The growing number of browser threats shows no sign of holding back, especially the ones that belong to the classification of homepage hijacker. Another addition to the list is called GuardGo. It came from a family of potentially unwanted program (PUP) that also made similar browser menaces as Lax Search and Boyu.com.tr. The moment that this type of application manages to enter the internet browser program, web user may instantly witness unsolicited changes, particularly on homepage, new tab, and search engine. The modification aims to promote the search engine and start-page Boyu.
GuardGo is promoted as a browser extension that helps users avoid visiting suspicious websites. Hence, the outcome after installing the program is much more risky. Aside from overriding the search settings, it also won’t allow users to uninstall GuardGo by implementing the Chrome policy.
How does GuardGo infiltrate the computer?
Cyber crooks have many ways at their arsenal with regards to deploying their malicious codes. They are using an aggressive type of advertising campaign to mislead internet users into downloading GuardGo, claiming that it is a useful program. They even promote this as a browser extension that enhances the online surfing and search experience of users. In addition, the individuals behind GuardGo are relying on freeware and shareware to install this malware onto the computer without the notice of the users. Above all, it was noted that the majority of infection cases originated from phony pop-up system alerts, which prompt the web user to download a supposed software update.
Getting rid of GuardGo
As already mentioned, this program is part of a malware family. We can assure the web users that GuardGo do not have any benefit, so installing it is not necessary. If it has successfully penetrated the browser, immediate removal is highly suggested. Complete steps to get rid of GuardGo is outlined on this page. Also included in the procedures are virus and malware removal tools to eliminate any harmful elements from the browser program.
GuardGo Removal Procedure
In this section, we will provide effective guidelines to get rid of the threat from an infected computer. To automatically remove malware, you may download the recommended scanner. For comprehensive instructions, please execute the manual step-by-step procedures.
Instant Removal : Scan the computer with antivirus program
Combo Cleaner is a trusted computer security and optimization tool equipped with a powerful virus and malware detection engine. This program can get rid of GuardGo browser hijacker and similar threats, whether it has infected PC, Mac, Android, or iOS.
1. Download the application from the following page:
2. Save the file to your preferred location.
3. Double-click the downloaded file CCSetup.exe and install with the default settings.
4. At the end of the setup process, click Finish to run Combo Cleaner.
5. The tool will update the database file; please wait for this process to complete.
6. To begin checking for threats like GuardGo, click on the Start Scan button. Wait for this scan to finish.
7. At the end of the scan process, click on Remove all threats to delete GuardGo, including all harmful objects from the computer.
To fully optimize the features of antivirus and privacy scanners, users may have to upgrade to the premium version.
Please continue with the succeeding removal procedures if you are comfortable manually getting rid of the browser hijacker and malicious items linked to it.
Manual Removal : Steps to get rid of GuardGo
The steps below will guide you to manually remove GuardGo without having to purchase a recommended virus scanner. We have tested the procedures; hence, the attackers may make modifications overtime. As a result, terms, names, and images in the guide may differ from what users are seeing recently.
The procedure may require you to close the browser or restart the computer; therefore, we are suggesting to Bookmark or Print this page. You must be logged in to Windows with an Administrator account to be able to execute some of the tasks. Check here to know if you are currently using an account with Admin rights.Step 1 : Uninstall GuardGo from Windows
1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key + R. Type the appwiz.cpl command and click OK.
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 GuardGo or a recently installed suspicious entry from the list.
4. Click on Uninstall to remove it from the Windows system. You can close the Program and Features window once this procedure is done.
Step 2 : Delete GuardGo 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 GuardGo. If it is not present, look for and delete any suspicious browser extension.
For Google Chrome Browser
1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
2. Input the strings below in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard:
chrome://extensions
3. Look for GuardGo or a relevant entry and remove it from Google Chrome.
For Microsoft Edge Browser
1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key + R. Type the appwiz.cpl command and click OK.
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 GuardGo or a recently installed suspicious entry from the list.
4. Click on Uninstall to remove it from the Windows system.
If GuardGo is still present on the browser and unwanted homepage and pop-ups persist, another option is to remove the hijacker from the browser settings.
5. Open the Microsoft Edge program.
6. Input the following string in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard:
edge://extensions/
7. Look for and Remove or Disable entries for GuardGo from the Installed Extensions area.
8. You may now close the window and restart the Microsoft Edge browser.
For Mozilla Firefox Browser
1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type or copy and paste the strings below in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard:
about:addons
3. Click on Extensions from the sidebar menu.
4. Look for an entry that pertains to GuardGo and Disable or Remove it from the browser using the options button.
For Opera Browser
1. Open the Opera internet browser program.
2. In the address bar, type or copy and paste the text below. Press Enter on your keyboard.
opera://extensions
3. Find the malicious extension and then, click on Remove button to delete it from the Opera browser.
Step 3 : Scan with AdwCleaner and Reset Chrome Policies
In addition to the procedure, we suggest scanning the computer with AdwCleaner tool. Possibly, there are some traces of GuardGo on the browser that were not deleted during the preceding steps. This tool will scan the computer and check for presence of malicious applications.
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 GuardGo.
3. Browse the location of the downloaded file and double-click on adwcleaner.exe to start running the tool.
4. If Windows displays a prompt saying, "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" click Yes to proceed.
5. On the AdwCleaner dashboard, click on Settings.
6. While in the Settings window, please turn On the Reset Chrome Policies, Reset IE Policies, and Reset Winsock.
7. Go back to the Dashboard and click the Scan Now button.
8. AdwCleaner searches the computer for malicious programs, extensions, plug-ins, adware, and any items that may be associated with GuardGo.
9. Clean or Remove all suspicious and harmful items identified after the thorough scan.
10. AdwCleaner will then prompt an option to run another repair, which will reset Winsock and other settings. Please click the Run Basic Repair button.
11. A message will appear stating that "All processes will be closed..." Please click Continue.
12. After the cleanup procedure, rebooting the computer is required to finalize the removal of GuardGo as well as other detected threats.
Step 4 : Run the Final Scan Using Sophos Home Antivirus.
To remove GuardGo automatically, scanning the computer with this powerful virus and malware 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 GuardGo.
1. Please click on the link below to download the program.
2. After downloading, locate the file SophosInstall.exe in the Downloads folder.
3. Install by double-clicking on the file.
4. If it prompts "Do you want to allow this app to make changes on your device?" please click Yes.
5. Next, it will display the Terms and Conditions page. Click the Install button to begin.
6. Run the installation with the default settings. Please note that an internet connection is required in order to download important updates.
7. After finishing the installation, you must login to the dashboard. If you already have a Sophos account, please login. Otherwise, please enter your details and click on the Create Account button.
8. Once you are in the Sophos Home console, click the Scan button to start checking the computer for GuardGo components.
9. Scanning may take a while; please wait for this process to finish.
10. After scanning the computer, Sophos Home will start cleaning or deleting files infected with GuardGo.
11. You may now close Sophos Home. The computer is now free from GuardGo, as well as associated malware and viruses.
The above procedures should have totally eliminated GuardGo browser hijacker. However, if you find that there are still remnants of the malware, please proceed to the next steps below.
Step 5 : Fixing the Homepage and Search Engine
For Google Chrome Browser
1. Open the Google Chrome browser. Type or copy and paste the following on the address bar. Then, press Enter on the keyboard:
chrome://settings
2. Go to the left sidebar and click On Startup.
3. Select "Open a specific page or set of pages" in the right panel.
4. Locate the unwanted Homepage URL, click on More Actions icon (3-dot), and select Remove or Edit.
5. If you choose Edit, enter the desired web address as your home page, replacing GuardGo. Click Save.
6. To set the default search engine, go to the left sidebar, and this time, select Search Engine.
7. Click on the Manage search engines and site search button in the right panel.
8. Find the unwanted Search Engine in the list. Click on More Actions icon, and then click Delete.
9. Go back to the left side bar and click Search Engine.
10. In the right panel, choose a valid entry from the "Search engine used in the address bar."
You can now restart the Google Chrome browser to see if the unwanted homepage and search engine related to GuardGo are gone.
For Microsoft Edge Browser
1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser on your computer.
2. In the address bar, type or copy and paste the string below, then press Enter on the keyboard:
edge://settings/startHomeNTP
3. Go to the "When Edge Starts" area. Under the "Open these pages" section, click More Actions (3-dot).
4. Select Edit to open the Edit Page window.
5. Input your desired address to replace the homepage settings of GuardGo.
6. Click the Save button. You may now restart Microsoft Edge browser.
For Mozilla Firefox Browser
1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser on your computer.
2. Type or copy and paste the following on the address bar, then press Enter on the keyboard:
about:preferences
3. Click Home in the sidebar area.
4. Under "Homepage and new windows", you may choose Firefox Home (Default) or Custom URLs.
5. If you chose Custom URLs, input the desired URL to replace GuardGo settings.
6. To configure the default search engine, select Search in the left sidebar to display the settings.
7. Under the "Default Search Engine" list, please select a legitimate one (i.e., Google).
8. Scroll down to "Search Shortcuts" and select an unwanted search engine.
9. Click on the Remove button to delete the unwanted search engine. You may now restart the Mozilla Firefox browser.
For Opera Browser
1. In the address bar of Opera browser, type or copy and paste the text below. Press Enter on your keyboard.
opera://settings/searchEngines
2. Scroll down to the "Search Engine" section and find your desired name (i.e. Google Search)
3. Click on the ellipses icon (3-dot) and select Make Default.
4. In the same section, click the ellipses icon of the unwanted search engine and select Delete to remove the malicious search engine from the Opera browser.
5. Go back to the Basic section and scroll down to the "On Startup" section.
6. Find the unwanted homepage address, click its ellipses icon (3-dot), and choose between Remove or Edit.
7. If you choose Edit, enter the desired web address as your homepage, replacing GuardGo. Click Save.
System Compatibility Notice
We ensured that our method to get rid of GuardGo is compatible with the majority of Microsoft operating systems (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11). To prevent complicated steps, the commands used in the instructions are common, useful, and tested. If you encounter any compatibility problems when following this tutorial, please message us or leave your comment below, and we will reply and make the required modifications.
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