Remove Burst Search (Simple Removal Guide)

Burst Search is an extremely intrusive browser hijacker that renders Managed by your organization feature to prevent removal

Burst Search is a search tool that is available at the Chrome Web Store^[1]. It's promoted a handy tool that is going to provide filtered search results and allow quick access to the local weather forecast. However, we strongly recommend users' comment section before installing it because there are hundreds of reports stating that the Burst Search removal is impossible.

In fact, Burst Search is an aggressive browser hijacker, which sets itself as a start page and search provider on Google Chrome web browser. Although it does not look dangerous, this dubious search is affiliated with various third parties that seek to promote their products and services. However, they are not controlled and can display whatever content they want. That's why the immediate removal of this hijacker is recommended.

The reason why people cannot uninstall Burst Search is related to the Managed by your organization settings. That's a legitimate Chrome policy setting used by company administrators^[2] to control web browser's usage by the employees. Unfortunately, some third-party search sites are misusing this setting to create persistence and avoid easy removal. If you are stuck with the browser hijacker and cannot eliminate it because it put you into the organization, we'll try to help you to disable this feature and root out the virus from your web browser.

Name	Burst Search
Classification	Browser hijacker/Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)
Related site	burstsearch.com is the main page that this hijacker promotes
Distribution	Although the extension can be downloaded from the Chrome Web Store for free, most of its downloads are indirect. Typically, it gets installed bundled with freeware
Symptoms	If the user accidentally installs this extension, he or she immediately notice the following symptoms: – altered start page, search engine, and new tab URL (Burst Search and burstsearch.com promoted) – sponsored search results provided – commercial content injected into random websites – the web browser randomly redirects to suspicious sites – “Managed by your organization” notification emerges on the web browser – the web browser's settings cannot be changed – web browser runs slower than it used to before
Similar viruses	This hijacker belongs to the group of search sites that misuse Chrome's policy settings to prevent removal. It's similar to Bundlore, OptimumSearch, CapitaSearch, Mazy search, and others.
Removal	The malware can be eliminated with a professional anti-malware tool. However, web browser requires additional maintenance, so it's best to run a scan with an automatic anti-malware and then reset default Chrome's settings (we'll provide a removal guide below)
Fix	Malware like browser hijackers or adware leave a bunch of registry entries and other related files installed. Thus, once you remove the malware, run a scan with Fortect Intego to fix system issues that it might have caused

Browser hijackers are usually underestimated and not considered to be major security threats. However, when people install apps like Burst Search extension, it creates persistence by enabling Managed by your organization setting and prevents people from removing it both manually and automatically.

As a consequence, users are not allowed to use another search except for Burst Search. Although from initial inspection it looks like a random search, it's basically used for advertising purposes. It's search results are pre-defined, so you will be provided with a list of links and ads redirecting to affiliate sites. Please note that third-party content is not controlled by the service provider, so visiting them is at your own risk.

In addition to potentially dangerous content, the Burst Search hijacker infringes on users' privacy. The extension forcefully lands on Chrome web browser and injects tracking cookies that are aimed at collecting the following information:

search queries
URLs of visited websites
IP address
geolocation
technical details of the browser, etc.

However, the Burst Search virus can also gather some pieces of personal information, including name, email address, home address, telephone number, etc. if the user provides such information while using the service. The mentioned personal information can also be harvested when being redirected on a phishing or scam sites that contain false claims about supposed prize giveaways.

Having this in mind, the most important thing is to remove Burst Search virus from your web browser. Otherwise, it may cause real havoc during your web browsing sessions. The unstoppable flow of ads and ongoing redirects to third-party sites prevent you from web browsing normally and poses a high risk of getting infected with malware.

Typically, people browser hijackers can be eliminated both manually and automatically. However, the Burst Search removal is a difficult process, which is bet to perform with the help of a professional anti-malware tool. Besides, it's advisable to restore your machine to the state prior to the infection using Fortect Intego optimizer.

Do not ignore the presence of search-burst.exe process

The Burst Search pretends to be a non-malicious search site. However, people should be extremely cautious about it because it may settle down on Chrome and cause many difficulties in terms of removal.

Before this hijacker manifests its presence, it may start running a potentially dangerous process within the Task Manager. This process is usually indicated as burst-search.exe. It may use loads of CPU and slow down the web browser's performance significantly.

Its main purpose – to inject the extension into Chrome and ensure its unrestricted performance. A professional antivirus program can recognize the malware as potentially dangerous and generate a pop-up warning saying that the virus-burst.exe has been detected. In this case, set the AV tool to remove Burst Search virus immediately.

Managed by your organization feature must be disabled before Burst Search uninstall

The reviews section on Chrome Web Store below the Burst Search downloads many users' reviews^[3] where they share an extremely negative experience when dealing with this search. Most of them claim:

THIS IS A VIRUS EXTENSION. IT PUT IN ME IN AN ORG' THAT IM NOT AWARE OF. PLEASE TAKE DOWN THIS EXTENSION LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE ASKING!!!

This thing is most likely a trojan, you cannot uninstall it with the exception of a factory wipe.

You cannot uninstall this program. You cannot remove it through chrome. If you try to uninstall the extension manually or uninstall chrome completely, it just re-installs itself.

The reason why Burst Search removal cannot be performed normally is the enabled “Managed by tour organization” feature. That's the policy released with the Chrome 73 version, which helps enterprise admins to set specific web browser's settings and take control over browsing activities. If you see this notification on Chrome, but you do not belong to any organization, it means that malware got installed and initiated unwanted browser changes.

Unfortunately, the Burst Search virus removal from Chrome won't be possible as long as the mentioned feature won't be disabled. One of the options would be to remove the virus using an anti-malware tool and then factory reset Chrome. However, if you don't want to lose all settings, you can try to eliminate the content from Chrome's folder as explained below:

Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following locations one-by-one:

\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Chromium
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome
Delete all entries that are marked with a number 1.
Look for the file called ExtensionInstallForceList folder under the \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome directory. Delete all files labeled with a number1.
The try to remove Burst Search extension from Chrome or reset its settings.
Scan the machine with a repair tool Fortect Intego.

Browser hijackers can get installed via freeware installation setup

Even though third-party extensions (most of them) can be found on Chrome Web Store, Google Play Store, and other legitimate sources, their primary download source is still freeware bundles. To increase users' rate, developers append extensions, and other PUPs to freeware installation setup and spread them as pre-selected items.

Therefore, it's very important to monitor the installation of free applications. Do not rush the download by clicking the Next button repeatedly because you will inadvertently agree with the installation of the entire bundle. Instead, opt for the Advanced installation technique and monitor the process carefully.

Look for the checkboxes that contain grayed out checkmarks or pre-selected items. Remove the ticks to reject the installation before clicking the Next button. Besides, make sure to keep your anti-virus tool activated during the freeware install as it may recognize and quarantine suspicious entries.

Automatic and manual Burst Search removal options

Burst Search malware is not an extension that should be given a chance. It's an intrusive browser hijacker that can cause real havoc during your web searches. Besides, it poses the risk of being exposed to potentially dangerous sites via burstsearch.com servers.

To stop intrusive Burst Search redirects, you will have to disable the Managed by your organization feature in the first place. We explained how to do that above. After that, we recommend scanning the machine with a robust anti-malware tool to make sure that all unwanted programs have successfully been eliminated.

Alternatively, you can get rid of the Burst Search virus manually. For that, you should disable the mentioned Chrome's feature, delete malware from the Apps folder, and then eliminate the unwanted extensions from Chrome. If you haven't done that before, you can use a guide that is given down below.

Tip: experts from NoVirus.uk^[4] recommend to recover your machine's performance. Overfilled registries and other system folders can eventually cause slowdowns, so we recommend using Fortect Intego regularly.

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.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

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

Change your homepage if it was altered:

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

Delete temporary files:

Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
Under Browsing history, click Delete...
Select relevant fields and press Delete.

Reset Internet Explorer:

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

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.

How to remove Burst Search

Burst Search is an extremely intrusive browser hijacker that renders Managed by your organization feature to prevent removal

Do not ignore the presence of search-burst.exe process

Managed by your organization feature must be disabled before Burst Search uninstall

Browser hijackers can get installed via freeware installation setup