Thread: Zapping the ASK.Com Virus

The scumbags who run ASK.com search engine are happy to have their malicious software piggybacked on other programs and downloaded without your consent. I just spent a few hours cleaning it out after downloading uTorrent and having ASK.com virus garbage hijack my browser.

ASK.com will install itself as your home page and will hijack all other search engines. Re-installing Google or otherwise as your home page is a first step, but will not solve the problem.

Getting rid of ask.com virus isn't straight forward.

1.Go to control panel - Add/Remove Programs - Uninstall ASK.exe

Because it has changed all your browser settings you now have to get imaginative. The following is from a firefox forum.

latest Firefox update brings up Ask.com for any search • mozillaZine Forums

Next we opened a new browser window, and into the address bar we typed, “about:config”
In short, once the list was brought up, we searched for anything with ASK [that refered to the ask.com site] or ask.com, removed it [modify] AND replaced it with Google.

Problem solved!

Directions:
Upon opening the list, you’ll see: Preference Name, Status, Type and Value.
Under “Preference Name”, search for: Keyword.URL
Under “Value” it will say, http://toolbar.ask.com/toolbarv/askRedi ... t=&gc=1&q=
Change that by right clicking on it and choosing “Modify”, and changing it to:
Google

Next, in the filter: type in “ask” and look for anything that says ask.com to bring up a smaller, more refined list.

Under “Preference Name” look for “extensions.snipit.chromeURL”.
It will show: http://toolbar.ask.com/toolbarv/askRedi ... t=&gc=1&q={sear...

Highlight it, and click “Reset”. This will erase the “Value”. Leave it blank. If it doesn’t, then click “Modify” to remove it manually, click “ok”.
(*note, after closing your about.config window, it will be totally removed from the list)

Next, in the filter, type in “browser” and under the “Preference Name” look for:
“Browser.search.defaultenginename”
For the “Value”, it will show ASK, “Modify” it so it says: Google

Then under “Preference Name” find: “browser.search.order.1” and “Modify” it from ASK to Google

Finally, find: “browser.search.selectedEngine” and “Modify” it from ASK to Google

That's it apart from saying that the authors/owners of ASK.com are scum who should be buried alive in horse manure.