How can I remove Istart123.com redirect virus from my computer?

How can I remove Istart123.com redirect virus from my computer? I have Microsoft Security Essentials installed but it cannot detect any traces of the redirect virus. Please help.

Symptoms of Istart123.com Infection
-Your default homepage of browser like Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer are changed to Istart123.com.

-When you click on the search results, you are redirected to websites which don’t match the original website RULs.

-Lots of ads pops up on the web pages that you browse and most of them match your interests or search habits.

-Computer running speed and network speed are obviously reduced.

-New websites URLs are added to your bookmark list and favorite folder.

-Unknown toolbars appear on your browser, which you don’t remember having installed.

Know about Istart123.com
Istart123.com is classified as a browser redirect virus which has the ability to hijacker users’ web browser to random websites. This redirect virus can be deemed as a type of online fraud. By changing users’ browser settings and Hosts file, it can redirect users to random websites which promote certain products or services. After getting installed on the targeted computers, this redirect virus changes users’ default homepage to Istart123.com, providing a search engine as what Google does. Users can use that search engine to search for web, images, news, videos, and more. However, this unsolicited search engine may provide users with many misleading search results and redirect them to some potentially dangerous websites. Visiting those unsafe websites may bring other types malware like adware, Trojan horse, spyware, etc. Istart123.com redirect virus will also pop up a number of ads, deals, banners and sponsored links on the web pages users are browsing. And most of the pop-ups are either “targeted” or “attractive”, aiming to lure users into clicking on those pop-ups and hence to boost advertising revenue. Why the redirect virus can deliver so many ads or sponsored links based on users’ interests? In fact, it has the ability to collect users’ personal information and send it to its creators via a special server. And that information will offer basis on what sorts of ads should be delivered to users. Therefore, if your computer has been a victim of this redirect virus, you need to get rid of it immediately.

istart123.com-redirect virus

How Does Your PC Get Infected by Istart123.com Redirect Virus?
The redirect virus often slips into your computer by bundled with applications which you have free downloaded from the Internet. To avoid it, you should choose Advanced or Custom installation option and deselect all unwanted optional applications. Besides, it is better that carefully read the terms and agreements before installing any application on your computer. This may save you a lot of unexpected trouble. Besides, the redirect virus may infect your computer through spam email attachments. Opening attachments specially sent by cyber hackers runs the high risk of downloading malware like Istart123.com redirect virus to your computer. A good way to avoid the infection is to ignore all spam emails. You should neither open the seemingly legitimate attachments, nor click on the attractive-look links in the message. Besides, you can configure your email server to block or remove emails containing file attachments that are commonly used to spread malware, like .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files. Another common tool used by the redirect virus to invade your PC is malicious websites or legitimate websites that have been hacked by the rogue hackers. When you happen to click on the suspicious links or pop-ups within the websites, you may unintentionally download the redirect virus or other malware to your machine. So, you should only browse those reliable websites, and avoid clicking on any unknown pop-ups or links. Finally, you should make sure that a reliable firewall and anti-malware program have been installed on your computer to block and remove the malicious attacks from the online world.

Conclusion
Istart123.com is a known as a nasty browser redirect virus that takes control over users’ web browser by changing the browser settings and Host files. Generally, it breaks into users’ computers via free applications, spam emails attachments and hacked websites. It seems that this redirect virus is not a big threat to users’ computers; however, it tends to introduce other malware to users’ PCs. By modifying users’ default homepage and search engine, it can keep redirecting users to some unsafe websites from which users may download other type of malware to their machines without any knowledge. Furthermore, this redirect virus will try to collect users’ personal information, so as to deliver more targeted advertisements to users. To make the browser work normally and prevent further privacy and security issues, it’s highly recommended removing Istart123.com redirect virus and any related malware from the infected computers as soon as possible. Two methods have been introduced above to tell how to remove the nasty redirect virus, and you can complete the removal by following the step-by-step guide.

Note: It requires users have sufficient computer skills to accomplish the manual removal. If you are not experienced in computer operation, then you can download and use a powerful malware removal tool to automatically get rid of the nasty redirect virus. This method is easier, time-saving and more effective.