PUM.Security Hijacks, also known as Security.Hijack , PUM.Hijack.Regedit , PUM.Hijack.StartMenu and PUM.security hijacks.disable virus, is a potentially unwanted modification (PUM) of your computer’s settings. The PUM may be caused by a malicious or a legitimate program.
PUM.Security Hijacks Description
PUMs are unwanted changes that occur to your computer’s default settings. If the application that causes the PUM is a legitimate one, your system is safe. If, however, the change is caused by a malicious program, there are likely to be additional unwanted alterations and serious problems may occur.
In most cases, PUMs such as PUM.Security Hijacks occur in the background, without your knowledge. When PUMs affect Windows systems, they usually involve updating the Windows registry, while in Mac OS X, they modify the System Preferences.
How to Tell What Program Is Behind PUM.Security Hijacks
As mentioned above, if PUM.Security Hijacks is caused by a legitimate (or default) program, the alterations can be easily fixed and are not accompanied by error or security messages.
On the other hand, malicious programs don’t act alone. If a malicious program has caused the PUM, you will notice additional problems associated with your computer. Such symptoms include:
- Your Internet connection may slow down; the browsers may be altered and as a result they may frequently crash or redirect you to unwanted websites; pop-up ads may start showing up and disturb your browsing routine
- Your system may also slow down and indicate instability
- Your anti-virus program starts showing you messages it has detected Security Hijacks or you receive other security alerts and error messages
What to Do If PUM.Security Hijacks Appears
If you are not sure whether the program that has caused PUM.Security Hijacks is a legitimate one or malware, you can download a trustworthy anti-malware tool. It will run a full system scan for you and will determine whether your system has been infected by malware. If so, the anti-virus program will remove all threats from your system immediately.