SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus - How to remove

SimpleHolidayRecipes might look like a useful and cool feature that you can add to your web browser for free. Unfortunately, it is not as innocent as you might think. This browser extension is categorized as a hijacker due to obvious reasons – it will change your personal settings without even asking for permission to do that.

It is described as a tool that will provide you with simple holiday recipes right on your web browser. Spoiler alert: it is not functioning as it is described and besides that, you will get a lot of features that are unwanted or even dangerous.

If you have discovered that this potentially unwanted program is operating on one of your web browsers and you can’t recall installing SimpleHolidayRecipes by yourself, it means your computer was infected and you should immediately get rid of it.

It can be a difficult task for a regular user to do that, so we are here to help. Please read this article to the end and learn how to effectively eliminate the infection for good and also protect your computer from similar malware, so this won’t happen in the future.

How SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus Can Cause Harm

SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus is a typical browser hijacker. We have seen a ton of them –  like YourHotTab.net, Search.hquickdrivingdirections.com, or Search.searchgmfs1.com. They all operate in a similar manner and SimpleHolidayRecipes is not an exception.

First of all, since it is operating as an extension to the web browser, it gets added to one of them. After that, it automatically changes your personal settings, such as the new tab page or default search engine. It will do against your will, even if you do not agree to such changes.

Eventually, you will be visiting their landing page more often as it will be set as a new tab page on the infected web browser. This is why it is dangerous – we do not suggest to use SimpleHolidayRecipes for web searches or any other activities.

In addition to that, the presence of SimpleHolidayRecipes can result in your computer being infected with other viruses, so even if you don’t use the browser that is infected, we highly recommend to get rid of this virus as soon as possible. If you do use the browser that is infected, you should switch to the alternative one until the virus is completely removed.

SimpleHolidayRecipes Landing Page Analysis

We have mentioned that this tool promises to bring you various food recipes. Well, it kind of lives up to the expectations, because there are various links and shortcuts to content that is related to this topic. For instance, there is a toolbar that is full of links to video recipes, healthy meals and so on. Unfortunately, you can’t expect the best available recipes, since they are building traffic to affiliated websites this way.

Moving on – there is a search function that is supposed to provide enhanced web search. We would like to notice that it is powered by MyWay, and this service is notorious malware that is not reliable at all. They claim that this search is enhanced by Google, but in reality, that’s just a cheap trick to build trust and look more professional.

It won’t take long to realize that search results delivered by SimpleHolidayRecipes are not of the best quality. They insert a lot of advertisements and sponsored results in top positions, even if they are not relevant to your search at all, just like in this example:

You can also take a look at their privacy policy, especially at the part that speaks about your personal data – how it is collected and shared with other parties:

C. HOW WE COLLECT INFORMATION

We may collect information from you in a variety of different ways. This is information that may identify you, and anonymous information, such as the number of your page views, link clicks, and login times. Your information may be kept in an identifiable format, or in an aggregate format which means that you cannot reasonably be identified from it. We provide further detail on the type of info we collect, and how we collect it, below:

1. Information You Provide To Us. We may collect and store any information you provide when using the MS Services or that you provide in some other manner. This information may include information such as:
   • Your name, email address, telephone number, username and password.
   • Information provided when you log-in to the MS Services via Facebook or any other social media site (you should review the privacy policy of Facebook or any other social media site through which you choose to log into certain MS Services)
   • We also collect and store information and other content you post to the MS Services, where such features are made available (e.g., MyScrapBook which allows you to centrally save items such as photos).
   • Further, in order to permit us to protect the quality of our products and services, we may to the extent permitted by applicable law access your account and records on a case by case basis to investigate complaints or other allegations.

Behavioral Advertising. We work with various companies (such as advertisers, ad networks and data management platforms) to tailor online ads that you see elsewhere on the internet, including through behavioral advertising designed to target users� interests and deliver more relevant advertising.

To provide such ads, these third parties may collect and/or we may disclose to these third parties a unique ID that may be associated with your device�s platform or a device/internet browser combination

We or these third parties may collect the following information (and similar information):

• Demographic data collected on MS Services (e.g., age, zip or postal code, gender) and geographic location derived from your IP address on your visits to the MS Services and non-affiliated websites and applications;
• Data about your use of or visits to the MS Services and non-affiliated websites and applications;
• Data on your interaction with the advertisement displayed on third party websites and applications; and
• Interest and usage data (such as the pages you view and links you click on) acquired from other companies.
• We may disclose any or all of the collected information to third parties.

How SimpleHolidayRecipes Landed On Your Browser

There is no doubt that SimpleHolidayRecipes is owned by Mindspark, and they usually distribute those malicious tools bundled with other legitimate software.

So the most common way to get infected with this virus is to download some sort of free program or file, such as an update or text editor, install it, and SimpleHolidayRecipes will be installed in the background.

Obviously, you can’t monitor everything, especially if you are not an advanced computer user. For that reason, we recommend getting yourself anti-malware tool with real-time protection feature, like Malware Fighter or Plumbytes. Just by running in the background, those programs can assure that no unwanted files will be able to enter your system.

How You Can Eliminate SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus

If this infection is already inside of your computer and it is too late for the prevention, you should immediately scan your computer with SpyHunter Those tools are really good at detecting and removing computer viruses like this one, so after the scan all files related to SimpleHolidayRecipes will be removed automatically.

However, to get rid of SimpleHolidayRecipes fully, you will have to restore your web browser’s settings back to normal. Take a look at the instructions provided below this article – it’s a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to do that. In case you are still experiencing bad consequences of SimpleHolidayRecipes even after completing those instructions and scanning your computer with anti-malware software, you are always welcome to contact us in the comments section below.

Automatic Malware removal tools

SimpleHolidayRecipes Removal Instructions

How to remove SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.

How to remove SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus from macOS

Delete SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

TopHow To remove SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus from Google Chrome:

• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select More Tools→Extensions
  
• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.
  
• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select Settings
  
• Select Manage Search engines
  
• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list
  
• Go back to settings. On Startup choose Open blank page (you can remove undesired pages from the set pages link too).
• If your homepage was changed, click on Chrome menu on the top right corner, select Settings. Select Open a specific page or set of pages and click on Set pages.
  
• Delete malicious search websites at a new Startup pages window by clicking “X” next to them.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on a Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on theReset browser settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How To remove SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus from Firefox:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Options → General. Enter a preferable URL to the homepage field and click Restore to Default.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
  
• ChooseTroubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on theReset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.

How to remove SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus from Microsoft Edge:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Microsoft Edge window. Select “Extensions”.

• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.

• Click on the three-dot menu on the browser toolbar and Select Settings

• Select Privacy and Services and scroll down. Press on Address bar.

• Choose Manage search engines.

• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list: open the three-dot menu and choose Remove.

• Go back to Settings. Open On start-up.
• Delete malicious search websites at Open specific page or pages by opening the three-dot menu and clicking Delete.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings

• Click on Edge's menu button and select Settings. Click on the Reset Settings button on the left.
• Press the Restore settings to their default values option.

• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How to remove SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to SimpleHolidayRecipes Virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.