How I Resolved Browser Startup Issues Linked to Malware

If you’ve ever experienced your browser launching to an unfamiliar and potentially unsafe website upon startup, you’re not alone. Recently, I encountered this frustrating problem with my computer, which involved a flashy CMD window and redirection to the site “ururgisha[.]net.” Fortunately, I was able to address the issue effectively, and in this post, I will share the steps I followed to regain control.

Step 1: Investigate the Windows Registry

The first place to examine is the Windows Registry, where malicious entries can often be found. Here’s how I did it:

1. Access the Registry Editor: I initiated the process by pressing Win + R, entering regedit, and hitting Enter.
2. Navigate to Startup Entries: I went to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
3. Identify Malicious Entries: In this location, I discovered an entry that resembled “YourUserName” with a path referencing “cmd.exe /c start www[.]dongdonger[.]org”.
4. Remove the Entry: I right-clicked the suspicious entry and selected Delete to eliminate it from my startup sequence.

Step 2: Check Task Scheduler for Unwanted Tasks

After addressing the registry, the next step was to check the Task Scheduler for any unauthorized tasks.

1. Launch Task Scheduler: I opened Task Scheduler by pressing Win + R, typing taskschd.msc, and pressing Enter.
2. Inspect Scheduled Tasks: I navigated to the “Task Scheduler Library” and scanned for any tasks that seemed out of place.
3. Review Specific Tasks: I located a task named after my username, which drew my attention.
4. Analyze the Task Action: After right-clicking the task and selecting Properties, I found that it was programmed to execute “cmd.exe /c start www[.]dongdonger[.]org”.
5. Delete the Task: To ensure complete removal, I right-clicked on the task again and selected Delete.

Step 3: Restart Your Computer

Having completed the necessary eliminations, the final step involved restarting my computer:

• I rebooted the system to check if the issue was resolved.
• To my relief, the browser no longer opened to the unfamiliar site upon