Why does bitdefender not detect a browser hyjack?

Dalyjama

Hi everyone,
For several months I’ve been struggling with a browser hijack that affects all browsers — Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
No matter what I do, it keeps coming back. I’ve tried everything I can within my limited technical skills to remove it, but without success.

When it takes over, the search address changes to:
https://search-owl.com/?path=firefox/newtab&u=80c3973181124112&subid=11118&channel=20

Has anyone dealt with this issue before or found an effective way to permanently remove it?
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Daan

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/105295/why-does-bitdefender-not-detect-a-browser-hyjack

The issue you are facing is caused by a web browser hijacker, which is a type of adware. Web browser hijacker change your web browser homepage, search engine, or new tab page without your permission. Unlike malware that damages your system or steals data, web browser hijacker primarily redirect your browsing to sponsored sites to generate ad revenue, while adware displays unwanted advertisements directly, such as pop-ups or banners. Although less dangerous than malware, both web browser hijacker and adware are unwanted, intrusive, and can affect your privacy and browsing experience.

Because we browser hijacker are a form of adware and don’t behave like traditional malware, many antimalware software may sometimes fail to detect or fully remove all components—especially if the web browser hijacker installs persistent tasks or syncs through your web browser account.

Follow the steps stated in the link below to get rid of this adware.

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/2574/

Additionally, you can also follow the steps provided below.

1) Open the Run command and execute the following commands one by one:

temp – delete all the files in the folder.

%temp% – delete all the files in the folder.

prefetch – delete all the files in the folder.

2) Reset the Windows host file to default. You can find instructions here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-reset-the-hosts-file-back-to-the-default-c2a43f9d-e176-c6f3-e4ef-3500277a6dae

3) Run Disk Cleanup using this guide: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/disk-cleanup-in-windows-8a96ff42-5751-39ad-23d6-434b4d5b9a68

If the issue still persists, kindly contact Bitdefender support by visiting https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/help/

Select, How to's & Troubleshooting Bitdefender products→Troubleshooting→I don't know→Contact Support→ You will get the option of chat, call or email.

To get an immediate update, kindly use the chat option. Also, ensure that no ad blockers or privacy extensions are enabled in your web browser, as they may prevent the chat window from appearing.

Bitdefender support may request diagnostic logs and will guide you through the process of generating them.

Regards