What is SportsHero?
SportsHero is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that settles in the system as an extension. The add-on can affect only the Google Chrome browsers. It may change your preferences, by replacing the default search engine, homepage, or new tab page. Thus, the browser might start loading Search.mysearch.com every time you open it. We would not recommend you using the search engine as it might show you content that could be potentially harmful. Instead, we would advise users to get rid of the application as soon as possible. There are more trustworthy search engines you could use instead, so there is no need to keep the suspicious software on the system. If you think alike, you should check the removal instructions below the text and erase SportsHero.
Where does SportsHero come from?
The program might be downloaded from its official website, which is sporthero.thewhizmarketing.com. However, it would be quite impossible for the user to find this site accidentally. Thus, our researchers think that the PUP could be promoted on pop-up advertisements. The ads with SportsHero might appear while being on unreliable web pages, or it might be shown to the user by a suspicious application installed on the computer. For example, the user might have installed adware, browser hijackers, etc. If you think it is possible, you should check the system as soon as possible.
How does SportsHero work?
The PUP creates folders titled as kgokkpinadgklmekoepdbegcgpkiifde in the Google Chrome’s directories. It should also modify a couple of files called Preferences and Secure Preferences located in the %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default path. SportsHero might alter the mentioned files so it could replace users default homepage, search engine, or new tab page with Search.mysearch.com.
The reason our researchers at Anti-spyware-101.com are against the search engine’s usage is because it might add potentially harmful content to the results before they are shown to the user. To be more precise, the browser hijacker could display annoying advertisements of its third-party partners. The worst part is that such ads might have links to unreliable web pages. To give you an example, the site could be similar to sporthero.thewhizmarketing.com, so it could promote such software as browser hijackers, other PUPs, adware, doubtful toolbars, and so on. We cannot say how high are the chances that you might come across a malicious website with Trojans, viruses, and so on, but this scenario could be possible too.
How to eliminate SportsHero?
You could try to get rid of SportsHero manually by removing its created folders and modified files. Just follow the instructions available below and delete the listed data, although if it looks too complicated, you can always try to use our recommended antimalware software. It has a scanning tool that can detect various threats on the system. The process might take some time, but once it is over you can eliminate all threats with a single mouse click. If you have more questions related to the PUP, or you need any help with its removal, let us know by leaving a comment below or contacting us through social media.
Erase SportsHero
- Press Windows Key+E.
- Navigate to the listed directories one by one:
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\%PROFILE ID%\Extensions
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\%PROFILE ID%\Extensions - Search for folders titled as kgokkpinadgklmekoepdbegcgpkiifde in the paths listed above.
- Right-click each folder named as kgokkpinadgklmekoepdbegcgpkiifde separately and select Delete.
- Go to %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
- Find and erase the following data: chrome-extension_kgokkpinadgklmekoepdbegcgpkiifde_0.localstorage, chrome-extension_kgokkpinadgklmekoepdbegcgpkiifde_0.localstorage-journal.
- Locate this path %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
- Find files titled as Preferences and Secure Preferences, right-click these files separately and press Delete.
tested removal of SportsHero*
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