Srchsafe.com – a browser hijacker that redirects your searches and fills them with sponsored links
You might have spotted that your browser has started Srchsafe.com redirects – this is because there is a potentially unwanted program installed on your device. Upon installation, you would quickly see that the homepage of Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, or another web browser does not look the same anymore.
Even after you perform a search using the customized tool, you would also see changes. Instead of your regular provider, such as Google, you are likely to see Yahoo; despite this, the results won't be genuine – you would see ads at the top. This is done deliberately to divert users to predetermined websites. In the background, the app may also monitor user information to receive maximum profits from targeted advertising.
| Name | Srchsafe.com |
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Distribution | Software bundles, third-party websites, ads |
| Symptoms | Altered web browser settings (homepage, new tab, search engine); search results are redirected to Yahoo or another provider |
| Uninstall | Follow the detailed instructions at the bottom of this article; a scan with anti-malware is also highly recommended |
| Browser fix | If you want to clean your browsers with one press of a button, rely on FortectIntego |
Redirect problems do not end just there. When browsing through the search results, you will come across sponsored links and different ads which may offer some tempting looking deals, encourage you to use free shopping coupons or obtain the software you do not actually need.
Keep away from advertisements and links as they may lead to infectious or fraudulent websites [1], potentially damage your PC or put your privacy at risk. If you do not want to be on a constant lookout for potentially malicious links, you should remove the PUP from your computer using FortectIntego, MalwarebytesMalwarebytes, or similar antivirus software.
If you can’t put the automatic virus elimination option to use, you can perform its removal manually – the instructions are presented at the end of this article.
The virus is currently most active in India, Pakistan, and Indonesia.[2] Keep that in mind if you live in any of these countries.
Getting infected with a browser hijacker
If you don’t regularly check your downloaded software for additionally added components, you risk getting infected with a potentially unwanted program. Software developers use a distribution technique called bundling to conceal their creations under Quick or Recommended software installation settings which are often ignored by the users who rush to set up new software on their computers.
If you are one of these people – it is high time you dropped these bad habits and started taking your computer’s security more seriously. So, instead of the automatic installation, always opt for the manual one by selecting Advanced or Custom installation modes. Carefully go through software installation windows and deselect components you do not want to find a PUP on your PC.
Antivirus utilities make Srchsafe.com removal easier
Before you start the hijacker[3] elimination, we should remind you that the quickest and easiest way to remove unwanted programs is by allowing security software to perform an automatic scan of the entire system. The scan will be more effective if you employ an updated and trustworthy antivirus software.
If you aren’t very experienced with PUP elimination but still wish to uninstall the app manually, you should definitely check out the tutorial put together by our experts just below this article. The guide will show you how to remove the virus safely without having to use any additional software.
Uninstall from Windows
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
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