What is YourTV.link?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that YourTV.link is a browser hijacker. These so-called "hijackers" manipulate your browser(s), for example to change your startpage or searchscopes, so that the affected browser visits their site or one of their choice. This one also installs a bitcoin miner.
How do I know if my computer is affected by YourTV.link?
You may notice this is your new startpage:

and these altered settings:


and this warning:

How did YourTV.link get on my computer?
Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was bundled with other software.
How do I remove YourTV.link?
Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
- Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to your desktop.
- Double-click mbam-setup-version.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- At the end, be sure a check-mark is placed next to the following:
- Enable free trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium
- Launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
- Then click Finish.
- If an update is found, you will be prompted to download and install the latest version.
- Once the program has loaded, select Scan Now. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
- When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
- Restart your computer when prompted to do so.
- No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes YourTV.link completely.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.
As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware would have protected you against the YourTV.link hijacker. It would have warned you before the application could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.
Technical details for experts
Signs in a HijackThis log:
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://yourtv.link O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [HomeTask] C:\ProgramData\HomeTask.exe O4 - Startup: {username}.exePossible signs in FRST logs:
() C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\{username}.exe HKCU\...\Run: [HomeTask] => C:\ProgramData\HomeTask.exe [13665071 2015-07-13] () () C:\ProgramData\Chrome\CHROME.exe Startup: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\{username}.exe [2015-07-15] () HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://yourtv.link FF Homepage: hxxp://yourtv.link C:\ProgramData\Unknown C:\ProgramData\HomeTask.exeAlterations made by the installer:
The installer works in two stages that require a reboot. Files and folders are created that can be named after these environmental variables: {Username} {Computername} {Name of the OS} Here: C:\ProgramData\Unknown\Unknown.exe and one named after any program that you may have installed. (Chrome\CHROME.exe in this case)Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware www.malwarebytes.org Scan Date: 7/15/2015 Scan Time: 9:39 AM Logfile: mbamYourTV.txt Administrator: Yes Version: 2.1.8.1057 Malware Database: v2015.07.15.01 Rootkit Database: v2015.07.14.01 License: Free Malware Protection: Disabled Malicious Website Protection: Disabled Self-protection: Disabled OS: Windows 8.1 CPU: x64 File System: NTFS User: {username} Scan Type: Threat Scan Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 341644 Time Elapsed: 25 min, 7 sec Memory: Enabled Startup: Enabled Filesystem: Enabled Archives: Enabled Rootkits: Enabled Heuristics: Enabled PUP: Enabled PUM: Enabled Processes: 2 PUP.Optional.HomeTask.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\{username}.exe, 3792, Delete-on-Reboot, [f518984a91f9e0569ae59f223cc5768a] Riskware.BitcoinMiner, C:\ProgramData\Chrome\CHROME.exe, 3948, Delete-on-Reboot, [a8657d655535df57ac88729a24dd44bc] Modules: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Keys: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Values: 1 PUP.Optional.HomeTask.A, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN|HomeTask, C:\ProgramData\HomeTask.exe, Quarantined, [e4299d45e4a6ec4aa2dd10b1b84946ba] Registry Data: 1 PUP.Optional.YourTV.A, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MAIN|Start Page, http://yourtv.link, Good: (www.google.com), Bad: (http://yourtv.link),Replaced,[5db031b17d0dca6cfab0f73a4bbabb45] Folders: 0 (No malicious items detected) Files: 8 PUP.Optional.HomeTask.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\{username}.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [f518984a91f9e0569ae59f223cc5768a], Riskware.BitcoinMiner, C:\ProgramData\Chrome\CHROME.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [a8657d655535df57ac88729a24dd44bc], PUP.Optional.HomeTask.A, C:\ProgramData\HomeTask.exe, Quarantined, [e4299d45e4a6ec4aa2dd10b1b84946ba], PUP.Optional.Agent.BCM, C:\ProgramData\Unknown\Unknown.exe, Quarantined, [a26b2fb39af01026d2ab50714eb3f20e], PUP.Optional.HomeTask.A, C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\YourTV.link installer.exe, Quarantined, [a667bd25d2b88ea8c7b86e5301003ac6], Trojan.FakeAlert, C:\ProgramData\Google\Google Chrome.exe, Quarantined, [d637e200f9910a2c68cb5f0651b237c9], PUP.Optional.YourTV.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hpq2vqto.default\prefs.js, Good: (), Bad: (user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://yourtv.link");), Replaced,[4cc1eff3fb8f0d29b215d397947133cd] PUP.Optional.YourTV.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hpq2vqto.default\searchplugins\google.xml, Quarantined, [ca4304de701a3006eb8edf888184f709], Physical Sectors: 0 (No malicious items detected) (end)As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware could have protected your computer against this threat.
We use different ways of protecting your computer(s):
- Dynamically Blocks Malware Sites & Servers
- Malware Execution Prevention