter C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Random ID}
  3. Find prefs.js and open it with Notepad.
  4. Replace http://maniihome.com in user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://maniihome.com"); with your desired homepage address.
  5. Save and Close.

Google Chrome

  1. Press Windows+E keys on your keyboard.
  2. In the address bar, enter C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
  3. Find Preferences, Secure Preferences and Web Data files.
  4. Open them with Notepad and replace http://maniihome.com with your desired homepage address.

In non-techie terms:

Amisites.com is just another browser hijacker that is set to enter your computer secretly and hijack its homepage and search provider settings. We think that its purpose is to make money for its developers by subjecting you to commercial advertisements that may not always be safe. Therefore, our malware analysts invite you to delete this hijacker using the guide featured above.