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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Browser Hijackers
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Dec 2020

How to remove NetGameSearch

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Julie Splinters · Anti-malware specialist

NetGameSearch – a potentially unwanted program that shows ads and provides little benefits

NetGameSearch

NetGameSearch is a browser hijacker that changes the settings of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, MS Edge, or another browser to begin its operation. To begin with, the app sets the homepage and the new tab address to portal.netgamesearch.com and appends a customized search engine. Consequently, all the search results are forwarded to the Yahoo provider, although the top links are inserted by the hijacker and are not genuine (in other words, ads are promoted as the search results). 

Besides the browser changes and unwanted ads, potentially unwanted programs[1] are known to gather information about users' web browsing practices and use that data for marketing, providing more targeted ads. If you are looking to return your browser to its previous states and stop the ads, you need to uninstall NetGameSearch extension or a program installed on your device.

Name NetGameSearch
Type Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program
IP address 172.67.171.62
Distribution Software bundles, deceptive ads, fake updates
Symptoms Homepage and new tab address is set to portal.netgamesearch.com; all search results are redirected to search.yahoo.com; search results are filled with sponsored links; an unknown browser extension installed without permission
Risks While browser hijackers rarely pose danger to users in terms of security point of view, unwanted consequences can occur, including installation of other suspicious or unwanted software, monetary losses due to extensive ads, as well as privacy risks due to the information-sharing practices
Removal Getting rid of browser extensions should not be as difficult – we explain on how to do that below
Optional steps Computer infections can cause significant damage to system files or disrupt normal settings. To revert these changes and remediate the OS, perform a full system scan with FortectIntego repair software

As the name implies, NetGameSearch is supposed to promote various games online and help you find them quickly. However, this browser hijacker is not the first and the last one created by an unknown developer – other examples include UltimateStreamSearch, LoveSportsSearch, VideoSearchNet, and many others. These apps do not differ much in terms of distribution and functionality and are presumably there to help users with easy searches of videos, games, sports, etc.

However, the functionality of such apps is relatively basic. The hijacker uses Yahoo's affiliate program to display results, although they are filled with sponsored links and ads, clicks on which directly benefit the developers financially. In the meantime, users might struggle to find relevant information on the internet and be mislead into buying services or products that are not that useful/valuable. In essence, NetGameSearch hijack can fundamentally change the way you browse the web – not in a good way.

When it comes to other features that the app offers, they are also very basic and can be reached by using Google or another reliable search provider. These include (as evident, there are no functions that would be associated with games, despite what the name of the app implies):

  • Crypto converter
  • PDF converter
  • Calculator
  • Currency converter.

Another deceptive feature of browser hijackers is their distribution methods. It is not uncommon for users to find a new browser extension or an app installed on the system right after installing freeware downloaded from third-party websites. Thus, some people might not even know that they need to remove NetGameSearch extension from their web browser to stop all the redirects to different providers and ads inserted at the top of search results.

Just as with many other browser hijackers, this app is determined to gather as much information about you as possible, and it is done automatically. Even if you did not install the PUP intentionally, you gave permission (agreed to ToS and Privacy Policy) for this practice, and it will continue until you perform NetGameSearch removal. Gathered data includes IP, ISP, visited sites, timestamps, technical device information, installed apps, etc.

NetGameSearch hijack

Harvested with the help of cookies[2] and other technologies, this information might later be shared with third parties that would feed you ads catered to your preferences (otherwise known as targeted advertising). Thus, if you value your privacy, you should eliminate browser hijackers and other potentially unwanted programs that could be installed on your system. 

After that, experts[3] also advise scanning the machine with security software, such as SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes, to check for malware infections. If something was found, a scan with FortectIntego could attempt to fix virus damage automatically, preventing a full OS reinstallation.

Unintentional software installation and how to prevent it

Since potentially unwanted programs typically travel within software bundles downloaded from third-party sites, users believe that they simply showed up out of nowhere. However, they grant permission for PUPs to be installed, even though it is not done intentionally. The practice is quite unfair, although since users agree to terms and conditions during the installation, they allow optional components in. In the meantime, app developers are glad that their creations were popularized, increasing the profits.

Therefore, it is important to be vigilant during the installation of freeware, especially if it comes from third-party software distribution sites. Here are a few tips that might help you:

  • If possible, download apps from official sources only;
  • Before installing a new program you have never heard of, check its reviews online;
  • During the installation, always pick Advanced/Custom settings if available;
  • Remove all the ticks from pre-ticked checkboxes that would otherwise allow the installation of optional apps;
  • Watch out for misplaced buttons, deceptive offers, fine print text, and other tricks;
  • Employ security software capable of warning you about potentially unwanted programs.

NetGameSearch virus

NetGameSearch removal guide

As previously mentioned, the hijack of your browser is likely to be related to a browser extension that is installed without your permission. In order to remove NetGameSearch from your machine, you would have to access the settings section of your web browser and eliminate the extension from there. If you are not sure how to do that, you can follow the detailed guide we provided below. We also included steps to clean web data and cookies to prevent further tracking.

In case you still spotted suspicious activities on your web browser after NetGameSearch removal, you should check your system for other PUPs. Additionally, most modern security applications would be able to find the root cause of the problem automatically, so we strongly advise you to try this method instead.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. 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.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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