Free Test Now is another addition to the inventory of browser hijacker threat because computer security experts found out that it is able to replace homepage and search settings even without taking authorization from computer user. Instead of the default preference, Hp.hfreetestnow.app will take the homepage and new tab section. Being a browser hijacker, it is appropriate to list Free Test Now in the category of potentially unwanted program (PUP).
Generally, Free Test Now is marketed as browser extension offering quick links to a number of internet speed test services and guide in speeding up internet connection. It also claims to improve online browsing and search experience. But behind this attractive marketing gimmicks are the real motive of Free Test Now, which is to exploit the default internet browser program for its own selfish and monetary gains.
Cyber fraudsters designed Free Test Now mainly to take advantage of the infected browser to gain online profit. This explains why there will be lots of advertisements showing up on the browser screen especially when surfing the internet. It can display variations of aggressive marketing objects including banners, pop-ups, push notifications, and redirects. These ads by Free Test Now are not only annoying but also distracts web users browsing activities because it overlays web page view. It is also unfortunate for web users who clicked on the ads because it can be the basis for supplementary adware or malware infection.
Web user’s data is at risks during the manifestation of Free Test Now on internet browser application. It continuously logs basic and personal browsing details like favorite sites, search terms/keywords, IP address, username, and passwords. Sadly, collected data may fall into the hands of cyber criminals that may misuse it for other online frauds and phishing attacks.
The features being offered by Free Test Now are not so exclusive and therefore, installing it do not worth especially that we have discovered flaws and insecurities on this browser extension. Removal of Free Test Now is recommended to prevent further browser infection. This action would also restore security and privacy on internet browser program.
Free Test Now Removal Procedure for PC
Below is a systematic instruction that is very useful in getting rid of the potentially unwanted program (PUP) from compromised Windows computer. Aside from removing the malicious browser extension, this guide is also helpful in deleting Hfreetestnow.app hijacker and pop-ups.
In order to totally eliminate the threat, it is vital to follow the process in exact manner.
Step 1 : Delete Free Test Now Browser Extension
Most adware and unwanted programs use an application called a "browser extension" to be able to take over the settings of internet applications. Therefore, we highly recommend checking and removing the extension that is closely related to Free Test Now. If it is not present, look for and delete any suspicious browser extension.
Remove the Free Test Now Extension from Google Chrome
1. Open your Google Chrome browser.
2. Type chrome://extensions/ in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard.
3. Find Free Test Now or any relevant entry and remove it from the Google Chrome browser.
Uninstall the Free Test Now Extension from Mozilla Firefox
1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:addons in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard.
3. Choose Extensions from the sidebar menu.
4. Look for an object that pertains to Free Test Now and remove it from the browser.
After deleting the malicious browser extension, it is expected that pop-ups and other troubles will be gone from the internet browser.
Remove Free Test Now from Microsoft Windows and Edge Browser
1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key + R and then, type the appwiz.cpl command.
2. The Program and Features window will open. Arrange the list in a chronological manner, with recently installed applications on top. To do this, click on the 'Installed On' column.
3. Select Free Test Now or a recently installed unwanted entry. Then, click on Uninstall to remove it from the Windows system.
If Free Test Now is still present on the browser and there are still homepage and pop-ups, another option is to remove the adware from the browser settings.
4. Open the Microsoft Edge program.
5. Input edge://extensions/ in the URL bar and press Enter on the keyboard.
6. Look for and Remove or Disable entries for Free Test Now from the Installed Extensions area. Additionally, delete the same object from the Search Providers section by executing the Hijacker Removal Procedure for Edge.
7. Close the window and restart Microsoft Edge.
Step 2 : Scan the computer with Sophos Antivirus
To remove Free Test Now automatically, scanning the computer with this powerful malware and virus removal tool is recommended. This scanner does not just uncover known threats like viruses or malware, it is also effective in discovering browser hijacker like Free Test Now that assigns Hfreetestnow.app as the homepage URL.
1. Download Sophos Virus Removal Tool from the link below. Save the file on your computer where you can easily access it.
2. Once the download completes, browse the location of the file. Double-click to run the program and begin the install process.
3. On first windows of installation wizard, click Next to continue. Then, it will display the program’s License Agreement. You need to Accept the terms in order to proceed. If Windows prompts for User Account Control, please click Yes to proceed.
4. On succeeding windows, click Next or Continue to carry on with the installation. After completing the installation process, Launch Sophos Virus Removal Tool.
5. Internet connection is required when running this scanner in order to download important updates. Make sure that everything is up-to-date to effectively remove malicious program like Free Test Now.
6. Click the button to carry out the Scan. This will check the system for presence of malicious objects, malware, and viruses. The tool reveals items that were found linked to Free Test Now and other suspicious entities. Be sure to remove all identified threats.
The chances of stopping Hfreetestnow.app pop-ups or redirects is also possible after the threat removal. If it still remains, please follow the Hfreetestnow.app pop-up removal guide.
The above procedures should have totally eliminated the Free Test Now browser hijacker. However, if you found that there are still remnants of the threat and Hfreetestnow.app still exists on internet application, please proceed to manual removal of associated objects as outlined below.
Step 3 : Scan and Delete Adware with AdwCleaner
In addition to the procedure, we suggest scanning the computer with AdwCleaner tool. Possibly, there are some traces of Free Test Now on the browser that was not deleted during the preceding steps. This tool will scan the computer and check for presence of malicious applications as well as invalid browser entries that produces Hfreetestnow.app pop-ups.
1. Follow the link below to download the tool called AdwCleaner.
2. When the download has completed, please close all running programs on the computer especially browsers affected by Free Test Now.
3. Browse the location of the downloaded file and double-click on adwcleaner_Ver.exe to start running the tool. Then, click on Scan button.
4. AdwCleaner searches the computer for malicious programs, extensions, plug-ins, adware, and any items that may be associated to Free Test Now. It will also check for suspicious entries on browser settings that is associated with Hfreetestnow.app.
5. Clean or Remove all suspicious and harmful items identified after the thorough scan.
6. After the cleanup procedure, rebooting the computer is required to finalize the removal of detected threats.
In addition to the procedures above, resetting the affected browser program and clearing the cache are extra methods to completely eliminate Free Test Now. You can execute the guide on resetting internet browser below.
Procedures to Remove Free Test Now from Mac
This section contains comprehensive guide for Mac users. It will help you remove the subject malicious browser extension from internet software. In the same manner, the procedure is helpful in stopping Hfreetestnow.app pop-ups and browser hijacking activities.
Procedures on this page are written in a manner that can be easily understand and execute by Mac users.
Quick Fix - Scan the System with Combo Cleaner
Combo Cleaner is a trusted Mac utility application with complete antivirus and optimization features. It is useful in dealing with adware, malware, and PUP's. Moreover, it can get rid of malicious browser extension like Free Test Now that is responsible for displaying Hfreetestnow.app homepage and pop-ups. You may need to purchase full version if you require to maximize its premium features.
1. Download the tool from the following page:
2. Double-click the downloaded file and proceed with the installation.
3. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon onto your Applications folder icon.
4. Open your Launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon.
5. Wait until antivirus downloads its latest virus definition updates and click on "Start Combo Scan" to start removing Free Test Now.
6. Free features of Combo Cleaner include Disk Cleaner, Big Files finder, Duplicate files finder, and Uninstaller. To use antivirus and privacy scanner, users have to upgrade to a premium version.
Proceed with the rest of the removal steps if you are comfortable in manually removing malicious objects associated with the threat. The following guides are also vital in deleting Hfreetestnow.app from the browser configuration.
Step 1 : Delete Free Test Now from Mac Applications
1. Go to Finder.
2. On the menu, click Go and then, select Applications from the list to open Applications Folder.
3. Find Free Test Now or any unwanted program.
4. Drag Free Test Now to Trash Bin to delete the application from Mac.
5. Right-click on Trash icon and click on Empty Trash.
Step 2 : Remove Browser Extensions that belongs to Free Test Now
1. Locate the add-on or extension that is relevant to the hijacker. To do this, please follow the following depending on affected browser.
Safari - Choose Preferences from the Safari menu, then click the Extensions icon. This will open a window showing all installed extensions.
Chrome - Select Preferences from the Chrome menu, and then click the Extensions link found on the left pane.
Firefox - Choose Add-ons from the Menu. Look at both the Extensions and Plug-ins lists when it opens a new window.
2. Once you have located Free Test Now or any relevant item like Hfreetestnow.app, click on Remove or Uninstall, to get rid of it.
3. Close the browser and proceed to the next steps.
Step 3 : Delete Malicious Files that have installed Free Test Now
1. Select and copy the string below to your Clipboard by pressing Command + C on your keyboard.
~/Library/LaunchAgents
2. Go to your Finder. From the menu bar please select Go > Go to Folder...
3. Press Command + V on your keyboard to paste the copied string. Press Return to go to the said folder.
4. You will now see a folder named LaunchAgents. Take note of the following files inside the folder:
- unknown.download.plist
- unknown.ltvbit.plist
- unknown.update.plist
- com.unknown
The term unknown is just a representation of the actual malware name. It is normally an unfamiliar file name such as the following:
- EightPoint
On some occassions, the malware is represented by a domain name that is closely related to the subject. Like in this case, it can be Hfreetestnow.app.
If you cannot find the specified file, please look for any unfamiliar or suspicious entries. It may be the one causing Free Test Now to be present on your Mac. Arranging all items to see the most latest ones may also help you identify recently installed unfamiliar files. Please press Option + Command + 4 on your keyboard to arrange the application list in chronological order.
Important: Take note of all the suspicious files as you may also delete the same item on another folder as we go on.
5. Drag all suspicious files that you may find to Trash.
6. Please restart the computer.
7. Open another folder using the same method as above. Copy and Paste the following string to easily locate the folder.
~/Library/Application Support
8. Look for any suspicious items that are similar to the ones in Step 4. Drag them to the Trash.
9. Repeat the process on the following non-hidden folders (without ~):
/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
/Library/Application Support
/Library/Preferences
Optional : For locked files that cannot be removed, do the following:
1. Go to Launchpad and open Activity Monitor (Under Utilities or Other Folder).
2. Select the process you want to quit.
3. Click on Force Quit button.
4. You may now delete or remove locked files that belongs to Free Test Now browser extension or Hfreetestnow.app homepage hijacker.
Step 4 : Double-check with MBAM Tool for Mac
1. Download Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac from the link below.
2. Run Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac. It will check for updates and download if most recent version is available. This is necessary in finding recent malware threats including the Free Test Now malware and Hfreetestnow.app browser hijacker and pop-up provider.
3. If it prompts to close all running web browser, please do so. Thus, we advise you to PRINT this guide for your reference before going offline.
4. Once it opens the user interface, please click on Scan button to start scanning your Mac computer.
5. After the scan, Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac will display a list of identified threats, Free Test Now is surely part of it. Be sure to select all items in the list. Then, click Remove button to clean the computer.
Step 5 : Delete Free Test Now Login Items
Some browser hijacker may also install login item into compromised account under System Preferences. This object automatically runs Free Test Now during user log in.
1. Go to Apple menu and choose System Preferences.
2. Select Users & Groups from the preferences window.
3. You may need to Unlock this area in order to make changes. Click on the Lock icon on lower left corner of the window.
4. Next, select user account that runs Free Test Now.
5. Click on Login Items tab.
6. Select Free Test Now, , or any suspicious entries from the list and click on the minus [-] button and confirm your actions. Please see image below for reference.
Optional : If unable to change browser settings, execute these steps:
Some user complains that there is no way to change browser settings because it is grayed out by Free Test Now. In such situation, it is important to check if there is unwanted profile. Please do the following:
1. Quit any running applications and launch System Preferences from your Dock.
2. Under System Preferences, click Profiles.
3. Select , Free Test Now or any relevant profile from the left pane. See image below.
4. At the bottom of this window, click minus [-] button to delete the account. Please refer to image above.
5. Close the Profiles window and open the affected browser to change all settings associated with Free Test Now.
There's More... Reset Internet Browser Apps (PC and Mac)
Cleaning your internet browser from clutter and unwanted add-on/extension is a must when dealing with Free Test Now. The procedure below discusses on resetting various browsers to their default state.
Restore Google Chrome to Default Settings
Resetting Google Chrome to its default settings is helpful in deleting hard-to-remove extensions, such as Free Test Now. This method is highly advisable to perform if you have difficulty removing unwanted extensions.
1. Open the Google Chrome internet browser.
2. On the address bar, type chrome://settings/reset and press the Enter key.
3. Click on Reset Settings on the sidebar and choose Restore settings to their original defaults.
4. On the confirmation window, click the Reset settings button to clear all entries for Free Test Now.
5. Close the existing tab and restart Google Chrome. That should have removed the Free Test Now extension and associated objects.
Reset Mozilla Firefox to Default
This section describes how to remove unwanted extensions from Firefox that may be related to Free Test Now. This process can fix many browser issues by restoring Firefox to factory settings without affecting your essential information (bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, and Internet cookies) on the browser. If you desire to remove only a specific extension, please see the manual removal of add-ons from Firefox.
1. Input the string about:support on the Firefox web address and press Enter on the keyboard.
2. You will now see the Troubleshooting Information page of Mozilla Firefox.
3. You will notice a section in the upper-right corner of the screen stating, Give Firefox a tune-up. Click the Refresh Firefox button.
4. If a confirmation window appears, click Refresh Firefox to continue.
5. Firefox browser will close and start the resetting process. When done, it will display a list of restored data. Free Test Now should be gone by now. Click Finish to open a fresh version of Firefox.
Restore Microsoft Edge to Default Settings
1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. On the address bar, please input edge://settings/reset and press Enter on the keyboard.
3. Once you are on the Reset Settings page, click on Restore settings to their default values.
4. A confirmation window will appear; click on the Reset button to continue.
Your data, like favorites, bookmarks, and history, will remain in the browser. However, this process will delete add-ons by Free Test Now and other unknown objects.
Clear the Safari Internet Browser (Mac)
1. Open your Safari browser application.
2. In the Safari menu, click on Preferences from the drop-down list.
3. On the Preferences window, please select the Privacy tab.
4. Click on the Manage Website Data button.
5. Select an unwanted entry, like Free Test Now and click the Remove button. If you choose to Remove All, you may be logged out of your most visited websites and online services. Therefore, we advise removing suspicious items one at a time to prevent changing your behavior towards your favorite websites.
6. If it prompts you, please confirm your actions.
7. Next, we will need to clear the Cache. Back in the Safari Preferences window, choose the Advanced tab.
8. Navigate to the bottom and activate the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
9. Go to the Safari menu, choose Develop from the drop-down list, and click on Empty Caches.
10. The next thing to do is restore the Homepage to your preference and remove the one from Free Test Now.
11. Back in the Safari Preferences window, click on the General tab.
12. Under the Homepage section, type your desired URL to be the default start-up page.
13. Lastly, make sure to have the right Search Engine.
14. Go back to the Safari Preferences window and click on the Search tab.
15. Select your desired Search tool under the Search Engine section.
16. You may now restart the Safari browser.
How to remove Hfreetestnow.app Pop-ups (Notification)
Most of the time, browser hijackers are combined with intrusive pop-up ads originating from the source website Hfreetestnow.app. It is taking advantage of push notification feature of popular internet programs like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Edge. These pop-up ads from Hfreetestnow.app are extra ordinary as it exceeds the normal display volume and they are certainly annoying.
Normally, Hfreetestnow.app pop-ups will start to bombard internet browser screen with pop-ups if web user was deceived to click “Allow” button that triggers the said website to send push notification. To stop Hfreetestnow.app from showing the pop-ups, please execute the procedures below. Remember, these steps may only be successful after the removal of the main component or dubious browser extension.
Google Chrome
1. On Google Chrome browser, input the following in the address bar and press Enter:
chrome://settings/content/notifications
2. Navigate to the list under "Allow" section and look for Hfreetestnow.app.
3. Click the ellipses (3 dots) beside Hfreetestnow.app list to reveal the options.
4. Click on Block or Remove to stop Hfreetestnow.app from displaying pop-up ads on Google Chrome browser.
6. Please restart Google Chrome browser.
Mozilla Firefox
1. On Mozilla Firefox browser, type the following in the address bar and press Enter key:
about:preferences#privacy
2. Navigate below to Permission area and look for Notifications.
3. Click the Settings button aligned with the Notifications.
4. Look for Hfreetestnow.app entry and change the Status to Block.
5. Click on Save Changes and restart Mozilla Firefox and check if Hfreetestnow.app pop-up is gone.
Safari (Mac)
1. On top menu, click on Safari and then, select Preferences from the drop-down list.
2. Click on Websites tab to open its settings.
3. Select Notifications from the left sidebar.
4. On right panel, it will display a list of websites with "Allow" attribute.
5. Find and click on Hfreetestnow.app.
6. You may choose to Deny or Remove it from the notification list.
7. You may now restart Safari browser and see if Hfreetestnow.app pop-up is gone.
Microsoft Edge
1. Assuming that Edge browser is open, click on the ellipses (3 dots) on upper right corner to open the Settings. Alternatively, you can press Alt + X on the keyboard.
2. Select Settings from the drop-down list.
3. Click on Advanced.
4. Under Website Permissions area, click on Manage Permissions button.
4. Find and select Hfreetestnow.app from the list. Click on X button to stop it from showing pop-up ads or notifications.
5. You may now restart Edge browser.
