{"id":11065,"date":"2013-08-19T18:59:26","date_gmt":"2013-08-19T18:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/?p=11065"},"modified":"2013-08-19T19:22:55","modified_gmt":"2013-08-19T19:22:55","slug":"vaf-toolbar-removal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/vaf-toolbar-removal\/","title":{"rendered":"Remove VAF Toolbar (Uninstall Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>VAF Toolbar<\/strong> is a browser hijacker, which is promoted via other free downloads, and once installed it will add the VAFMusic Community Toolbar, change your browser homepage to <em>search.conduit.com<\/em>, and set your default search engine to <strong>VAFMusic Customized Web Search<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-virus.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11069\" title=\"VAF Toolbar\" alt=\"[Image: VAF Toolbar virus]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-virus.jpg\" width=\"1108\" height=\"913\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-virus.jpg 1108w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-virus-300x247.jpg 300w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-virus-1024x843.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1108px) 100vw, 1108px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nThe VAF Customized Web Search will display advertisements and sponsored links in your search results, and may collect search terms from your search queries. The VAF Toolbar infection is used to boost advertising revenue, as in the use of blackhat SEO, to inflate a site\u2019s page ranking in search results.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad4063359038\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309684--placement_360520\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3957935887\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>The VAF Toolbar it&#8217;s technically not a virus, but it does exhibit plenty of malicious traits, such as rootkit capabilities to hook deep into the operating system, browser hijacking, and in general just interfering with the user experience. The industry generally refers to it as a &#8220;PUP,&#8221; or potentially unwanted program.<\/p>\n<p>VAF Toolbar got on your computer after you have installed a freeware software (video recording\/streaming, download-managers or PDF creators) that had bundled into their installation this browser hijacker. This browser hijacker is also bundled within the custom installer on many download sites (examples: CNET, Brothersoft or Softonic), so if you have downloaded a software from these websites, chances are that VAF Toolbar was installed during the software setup process.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad1277735483\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381396-ad_309691-placement_360566\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1471373341\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>For example, when you install VAFPlayer, you will also agree to change your browser homepage to search.conduit.com, set your default search engine to VAFMusic Customized Web Search, and install the VAF Toolbar.<br \/>\nHowever when you uninstall VAFPlayer from your computer, your web browser\u2019s default settings will not be restored. This means that you&#8217;ll have to remove VAF Toolbar and search.conduit.com from your favorite web browser manually.<\/p>\n<p>You should <strong>always pay attention when installing software<\/strong> because often, a software installer includes optional installs, such as this VAF Toolbar. Be very careful what you agree to install.<br \/>\n<strong>Always opt for the custom installation<\/strong> and deselect anything that is not familiar, especially optional software that you never wanted to download and install in the first place. It goes without saying that you should not install software that you don\u2019t trust.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mwtad2875413803\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309746-ad_309691-placement_360521\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"4456629336\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">How to remove VAF Toolbar (Virus Removal Guide)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This page is a comprehensive guide, which will remove VAF Toolbar from Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome.<br \/>\nPlease perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, <strong>STOP<\/strong> and ask for our assistance.<br \/>\n<a href=\"#uninstall\"><strong>STEP 1<\/strong>: Uninstall VAF Toolbar programs from your computer<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#browser\"><strong>STEP 2<\/strong>: Remove VAF Toolbar from your web browser<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#files\"><strong>STEP 3<\/strong>: Remove VAF Toolbar browser hijacker with AdwCleaner and Junkware Removal Tool<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#scan\"><strong>STEP 4<\/strong>: Remove VAF Toolbar malicious files with Malwarebytes and HitmanPro<\/a><\/p><div id=\"mwtad3768496507\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309686-ad_309691-placement_360569\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"6935453015\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mwtad82546812\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309747-ad_309691-placement_360587\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"9589536513\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"uninstall\">STEP 1\u00a0: Uninstall VAF Toolbar program from your computer<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>To uninstall <strong>VAF Toolbar<\/strong> from your computer, click the Start button, then select <strong>Control Panel<\/strong>, and click on <strong>Uninstall a program.<\/strong><br \/>\nIf you are using Windows 8, simply drag your mouse pointer to the right edge of the screen, select Search from the list and search for &#8220;<em>control panel<\/em>&#8220;. Or you can right-click on a bottom left hot corner (formerly known as the Start button) and select <strong>Control Panel<\/strong> from there, then select <em>Uninstall a program<\/em>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7203\" title=\"Click on Uninstall a program\" alt=\"[Image: Uninstall a program]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/uninstall-a-program-windows.jpg\" width=\"557\" height=\"298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/uninstall-a-program-windows.jpg 557w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/uninstall-a-program-windows-300x160.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 557px) 100vw, 557px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When the <strong>Add\/Remove Programs<\/strong> or the <strong>Uninstall a Program<\/strong> screen is displayed, scroll through the list of currently installed programs and uninstall <strong>Search Protect by conduit<\/strong>, <strong>VAF Toolbar<\/strong> and any other recently installed or unknown programs from your computer.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11068\" title=\"Uninstall VAF Toolbar from Windows\" alt=\"[Image: Uninstall VAF Toolbar from Windows]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-uninstall.jpg\" width=\"791\" height=\"273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-uninstall.jpg 791w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-uninstall-300x103.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Depending on what program has installed the VAF Community Toolbar, the above program may have a different name or not be installed on your computer. If you cannot find any unwanted or unknown programs on your machine, then you can proceed with the next step.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"mwtad1900444164\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309748-ad_309691-placement_360588\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3906789406\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"browser\">STEP 2 : Remove VAF Toolbar from your web browser<\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Remove VAF Toolbar from\u00a0Internet Explorer<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Open Internet Explorer, click on the <strong>gear icon\u00a0<\/strong><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"[Image: icongear.jpg]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/images\/removalguide\/icongear.jpg\" border=\"0\" title=\"\"> (<em>Tools<\/em> for Windows XP users)\u00a0at the top (far right), then click again on\u00a0<strong>Internet Options<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5216\" title=\"Internet Options in Internet Explorer\" alt=\"Internet Options in IE\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-internet-options.jpg\" width=\"512\" height=\"269\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-internet-options.jpg 512w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-internet-options-300x157.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>In the <em>Internet Options<\/em> dialog box, click on the\u00a0<strong>Advanced<\/strong>\u00a0tab, then click\u00a0on the <strong>Reset<\/strong> button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5217\" title=\"Reset button in Internet Explorer\" alt=\"Reset Internet Explorer\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-reset.jpg\" width=\"338\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-reset.jpg 338w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-reset-234x300.jpg 234w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 338px) 100vw, 338px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>In the <em>Reset Internet Explorer settings<\/em> section, check the <strong>Delete personal settings <\/strong> box, then click on\u00a0<strong>Reset<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5215\" title=\"Reset Internet Explorer to its default settings\" alt=\"Internet Explorer back to its default settings to remove VAF Toolbar\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-default-settings.jpg\" width=\"368\" height=\"366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-default-settings.jpg 368w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ie-default-settings-300x298.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 368px) 100vw, 368px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When Internet Explorer finishes resetting, click <strong>Close<\/strong>\u00a0in the confirmation dialogue box and then click\u00a0<strong>OK<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Close and open Internet Explorer<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Remove VAF Toolbar from\u00a0Mozilla Firefox<\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Remove VAF Toolbar extensions from Firefox.<\/strong><br \/>\nAt the top of the Firefox window, click the orange <strong>Firefox\u00a0button<\/strong>, then select <strong>Add-ons<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5357\" title=\"Firefox Add-on manager\" alt=\"Firefox addon menu\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/firefox-addon.jpg\" width=\"313\" height=\"205\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/firefox-addon.jpg 313w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/firefox-addon-300x196.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 313px) 100vw, 313px\" \/><br \/>\nSelect the <strong>Extensions<\/strong> tab, then remove <strong>VAFMusic 10.16.70.5<\/strong> and any other unknown extensions from Mozilla Firefox.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11067\" title=\"VAF Toolbar Firefox extension\" alt=\"[Image: VAF Toolbar Firefox extension]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Firefox-extension.jpg\" width=\"790\" height=\"285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Firefox-extension.jpg 790w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Firefox-extension-300x108.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><\/li>\n<li><strong>Reset your default search engine and homepage from <i>VAF Customized Web Search<\/i> to their default.<\/strong><br \/>\nTo reset your search engine and homepage to their default, we will use the <em>SearchReset<\/em> extension.This add-on is very simple: on installation, it backs up and then resets your search preferences and home page to their default values, and then uninstalls itself. This affects the search bar, URL bar searches, and the home page.<br \/>\nYou can download SearchReset from the below link, and then we will just need to install it to revert Firefox to its default settings.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/addons.mozilla.org\/en-US\/firefox\/addon\/searchreset\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>SEARCHRESET DOWNLOAD LINK<\/strong><\/a> <em>(This link will open another web page from where you can download the SearchReset Firefox extension)<\/em><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7089\" title=\"Install SearchReset extension to restore Firefox to its default settings\" alt=\"[Image: SearchReset extension]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/searchreset-firefox-extension.jpg\" width=\"759\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/searchreset-firefox-extension.jpg 759w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/searchreset-firefox-extension-300x212.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 759px) 100vw, 759px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Remove VAF Toolbar from\u00a0Google Chrome<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Remove VAF Toolbar extensions from Google Chrome.<\/strong><br \/>\nClick the Chrome menu\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4953\" title=\"Chrome menu button\" alt=\"Chrome menu\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Chrome-button.png\" width=\"29\" height=\"29\" \/>\u00a0 button on the browser toolbar, select\u00a0<strong>Tools<\/strong>\u00a0and then click on\u00a0<strong>Extensions<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5221\" title=\"Open Extensions tab in Chrome\" alt=\"Google Chrome Extensions\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/chrome-extensions.jpg\" width=\"517\" height=\"256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/chrome-extensions.jpg 517w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/chrome-extensions-300x148.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 517px) 100vw, 517px\" \/><br \/>\nIn the\u00a0<strong>Extensions<\/strong>\u00a0tab, remove <strong>VAFMusic 10.16.100.4\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0and any other unknown extensions by clicking the trash can <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9976\" title=\"Remove an extension from Chrome\" alt=\"[Image: Remove an extension from Chrome]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Trash-Can-Chrome.png\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" \/> icon.<br \/>\nBasically, if you have not installed an extension, you should remove it from your web browser.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11066\" title=\"VAF Toolbar Chrome extension\" alt=\"[Image: VAF Toolbar Chrome extension]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-extension.jpg\" width=\"765\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-extension.jpg 765w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-extension-300x117.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 765px) 100vw, 765px\" \/><\/li>\n<li><strong>Set Google Chrome default search engine from VAF Customized Web Search to Google.<\/strong><br \/>\nClick the Chrome menu\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4953\" title=\"Chrome menu button\" alt=\"Chrome menu\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Chrome-button.png\" width=\"29\" height=\"29\" \/>\u00a0 button, then select <strong>Settings<\/strong> and click on\u00a0<strong>Manage search engines<\/strong>\u00a0in the Search section.<br \/>\nIn the <em>Search Engines<\/em> dialog that appears, select <strong>Google<\/strong> and click the <strong>Make Default<\/strong> button that appears in the row.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-search.jpg\" alt=\"[Image: VAF Customized Web Search Chrome]\" width=\"861\" height=\"266\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11070\" title=\"VAF Customized Web Search Chrome\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-search.jpg 861w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-search-300x92.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 861px) 100vw, 861px\" \/><br \/>\nSearch for <strong>Conduit<\/strong>\u00a0in the <em>Search Engines<\/em> list, and click the\u00a0<strong>X<\/strong>\u00a0button that appears at the end of the row.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-search-removal.jpg\" alt=\"[Image: VAF Customized Web Search Chrome removal]\" width=\"861\" height=\"261\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11071\" title=\"VAF Customized Web Search Chrome removal\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-search-removal.jpg 861w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VAF-Toolbar-Chrome-search-removal-300x90.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 861px) 100vw, 861px\" \/><\/li>\n<li><strong>Change Google Chrome homepage from <em>search.conduit.com<\/em> to its default<\/strong>.<br \/>\nConduit has modified your Google settings to open their webpage whenever you start your browser, so we will need to revert this change.<br \/>\nClick the Chrome menu\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4953\" title=\"Chrome menu button\" alt=\"Chrome menu\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Chrome-button.png\" width=\"29\" height=\"29\" \/>\u00a0 button, then select <strong>Settings<\/strong> and click on\u00a0<strong>One the New Tab page<\/strong>\u00a0in the <em>On Startup<\/em> section.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9071\" title=\"Change Google Chrome homepage to its default\" alt=\"[Image: Change Google Chrome homepage to its default]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Chrome-default-page.jpg\" width=\"782\" height=\"527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Chrome-default-page.jpg 782w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Chrome-default-page-300x202.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"mwtad2170998837\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_318930-ad_309691-placement_360589\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3818335085\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"files\">STEP 3: Remove VAF Toolbar browser hijacker from your computer<\/h2>\n<p>To remove all the VAF Toolbar registry keys, files and folders from your computer, we will need to run a scan with the <strong>AdwCleaner<\/strong> and <strong>Junkware Removal Tool<\/strong> utilities.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Remove VAF Toolbar with AdwCleaner<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The AdwCleaner utility will scan your computer for VAF Toolbar malicious files and registry keys, that may have been installed on your computer without your knowledge.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad1261670988\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381401-ad_309691-placement_360573\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"5315249587\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li>You can <strong>download\u00a0AdwCleaner<\/strong> utility from the below link.<br \/>\n<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/toolslib.net\/downloads\/finish\/1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ADWCLEANER DOWNLOAD LINK<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(<em>This link will automatically download AdwCleaner on your computer<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Before starting AdwCleaner, <strong>close all open programs and internet browsers<\/strong>, then <strong>double-click on the AdwCleaner icon<\/strong>.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8929\" title=\"AdwCleaner Icon\" alt=\"[Image: AdwCleaner Icon]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/adwcleaner-icon.jpg\" width=\"191\" height=\"144\" \/><br \/>\nIf Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.<\/li>\n<li>When the AdwCleaner program will open, click on the <strong>Search<\/strong> button as shown below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8930\" title=\"Click on Search to scan for VAF Toolbar\" alt=\"[Image: AdwCleaner scanning for VAF Toolbar]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/adwcleaner-scan.jpg\" width=\"531\" height=\"318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/adwcleaner-scan.jpg 531w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/adwcleaner-scan-300x179.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 531px) 100vw, 531px\" \/><br \/>\nThe program will now start to search for VAF Toolbar malicious files that may be installed on your computer. When it has finished it will display a notepad screen that contains a log file of all the VAF extensions, files, and registry keys that have been detected.<\/li>\n<li>To remove the VAF Toolbar malicious files that were detected in the previous step, please click on the <strong>Delete button<\/strong> on the AdwCleaner screen.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8931\" title=\"Click on Delete to remove VAF Toolbar virus\" alt=\"[Image: Adwcleaner removing VAF Toolbar]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/adwcleaner-virus-removal.jpg\" width=\"692\" height=\"444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/adwcleaner-virus-removal.jpg 692w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/adwcleaner-virus-removal-300x192.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 692px) 100vw, 692px\" \/><br \/>\nAdwCleaner will now prompt you to save any open files or data as the program will need to reboot the computer. Please do so and then click on the <strong>OK<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Remove VAF Toolbar hijack with Junkware Removal Tool<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Junkware Removal Tool is a powerful utility, which will remove VAF Toolbar virus from Internet Explorer, Firefox or Google Chrome.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You can download the <strong>Junkware Removal Tool utility<\/strong> from the below link:<br \/>\n<strong><a title=\"Download Junkware Removal Tool\" href=\"http:\/\/thisisudax.org\/downloads\/JRT.exe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">JUNKWARE REMOVAL TOOL DOWNLOAD LINK<\/a><\/strong> <em>(This link will automatically download the Junkware Removal Tool utility on your computer)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Once Junkware Removal Tool has finished downloading, please <strong>double-click on the JRT.exe<\/strong> icon as seen below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8942\" title=\"Double-click on the Junkware Removal Tool utility\" alt=\"[Image: Junkware Removal Tool]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Junkware-icon.jpg\" width=\"166\" height=\"154\" \/><br \/>\nIf Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run Junkware Removal Tool, please allow it to run.<\/li>\n<li>Junkware Removal Tool will now start, and at the Command Prompt, you&#8217;ll need to <em>press any key<\/em> to perform a scan for the VAF Toolbar.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8944\" title=\"Junkware Removal Tool scanning for VAF Toolbar\" alt=\"[Image: Junkware Removal Tool scanning for VAF Toolbar virus]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/junkware-removal-tool.jpg\" width=\"726\" height=\"373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/junkware-removal-tool.jpg 726w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/junkware-removal-tool-300x154.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\" \/><br \/>\nPlease be patient as this can take a while to complete (up to 10 minutes) depending on your system&#8217;s specifications.<\/li>\n<li>When the scan Junkware Removal Tool will be completed, this utility will display a log with the malicious files and registry keys that were removed from your computer.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8943\" title=\"Junkware Removal Tool final log\" alt=\"[Image: Junkware Removal Tool final log]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Junkware-log.jpg\" width=\"676\" height=\"396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Junkware-log.jpg 676w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Junkware-log-300x175.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"mwtad2259497860\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381388-ad_309691-placement_381390\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3191649120\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"scan\">STEP 4: Remove VAF Toolbar virus from your computer<\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Remove VAF Toolbar virus with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Fre<\/span>e<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>You can <strong>download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free<\/strong> from the below link, then double-click on the icon named <strong>mbam-setup.exe<\/strong> to install this program.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/malwaretips.com\/download-malwarebytes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>MALWAREBYTES ANTI-MALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK<\/strong><\/a><em>(This link will open a download page in a new window from where you can download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>When the installation begins, <strong>keep following the prompts<\/strong> in order to continue with the setup process, then at the last screen click on the <strong>Finish<\/strong> button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6075\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware installation screen\" alt=\"[Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware final installation screen]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-installation.jpg\" width=\"402\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-installation.jpg 402w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-installation-300x231.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 402px) 100vw, 402px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>On the <strong>Scanner<\/strong> tab, select <strong>Perform quick scan<\/strong>,\u00a0and then click on the <strong>Scan<\/strong> button to start searching for the VAF Toolbar malicious files.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6076\" title=\"Run a Quick Scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\" alt=\"[Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Quick Scan]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-quick-scan.jpg\" width=\"521\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-quick-scan.jpg 521w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-quick-scan-300x228.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 521px) 100vw, 521px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Malwarebytes&#8217; Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for VAF Toolbar as shown below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6077\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scanning for VAF Toolbar\" alt=\"[Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scanning for VAF Toolbar virus]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-scan.jpg\" width=\"521\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-scan.jpg 521w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-scan-300x228.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 521px) 100vw, 521px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scan has finished, click on\u00a0the <strong>Show Results<\/strong> button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6078\" title=\"Malwarebytes when the system scan has completed\" alt=\"[Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scan results]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-scan-results.jpg\" width=\"521\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-scan-results.jpg 521w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-scan-results-300x228.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 521px) 100vw, 521px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>You will now be presented with a screen showing you the computer infections that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware has detected. Make sure that everything is <strong>Checked (ticked)<\/strong>, then click on the <strong>Remove Selected<\/strong> button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6079\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malwar removing VAF Toolbar\" alt=\"[Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware removing VAF Toolbar]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-virus-removal.jpg\" width=\"521\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-virus-removal.jpg 521w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/malwarebytes-virus-removal-300x228.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 521px) 100vw, 521px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Double-check for the VAF Toolbar infection with HitmanPro<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>You can <strong>download HitmanPro<\/strong> from the below link:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/malwaretips.com\/download-hitmanpro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <strong>HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK<\/strong><\/a> <em>(This link will open a web page from where you can download HitmanPro)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Double-click on the file named <strong>HitmanPro.exe<\/strong> (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or <strong>HitmanPro_x64.exe<\/strong> (for 64-bit versions of Windows). When the program starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5176\" title=\"HitmanPro startup screen (Click Next)\" alt=\"HitmanPro scanner\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-install.jpg\" width=\"497\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-install.jpg 497w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-install-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px\" \/><br \/>\nClick on the <strong>Next<\/strong> button, to install HitmanPro on your computer.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5179\" title=\"HitmanPro installation options (Click Next)\" alt=\"HitmanPro installation\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmapro-start-scan.jpg\" width=\"497\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmapro-start-scan.jpg 497w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmapro-start-scan-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for VAF Toolbar malicious files.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5177\" title=\"HitmanPro scanning for VAF Toolbar virus\" alt=\"HitmanPro detecting for VAF Toolbar virus\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-scan.jpg\" width=\"497\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-scan.jpg 497w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-scan-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When it has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found as shown in the image below. Click on the <strong>Next<\/strong> button, to remove VAF Toolbar adware.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5178\" title=\"HitmanPro reporting scan results\" alt=\"HitmanPro scan results\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-scan-results.jpg\" width=\"497\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-scan-results.jpg 497w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-scan-results-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Click on the <strong>Activate free license<\/strong> button to begin the <strong>free 30 days trial<\/strong>, and remove all the malicious files from your computer.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5175\" title=\"HitmanPro free 30 days trial\" alt=\"[Image: HitmanPro 30 days activation button]\" src=\"\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-activation.jpg\" width=\"497\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-activation.jpg 497w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/hitmanpro-activation-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Your computer should now be free of the VAF Toolbar infection. If your current anti-virus solution let this infection through, you may want to consider purchasing <strong><a title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware PRO\" href=\"http:\/\/malwaretips.com\/malwarebytes-pro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the PRO version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware<\/a><\/strong> to protect against these types of threats in the future, and perform regular computer scans with <strong>HitmanPro<\/strong>.<br \/>\nIf you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove VAF Toolbar from your machine, please start a new thread in our <strong><a title=\"Free Malware Removal Support\" href=\"http:\/\/malwaretips.com\/Forum-Malware-Removal-Assistance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Malware Removal Assistance<\/a><\/strong> forum.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VAF Toolbar is a browser hijacker, which is promoted via other free downloads, and once installed it will add the VAFMusic Community Toolbar, change your browser homepage to search.conduit.com, and set your default search engine &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Remove VAF Toolbar (Uninstall Guide)\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/vaf-toolbar-removal\/#more-11065\" aria-label=\"Read more about Remove VAF Toolbar (Uninstall Guide)\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11069,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2725],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adware","masonry-post","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50","resize-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}