Software Development:
Individual Programming

Symptom

You open a search engine address in your web browser, but you are not seeing the expected content. Instead, you are being redirected to another search page.
• You click a link, but the link does not open the expected target. Instead you see a different page.

Cause

A malicious software redirects all web traffic through a third-party's server. That server loads pages that you actually do not want to see and returns these pages as the search or link result to your browser.

The behavior is caused by a virus/trojan on your computer, that your antivirus-software failed to detect. Quite frequently viruses hide in browser toolbars (browser add-ons, plugins), that were installed by users unsuspiciously.

Solution

First remove the virus that your antivirus-software failed to detect. To remove the virus, use a an alternative antivirus software such as "Hitman Pro" by Surfright. The virus cannot be removed in the ordinary operations mode of your Windows computer. Instead, run the antivirus-software in Windows safe mode. Read the article "Remove undetected virus".

After the virus has been removed and before you surf on other websites on the Internet, deactivate and delete all unnecessary browser add-ons (specifically the browser toolbars that are still active). Read the article "Remove toolbars and other browser add-ons".

Overview of frequently asked questions