Remove Gensearch.co (Removal Guide)

Gensearch.co is a program that diminishes your web browsing experience

Gensearch.co virus

Gensearch.co is a browser hijacker^[1] that displays ads instead of improving search results, as it initially promises. Program developers promote this it as a legitimate search engine that helps users find what they are looking for faster. But the truth is that it is a potentially unwanted program that has no positives when it comes to the browsing experience. This browser hijacker modifies settings of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome and sets hxxp://gensearch.co as a homepage and the new tab address. Additionally, this dubious application may lead users to sponsors' or potentially dangerous websites.

Name	Gensearch.co
Type	Browser hijacker, PUP
Affected browsers	Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox
Main dangers	Can potentially lead to malware; collected information might be shared with third parties
Symptoms	Changed browser, new tab settings, redirects, an increased amount of pop-up ads
Distribution	Software bundling
Elimination	Use Fortect Intego for virus removal

Potentially unwanted programs are similar because most of them infiltrate the computer without your consent. However, unsuspecting people might get tricked into downloading these programs themselves. If you got conned into downloading a browser hijacker, do not wait and immediately remove Gen Search. We explain how in the last paragraph – so keep reading.

Gensearch.co hijack firstly focuses on browser settings modification. Soon after that, you may notice the following symptoms:

you can't set your preferred homepage;
new tab directs to Gensearch.co by default;
unknown bookmarks, extensions or toolbars added to your browser;
search queries are automatically redirected to http://gensearch.co/search/?q=;
search results are altered and lead to affiliated websites;
increased amount of advertisements;
most ads that pop-up on legitimate sites include “Powered by Gen Search,” “Ads by Gen Search,” or similar written in the corner of the window;
browser operation becomes sluggish.

Although initially not malicious, a browser hijacker could potentially lead you suspicious or even dangerous sites. Besides porn and gambling ads, you may be redirected to hacked or malicious websites, where malware (such as a keylogger, crypto-miner, or even ransomware) can be injected into your computer. Therefore, close down all suspicious tabs, or even the browser itself immediately. Because of such deceptive behavior, some users tend to call this program Gensearch.co virus.

Additionally, in Privacy Policy located on the official website of the hijacker, we found information about data tracking. The collected information does not identify you as an individual (i.e., anonymous information). However, if you decide to provide any personal data, it may be stored on company's server, as it is clear from this statement:

Gen Search does not collect any personal information about you (such as your name or email address) except when you specifically and knowingly provide that information. We do keep a record of the IP addresses from which users access our site.

Avirus.hu^[2] team notes that this information later can be used by advertisers. This makes advertisements more attractive when based on your preferences. You should remove Gensearch.co immediately, and the quickest way to do that is by employing Fortect Intego or other security software. Alternatively, you can get rid of the PUP by following our manual instructions below.

PUP developers employ bundling technique to spread their software

Bundling is a widely used technique in product marketing world, but PUP developers also take advantage of this method. People tend to rush the installation processes and skip important steps or rely on p2p networks^[3] for downloading software. This behavior can lead to the installation of additional pieces when installing free software from the internet.

Freeware and PUP developers often collaborate, as both of parties gain the benefit – unwanted program authors get a chance to increase the popularity of their product, and free software creators get paid for every install made by the user. However, the user is a victim here. If you are not paying attention and choose Recommended or Quick settings you might end up with browser hijackers and other useless software.

The only way to see a complete list of the programs included in the installer is by selecting Advanced/Custom installation settings. Remember, when it comes to internet safety – knowledge and caution is the key.

Gensearch.co elimination procedure

To permanently remove Gen Search from your browser you should rely on anti-malware software that is trustworthy. Security tools are programs that are capable of detecting deceptive programs and eliminating them in just a few minutes. Remember, the PUP might have installed other components without your knowledge, so as a precaution we recommend performing a full system scan regardless.

Gensearch.co removal might be difficult and time-consuming if your computer skills are not the best. However, if you are familiar with computers and their operation, you can use our step-by-step guide below. Make sure you dot rush these steps, as incorrect removal might result in the re-installation of the Gen Search virus.

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 Gensearch.co

Gensearch.co is a program that diminishes your web browsing experience

PUP developers employ bundling technique to spread their software