Combo Search – extension that should not be added to Google Chrome and other web browsers

Combo-search is a browser add-on which claims to help users switch their default search engine easily. Is this a great feature? You are the one to decide. However, according to 2-spyware security experts, you should not waste your time with Combo Search virus which has already been added to “browser hijacker”[1] and “adware”[2] categories.
The main reason why you need to stay away from Combo Search is that it changes your browser’s settings and starts causing redirects to various destinations. First of all, you can be redirected to hxxp://feed.combo-search.com/?st=ds&q=searchquery&publisher=combosearch. Then, you should see results provided by the search engine that you normally use.
Such potentially unwanted activity[3] can be noticed each time you start your browsing sessions. However, it should also warn you that ComboSearch tracks your searches and gathers information related to your search queries. Such information is typically used for market analysis or targeted advertising[4]. However, you cannot be sure that it won't be sold to unreliable parties seeking to misuse it for their own needs.
What kind of information is collected by ComboSearch is described in the Privacy Policy of the app:
The Non-Personal Information which is being collected may include technical information automatically transmitted by the user's device (for example, type of browser, the type of the user's device and technical information pertaining to the user's device, language preferences, time stamps, clicks and visited pages, search logs, the operating system, utilized internet service provider and other similar information, as well as IP Address.
Sincerely, we can hardly find helpful features provided by Combo Search virus. If you like a smooth browsing on the web, you should not even bother with this browser add-on because it won't enhance your browsing experience. If you have already installed this browser hijacker on your computer (accidentally or not), we advise you to use an anti-malware software, like FortectIntego, to remove Combo Search without wasting your time.
Keep in mind that neither Combo Search, nor Feed.combo-search.com can improve your search experience. In fact, their aim is to earn the money for their developer by redirecting you to sponsored content or showing you different ads. Such activity may lead you to the infiltration of more serious malware, so we highly suggest you to refrain yourself from using this piece of software. Make sure you take care of Combo Search removal to forget about its unwanted activity.

Browser hijackers are typically installed alongside other programs
Programs like these two viruses hijack[5] computer systems without being noticed because they are distributed in a bundle with popular free programs. When installing a popular free program downloaded from the Internet, the user should intently look into details provided by its installation wizard.
Usually, such assistants suggest installing the software using Default or Standard installation settings; meanwhile, these are the options you should never opt for. By selecting them, you will provide permission to install all “recommended” programs that are bundled with your chosen software.
To drop off all of the additions, we recommend choosing Custom or Advanced software installation settings. They will provide you with a list of extra programs and give you a chance to refuse to install them. Usually, all it takes is just to deselect unwanted programs presented to you.
Feed.combo-search.com removal can be a tricky business
If you are not an experienced PC user, you may find it hard to remove Combo Search virus from your computer. If you have never installed a similar browser hijacker, you might not even know where to look for its components. To assist you in uninstalling this program, we provided a comprehensive Feed.combo-search.com removal tutorial which you can find down below.
After completing all of the steps that are given below, do not forget to scan the entire computer using spyware or malware removal software. This way, you will be assured that your computer is virus-free and is filled only with components that have to be there.
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.

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