Birdfinds.com virus (guide) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
Birdfinds.com virus Removal Guide
What is Birdfinds.com virus?
Birdfinds.com – a browser hijacker that changes your settings to show you sponsored content more conveniently
Birdfinds.com is a suspicious search tool that is created by a company that specializes in search engine marketing[1] and web traffic generation. Due to its ability to infiltrate the system silently, alter browser settings, display sponsored content, and track particular information about users, this application is classified as a potentially unwanted program and a browser hijacker.
Once installed, it applies its settings on the web browser – changes the homepage and new tab functionality and also uses its own search engine. Generated results are often filled with sponsored links and ads. Keep in mind that such programs often collect various information about their users, so privacy might also be at risk here.
Name | Birdfinds.com |
Type | Browser hijacker |
Distribution | Software bundle packages, third-party websites |
Symptoms | Replaces homepage and new tab URL with its own; applies a customized search engine; inserts sponsored links into search results |
Uninstall | You can get rid of the browser hijacker by either scanning the device with antivirus software or following manual instructions |
System fix | After the elimination of adware or malware, we highly recommend running a scan with FortectIntego repair software |
A potentially unwanted program is usually installed during the installation of freeware or shareware downloaded from third-party websites, resulting in an unexpected browser hijack. Soon after, users might find a new homepage, search engine, or new tab URL address. Additionally, potentially dangerous browser extensions[2] might be installed to Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or another web browser.
In order to block user’s attempts to remove Birdfinds.com from the startup page, the hijacker is designed to make modifications in Registry and change a particular browser’s settings. Therefore, it might be impossible to customize your browser after the attack.
The biggest problem with this search tool that it might be capable of delivering altered search results. It means some of the organic links might be replaced with paid content. In some cases, clicking on a necessary link might trigger a redirect to an unrelated website.
These dubious activities help developers of Bird finds to generate revenue from boosting traffic to sponsored sites. Undoubtedly, undesired redirects negatively impact the browsing experience. But the biggest issue is that some partner sites are created to spread cyber crimes. Thus, users might end up on an infected or phishing site.
Potentially dangerous Birdfinds.com redirect tendencies should motivate you to get rid of this search tool immediately. The smart way to clean your browser is to use anti-malware/anti-spyware. We recommend choosing SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner for this task and then employing FortectIntego to remediate the system at once.
Birdfinds.com virus is a nasty browser hijacker that might take control over popular web browsers.
Choosing right freeware installation settings can protect from a browser hijacker
If you visit the hijacker’s website, you won’t be greeted with a pop-up asking to make it your default search engine or install a browser extension. Therefore, there’s no doubt that authors use another distribution method. Indeed, they rely on a popular software marketing technique – bundling, which allows spreading the program worldwide, including the Czech Republic[3] and Hungary.
This method allows attaching hijacker in the software package as an “optional download.” When users install freeware incorrectly, they might confirm the installation of all additional entries that may have been included in the bundle. To avoid invasion of other PUPs, you should:
- Opt for “Advanced” or “Custom” setup;
- Unmark pre-selected additional applications, such as browser extensions, PC optimization software or other tools;
- Untick statements agreeing to change your default search engine/homepage to an unknown domain.
Instructions on how to uninstall Birdfinds.com and fix hijacked web browser
PUP removal starts from system monitoring. You have to find and uninstall all suspicious programs from your computer. Once it’s done, you have to make sure that any unknown extensions or plugins were not installed without your knowledge. When all hijacker-related entries are eliminated, you have to reset each of the web browsers.
At the end of the article, you can find comprehensive instructions on how to remove Birdfinds.com manually. Please look through them carefully. If they seem complicated, you should opt for the automatic elimination method.
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 Birdfinds.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Manual hijacker's removal guidelines presented below:
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
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)
Uninstall suspicious add-ons from Mozilla Firefox and reset the browser.
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
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 Birdfinds.com 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 browser hijacker
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
- ^ Search engine marketing. Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia.
- ^ Rafia Shaikh. Attackers Go on a “Chrome Extension Hijacking Spree” – Several More Compromised. Wccftech. Hardware, mobile technology and gaming news, reviews and guides.
- ^ OdstranitVirus. OdstranitVirus. Chech cyber security news.