What is My Utility Box?
My Utility Box is one of those Chrome extensions that are often categorized as potentially unwanted programs. It means that they are not direct system security threats, but they could have certain features that you would not want to have on your computer. Therefore, security experts often recommend removing the likes of My Utility Box from your browser for a number of security reasons. The good news is that deleting a browser extension is not that hard, so you should be able to do it on your own. However, if you think that there are more potential threats on-board, do not hesitate to use a powerful antispyware tool.
Where does My Utility Box come from?
The distribution of a particular program determines how we categorize it. This particular extension has an official homepage, so it is not possible to label it as a malware infection. What’s more, it is also possible to find it on Chrome Web Store, so this proves that users download and add this application to their browsers willingly.
Here you might say that you did not want to have this application, and you have no idea why it is in your browser. Well then, if that is the case, then you probably added it to your browser accidentally when you downloaded some freeware app.
Where do we get freeware apps? It is possible to download them from file-sharing websites. We mean such programs that do not require a subscription, and you can use them for quite a while for free. There are tons of such applications, but the problem here is that they tend to come bundled with additional features and applications, and users are not aware of that. Perhaps you WOULD know about it if you were to read all the steps in the setup carefully, but quite a few of us simply want to click the Finish button ASAP. As a result, we miss important steps, and the likes of My Utility Box end up on our browsers.
What does My Utility Box do?
We have established already that this extension is not a malicious security threat. In fact, if you were to check the information about it on the main website via myutilitybox.co, it would tell that you this extension offers you “extremely useful digital tools right from your new tab page.” Having My Utility Box on your browser, you can “search and access popular utility quick links instantly from your new tab page! Search your favorite utility sites instantly from your home and <…> access tax with just one click!” So, as we can see, the extension should provide you with useful service.
However, our problem with it is that My Utility Box may also expose you to unreliable third-party content by trying to provide you with important information. After all, it changes your homepage to search.hmyutilitybox.co, and it even affects the default search settings on Internet Explorer. It means that the extension modifies internet settings at a far deeper level than your usual browser plugin. If you did not intend to have this application on-board, such behavior could be very intrusive and annoying. Not to mention that malevolent third parties could also make use of this extension to reach you.
That is to say; My Utility Box does not try to infect you with malware or steal your personal information. However, this extension may thrive on third-party advertising, and this activity is never 100% safe. That is because freeware applications do not and cannot check the content that is provided by third parties. Hence, if someone exploits the program for their own gains, there is nothing My Utility Box or you could do.
How do I remove My Utility Box?
Due to a number of security concerns, it would be for the best to delete My Utility Box from your system. Since this extension affects all main browsers, you will find the removal instructions for each browser below this description. While you are at it, do not hesitate to scan your system with a licensed antispyware tool because you might as well have more undesirable applications on-board. Be sure to terminate them all, and then protect your computer from similar intruders in the future.
Manual My Utility Box Removal
Internet Explorer
- Press Win+R and type regedit. Click OK.
- Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.
- On the right side, right-click the Start Page value.
- Select Modify and change your startup page. Click OK.
- Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes.
- Delete the {C8904AF0-6C2E-466B-82FC-B92AAA696E01} key under SearchScopes.
- Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall.
- Delete the {28e56cfb-e30e-4f66-85d8-339885b726b8} key under Uninstall.
- Close Registry Editor and press Win+R again.
- Type %AppData% into the Open box and click OK.
- Remove the {28e56cfb-e30e-4f66-85d8-339885b726b8} folder from the directory.
Firefox
- Press Win+R and type %AppData%. Click OK.
- Go to Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[Unique User ID]\extensions.
- Delete the web@Utility.xpi file and go back to the [Unique User ID] folder.
- Use Notepad to open the prefs.js file.
- Find and remove the following string: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "search.hmyutilitybox.co”);
- Save changes and exit the file.
Chrome
- Press Win+R and type %LocalAppData%. Click OK.
- Open Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions.
- Delete the cpooojldmhfkhfhmoacpdihfakglidbf folder.
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