Findsmarter.com virus. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
Basic facts you should know about Findsmarter.com
Findsmarter.com virus is not the most accurate term to describe this browser hijacker [1], nevertheless, this is exactly how most users refer to this website. Primary reason for this is the fact that Find Smarter search engine tends to show up on the web browsers without prior notice. Let’s be honest here — such behavior really resembles a virus hijack, although the search engine itself is not considered malicious. In fact, Find Smarter is merely a potentially unwanted program [2] which tries to generate revenue through the medium of affiliate marketing [3]. To be able to do that the developers of this search engine have created a space where they could display sponsored content without any restrictions. Thus, the Find Smarter search becomes more of a struggle when trying to find relevant information online. If you haven’t realized it before, you probably know understand that keeping such a program on the computer is a waste of space and time. So, it is high time for you to remove Findsmarter.com from the infected computer and choose a more reliable search service instead.
Click 'Start -> Control Panel -> Programs and Features' (if you are 'Windows XP' user, click on 'Add/Remove Programs').
If you are 'Windows 10 / Windows 8' user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once 'Quick Access Menu' shows up, select 'Control Panel' and 'Uninstall a Program'.
Right click on each of suspicious entries and select 'Uninstall'
Right click on browsers' icon and select 'Properties'
Select 'Shortcut' tab and delete 'http://isearch.babylon.com...' or other suspicious URL
Cick 'Go' and select 'Applications'
Click on every malicious entry and select 'Move to Trash'
Click on menu icon and select 'Manage add-ons'
Right click on each of malicious entries and select 'Disable'
Delete malicious URL, enter your desired domain name and click 'Apply' to save changes
Go to 'Advanced' tab and click on 'Reset' button. Now select 'Delete personal settings' and click on 'Reset' button again
Go to Settings and select 'Choose what to clear'
Select 'Clear' button
Open the start menu and select 'Task Manager'
Right-click 'Microsoft Edge' and select 'Go to details'
Select 'More details' if 'Go to details' option fails to show up
Find Microsoft Edge entries and select 'End Task'
Go to Microsoft Edge folder on your computer, right-click every entry and click 'Delete'
Find Windows PowerShell, right-click it and select 'Run as administrator'
Copy and paste a required command and press 'Enter'
Click on menu icon and select 'Add-ons'
Select 'Extensions' and look for malicious entries. Click 'Remove' to get rid of each of them
When in 'General' tab, delete malicious URL from 'Home Page' section or click on 'Restore to Default' button. Click 'OK' to save changes
Click on menu icon and then on '?'. Select 'Troubleshooting Information'
Click on 'Reset Firefox' button for a couple of times
Click on menu icon. Select 'Tools' and 'Extensions'
Look for malicious entries and delete each of them by clicking on the Trash bin icon
After clicking on menu and 'Settings', select 'Set pages'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', select 'Manage search engines...'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', scroll down to 'Reset browser settings' button and click on it
Click on 'Reset' button to complete your removal
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Preferences'
Go to 'Extensions' and uninstall malicious add-ons
When in 'General', delete malicious URL and enter your desired domain name
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Reset Safari...'
Select all options and click on 'Reset' button
Not only does Findsmarter.com hijack cause annoyance and inconvenience to the infected computer users but it may as well be dangerous. Most of the risks stem from the hijacker’s tendency to redirect users various sponsored websites and pages without receiving explicit permission. Such unexpected redirects may easily result in you ending up on random domains that do not necessarily offer trustworthy services or products. Eventually, your device may be infected with the potentially unwanted program or malware via a drive-by download [4] or Trojan infection [5]. If this happens, your browser may not only become more sluggish due to the Find Smarter ads, but your entire system may suffer from various malfunctions. This may cause issues with the computer’s stability and even have an impact on its system’s security. If you have not performed Findsmarter.com removal yet, you can do it now by following the manual instructions provided below the article or by scanning your device with an automatic malware detection utility such as Reimage.
How do hijackers find their way into the computers?
Browser hijackers are generally very stealthy programs as their creators try to place them on the computers without user’s knowledge. Findsmarter.com also meets these characteristics. The program usually gets delivered on the computers with the help of rebundled software packages which hide the additional unwanted component in the “Advanced” installation settings. Thus, users who do not bother installing software the proper way and opt for “Quick” or “Recommended” options instead can soon find their computers infected with Findsmarter.com or some other, more serious viruses. Be careful — browser hijacker may also travel around disguised as software updates or legitimate-looking lottery winning notifications. If you want to be safe, just don’t click it!
Thinking about Findsmarter.com removal? Start here:
If you have been planning to remove Findsmarter.com virus from your computer, you have probably looked into a few of the elimination alternatives. If you haven’t, you should know that there are basically two ways to get rid of any lightweight parasite such as this hijacker. There are the manual and the automatic techniques. In case you want to stick to the first option and complete Findsmarter.com removal without having to download any extra software on your computer, you can do that by following the manual guide below this article. Otherwise, you will quickly remove the virus by scanning your computer with the help of antivirus utilities. Choose whatever methods suits you most and get started!
You can remove Findsmarter.com automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareWebroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, Malwarebytes Anti Malware. We recommend these applications because they can easily delete potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Manual Findsmarter.com virus Removal Guide:
Remove Findsmarter.com from Windows systems
In case you want to remove Findsmarter.com from your computer manually, you should check out the instructions below for that extra bit of guidance you may need when eliminating the virus from your computer.
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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If you are Windows 10 / Windows 8 user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel and Uninstall a Program.
- Uninstall Findsmarter.com and related programs
Here, look for Findsmarter.com or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove Findsmarter.com from Windows shortcuts
Right click on the shortcut of Mozilla Firefox and select Properties. -
Go to Shortcut tab and look at the Target field. Delete malicious URL that is related to your virus.
Repeat steps that are given above with all browsers' shortcuts, including Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. Make sure you check all locations of these shortcuts, including Desktop, Start Menu and taskbar.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Findsmarter.com from Mac OS X system
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Findsmarter.com or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Remove Findsmarter.com from Internet Explorer (IE)
Browser hijackers typically travel accompanied by other potentially unwanted programs which means that when eliminating the PUP from your computer, you should also keep in mind the other suspicious components that may require removal. Check your browser’s extension list and delete the undesirable components from your PC.
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Remove dangerous add-ons
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top right corner of the browser and choose Manage Add-ons. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Findsmarter.com and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of the browser and select Internet Options. Stay in General tab. -
Here, remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Click Apply to save changes.
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Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
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When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Findsmarter.com removal.
Remove Findsmarter.com virus from Microsoft Edge
If this browser hijacker has turned up on the computer without your permission, you should also consider the possibility that other PUPs may have sneaked into the system the same way too. Examine your browser for unwanted toolbars, add-ons, plug-ins and other extensions and remove them from your computer immediately.
Reset Microsoft Edge settings (Method 1):
- Launch Microsoft Edge app and click More (three dots at the top right corner of the screen).
- Click Settings to open more options.
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Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
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Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
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Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
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Right-click on it and choose Go to details option. If can’t see Go to details option, click More details and repeat previous steps.
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When Details tab shows up, find every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right click on each of them and select End Task to end these entries.
Resetting Microsoft Edge browser (Method 2):
If Method 1 failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method.
- Note: you need to backup your data before using this method.
- Find this folder on your computer:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe. -
Select every entry which is saved on it and right click with your mouse. Then Delete option.
- Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type in window power in Search my stuff line.
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Right-click the Windows PowerShell entry and choose Run as administrator.
- Once Administrator: Windows PowerShell window shows up, paste this command line after PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> and press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}
Once these steps are finished, Findsmarter.com should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Findsmarter.com from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
When removing Findsmarter.com from your computer, do not forget to take care of software that may have come along with the hijacker and delete it as well. The list of Mozilla’s extensions will reveal the components that may have been installed and you will be able to remove them.
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Findsmarter.com and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the menu (top right corner), choose Options → General. - Here, delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
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Click OK to save these changes.
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Reset Mozilla Firefox
Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Findsmarter.com removal.
Remove Findsmarter.com from Google Chrome
The PUPs of an advertising-based nature may get really annoying, thus, it is no wonder that everyone wants to get rid of them. When you are planning on doing that, however, you should also examine your PC for other software that may have sneaked in with the hijacker as well. Below, we explain how to do it:
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Findsmarter.com and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
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Change your homepage and default search engine if it was altered by your virus
Click on menu icon and choose Settings. -
Here, look for the Open a specific page or set of pages under On startup option and click on Set pages.
- Now you should see another window. Here, delete malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage.
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Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
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When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
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Reset Google Chrome
Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings. -
Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings.
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Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Findsmarter.com removal.
Remove Findsmarter.com from Safari
- Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. -
Here, select Extensions and look for Findsmarter.com or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Open your Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu section. Here, select Preferences as it was displayed previously and select General. -
Here, look at the Homepage field. If it was altered by Findsmarter.com, remove unwanted link and enter the one that you want to use for your searches. Remember to include the "http://" before typing in the address of the page.
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Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... -
Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete Findsmarter.com removal process.
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References
- ^ Definition - What does Browser Hijacker mean?. Techopedia. Where IT and Business Meet.
- ^ What is a potentially unwanted application or potentially unwanted content?. Eset. ESET Knowledgebase.
- ^ Jennifer Ledbetter. 7 big mistakes new affiliate marketers make. MarketingLand. Daily, must-read site for CMOs, digital marketing executives and advertising campaign managers.
- ^ John Zorabedian. How malware works: anatomy of a drive-by download web attack (Infographic). Sophos. Security made simple.
- ^ Crimeware: Trojans & spyware. Norton. Antivirus Software and Spyware Removal Blog.