411search.net (Free Instructions) - Easy Removal Guide
411search.net Removal Guide
What is 411search.net?
411 Search – a browser hijacker that modifies your system settings according to its own needs
411 Search is a browser hijacker[1] which can change your browser settings irreversibly unless you eliminate it. This potentially unwanted program can easily infiltrate your system together with third-party software. No matter that its developers are claiming that they are leaders in digital search technology, we highly recommend avoiding 411search.net which is capable of affecting these web browsers without ap appropriate user's permission asked:
- Google Chrome;
- Internet Explorer;
- Mozilla Firefox;
- Safari;
- Opera;
- Etc.
| Name | 411 Search |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Danger level | Medium. Does not affect any files stored on the computer |
| Affected browsers | Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and others |
| Purpose | Generate profit by redirecting victims to sponsored websites |
| Main dangers | You can be redirected to an infected site |
| Elimination | You can get rid of this virus by using an anti-malware tool such as FortectIntego. |
After affected well-known web browsers, this hijacker modifies the homepage, default search engine and new tab section to 411search.net. As a result, every time you want to surf the Internet and click on a certain browser icon, it redirects you straight to this site. Once you try searching the web with its help, you can find out that the most of its search results provided are sponsored. That means that you can find yourself on unsafe domains that are trying to increase their popularity.
According to IT professionals,[2] this browser hijacker can also produce various intrusive ads which typically pop-up each time users start their search sessions. If the ad is pushing you into installing “free update”, “free scanner” or smth. like that, you should decline these offers because you can end up with malware on your computer. It is safer to take care of 411Search.net removal and find another search engine than to keep using this search engine and put your computer at the risk of malware.
Finally, we should warn you about slowdowns on your browser and data tracking. When having 411 Search on the system, the whole browsing process might become slower than it was before due to redirects to sponsored websites. You may also struggle every time you try to enter your search request. However, the most important thing is that this hijacker can also collect various details about you, including your email address, PC's IP address, its location, pages you have visited or links you have clicked. Such data is always in the sight of cybercriminals, so make sure you keep it private by avoiding programs that are capable of collecting it.
If you have encountered this browser hijacker, we strongly recommend deleting it. To remove 411 Search from the system without spending long hours while dealing with it, download and install an anti-malware tool such as FortectIntego. It will scan your computer and help you find all components of this threat. After the process is finished, refresh all your browsers that were infected, and they will be ready for the use.
Browser hijackers rely on bundling as the main distribution way
It is known that these PUPs typically get into browsers unseen. However, users are the ones to blame as they are always struggling to download programs by clicking “next” button without reading what terms are they agreeing with. Beware that you can click on various unknown links and check marks that can easily allow installation of “useful” components and harmful programs within regular software[3].
To continue, skipping or rushing installation of your downloads is not a good idea. You might miss something malicious while trying to install software on your computer faster. Due to the fact that browser hijackers have become a common problem nowadays, we recommend following these steps to know how to avoid browser infections:
- Software should be downloaded only from trusted sites and their direct download links;
- While downloading a program, opt for “Custom” or “Advanced” settings to look through the downloading/installing steps carefully;
- DO NOT click on unknown apps, ads, links;
- Consider installing anti-spyware for malware prevention. Keep it up-to-date in order for it to work properly.
If you follow these steps, you should stay safe from the browser hijacker infection. Remember yourself to be careful every time you browse the web.
Eliminate 411search.net with the help of an anti-malware program or manually
To remove 411 Search virus from Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and other web browsers, you need to eliminate all browser extensions, dubious apps, and other unknown content you are capable of finding on your computer. Otherwise, the hijacker can come back right after rebooting your computer and the affected web browser. If you are new to computers, guiding steps are displayed below this article for your convenience.
If you want to perform 411search.net removal in a different way, you should consider downloading and installing our recommended anti-malware tools. All programs are given below this article. After you get rid of the cyber threat, you should also initiate a full reset of your web browsers to be certain that no harmful components are left and your system is fully clean.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of 411search.net. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
To get rid of 411 Search from Windows, make sure you uninstall all apps that you can't remember installing on your system.
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
If you want to get rid of hijacker from Microsoft Edge, follow these guidelines:
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 on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (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 Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
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.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
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.
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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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
Google Chrome is one of the most commonly-used browsers, so there is no surprise that it is actively affected by PUPs. If you have caught a browser hijacker infection, you can get rid of it by going through these steps:
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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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 unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of 411search.net registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting stealing programs
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important – recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
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- ^ Browser hijacker. Techopedia.
- ^ Wubingdu. wubingdu.cn.
- ^ Allen Jame. A quick fix for overcoming browser hijacking. Irish Tech News.