Search.easyrecipesnow.com – a fake search engine appointed by a browser hijacker

Search.easyrecipesnow.com page is set as your default search engine, new tab, and homepage when the Easy Recipes Now extension is installed on your computer. It is categorized as a browser hijacker.[1] You can be tricked into downloading it after knowing that it is designed to provide quick links to Recipes Simplified, Food Network, Yummly, Epicurious, and similar cooking sites.
However, hijacking web browsers and filling them with sponsored ads seems to be the main aim of the virus. Like the majority of Polarity Technologies products, the deceptive browser plugin was designed to increase pay-per-click revenue to its developers.
That's why it drops Search.easyrecipesnow.com search engine on each web browser and starts redirecting users' search sessions to third-party sites. You shouldn't be forced to use a search provider against your will. Therefore, we recommend removing it ASAP.
| name | Search.easyrecipesnow.com |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker, PUP, redirect virus |
| Infection symptoms | Altered default browser settings; search results are provided from a different source and contain ads; clicking on search links result in redirects to questionable domains |
| Risks | Privacy issues, malware infections |
| Distribution | Software bundling, fake Flash Player updates |
| Elimination | Scanning your infected device with reliable AV software will remove all potentially unwanted programs and unwelcomed guests |
| System health | Use the FortectIntego PC repair software to fix virus damage and delete tracking cookies |
Most users do not see any risk while dealing with continuous redirects to websites that they don't know. However, to avoid visiting malware-infested websites, you need to perform Search.easyrecipesnow.com removal without wasting your time. The service it provides is not handy because you will lose some of your time while looking for trustworthy search results.
Only those who already have experience dealing with browser hijackers know how dangerous these seemingly innocent programs may be. To remove the potentially unwanted program, users should obtain tools such as SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes and use them regularly to scan the system.
According to the reports, this browser hijacker infects computers in a bundle with free software and then takes over Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and other web browsers. This helps Polarity Technologies embed sponsored search results into the search results, and, eventually, generate some advertising revenue, etc. Be careful with these results as there is no guarantee that they won't reroute your searches to malicious websites.
To sum up, the hijacker may provide useful links, but you should not forget that it is still a potentially unwanted program, so you have the full right to dispose of it without much consideration. You will remove Easy recipes now from your PC quickly following the instructions at the end of the article.

PUPs are usually distributed with freeware
No matter how tempting the services of this cooking app may seem, you cannot escape the fact that this software enters computers without user authorization. There are a few ways hijackers infiltrate PCs:
- The virus may sneak in with the help of ads, pop-ups, and similar content that shows up while browsing the web.
- Users may also get infected on unsafe websites featuring suspicious download links or software update notifications
- Software bundles[2] may hide installation files in their Advanced or Custom settings, so you must remember to always select these particular settings when performing a new software installation.
Remove Search.easyrecipesnow.com from all browsers
We recommend performing the PUP removal if it showed up on your computer without your approval. When dealing with adware, browser hijackers, and similar PUPs, this is completely normal. If you have no experience with PUP elimination, you shouldn't be scared as this is a “lightweight” cyber infection that cannot damage your files or pose similar risks.
To remove Search.easyrecipesnow.com from the PC automatically, choose one of the programs that are listed below. If you want to get rid of this hijacker manually, you should be very careful while following the guide given below. The main step in the whole elimination process is finding suspicious files of this virus.
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.

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