HijackThis is a free tool developed by Merijn Bellekom, a student in The Netherlands. Spyware removal software such as Adaware or Spybot S&D do a good job of detecting and removing most spyware programs, but some spyware and browser hijackers are too insidious for even these great anti-spyware utilities. HijackThis is written specifically to detect and remove browser hijacks, or software that takes over your web browser, alters your defaut home page and search engine and other malicious things.

Unlike typical anti-spyware software, HijackThis does not use signatures or target any specific programs or URL's to detect and block. Rather, HijackThis looks for the tricks and methods used by malware to infect your system and redirect your browser.

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