SmartEasyMaps Hijacker - How to remove

SmartEasyMaps – that’s a browser hijacker made by Mindspark and related with the MyWay.com and Ask.com search engines. SmartEasyMaps is supposed to provide users with driving directions, traffic maps, and other map-related content in their browser. Like most of Mindspark’s browser extensions, SmartEasyMaps is considered to be a hijacker by cybersecurity companies. It’s not concerned with useful functionality nearly as much as it’s concerned with promoting the search engines, advertising to users, and collecting their browsing history.

SmartEasyMaps is a browser hijacker

Classification	Browser hijacker Adware
What makes SmartEasyMaps a hijacker	Replaces the new tab page Promotes search engines owned by the maker of the extension Reads your browsing history and your search queries Gets installed without permission
Distribution and installation	Included with free programs Advertised on shady websites
Remove SmartEasyMaps	Uninstall unwanted browser extensions manually Delete adware using anti-malware programs (Combo Cleaner for MacOS, SpyHunter for Windows)

SmartEasyMaps works on Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. It changes the new tab page of the browsers and it also plops a search box in the middle of that new tab page. This search box uses MyWay.com to deliver search results. The ads in the search results provide SmartEasyMaps’s makers with some revenue. This is how browser hijackers work.

Besides that, SmartEasyMaps’ new tab page provides links to various map-related websites, as well as a currency converter, people search site, a celebrity house search, a calendar, and a few other links. In my opinion, SmartEasyMaps’ functions do not justify its takeover of the new tab page. And yet, if you install SmartEasyMaps, you won’t be able to change back your new tab page without uninstalling the extension.

Unnecessary changes to browser settings is one of the signs of a browser hijacker – a description that applies to SmartEasyMaps (VirusTotal link). In general, hijackers are made to advertise to users, to make money to the hijacker’s creators. Nowadays, the ads are shown together with search engine results, which is why the search engine is replaced. Pop-up ads are also used sometimes (and SmartEasyMaps can show you those). So, using SmartEasyMaps you’re likely to see more ads during web browsing than if you had not installed this extension.

Another way that SmartEasyMaps takes advantage of its users is by collecting their browsing history and search terms. Your demographic data and your interests are useful information that can make advertising to you very effective.

SmartEasyMaps gets installed without permission

SmartEasyMaps seems to mostly get installed without users’ knowledge. This is achieved by bundling this hijacker with various free programs. Pay-per-install monetization allows the makers and distributors of freeware to make money off of their software by including promoted software in their installers, but the users have to deal with these sneaky inclusions every time. A browser add-on like SmartEasyMaps might be hidden in advanced settings, in the EULA, and in other screens that users are likely to skip. Thus, if you found SmartEasyMaps on your system, you might not know how you even downloaded it.

Another way to install SmartEasyMaps is by finding it online, via ads. Generally, some Mindspark ads show up promoted by adware viruses and sites like Sauwoaptain.com and Trynotify.com. Ads for SmartEasyMaps and other hijackers appear on video converter sites, streaming sites, and other shady and legally-gray spaces.

SmartEasyMaps has existed for over a year and, by now, over one hundred thousand users have installed it, knowing or not, intentionally or not. Hijackers like SmartEasyMaps are easy to remove and simple to avoid. For one, just scan every downloaded installer and if it includes junkware, your anti-malware scanner should give you a warning. Takes these warnings seriously – for example, a malicious browser hijacker could steal your passwords.

There are some other signs that should let you know if a browser add-on is trustworthy: candid and detailed reviews, developers that react to feedback, modest permissions. SmartEasyMaps fails at those: its permissions are way too greedy, the developers are distant, and there are no user reviews. The same story goes with other Mindspark hijackers, like MyTransitMapper, FindYourMaps, OnlineMapFinder, and MapsGalaxy.

How to remove SmartEasyMaps

Browser extensions can be removed manually or with the help of an anti-malware program. You can scan your computer with Combo Cleaner for MacOS, SpyHunter for Windows, or another trusted tool. It should be able to remove junkware.

Or you can manually uninstall SmartEasyMaps and other unwanted browser extensions. The instructions are in the next section.

It’s a good idea to remember how you got SmartEasyMaps and try to avoid that. If you got it from a freeware program, keep in mind the website you downloaded it from. If misleading ads got you to install it, remember them for the future.

Automatic Malware removal tools

TopRemoving SmartEasyMaps Hijacker from Chrome

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Google Chrome window. Select “Settings”.
  
• Click “Extensions” on the left menu bar.
• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to SmartEasyMaps Hijacker. Click on the trash bin icon next to SmartEasyMaps Hijacker or other add-ons you want to remove.
  
• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.
  
• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.
  
• Restart Chrome.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

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

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

TopRemove malicious extensions from Internet Explorer

• Press on the Gear icon→Manage Add-ons.
  
• Go through Toolbars and extensions. Remove everything related to SmartEasyMaps Hijacker and items you do not know that are made not by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Oracle or Adobe.
  
• Close the Options.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

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

• Press on the Gear icon->Internet Options.
  
• Choose the Advanced tab and click on the Reset button.
  
• Select a “Delete personal settings” checkbox and click on the Reset button.
  
• Click on the Close button on the confirmation box, then close your browser.
  

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

TopRemoving SmartEasyMaps Hijacker from Firefox

• 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 SmartEasyMaps Hijacker 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.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to SmartEasyMaps Hijacker, 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.
  
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

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