Remove MovieSearches (Virus Removal Guide) – Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge

MovieSearches is a potentially unwanted application that inserts sponsored links in your search results

MovieSearches

MovieSearches is a a browser hijacker^[1] that usually spreads as a browser extension, although there might be other unwanted programs that are associated with the app. While it can be downloaded on official websites, such as Chrome Web Store, most users reported that they found this potentially unwanted program on their computers unexpectedly. To be precise, the MovieSearches hijack occurs during the installation of freeware applications downloaded from third party websites, when it is offered as an optional component in a single software bundle.

After infiltration, the PUP alters the settings of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or another web browser, and sets the homepage to portal.movie-searches.com. Due to this, users have to use a customized search engine that redirects all search results to Yahoo and fills them with sponsored ads. In the background, MovieSearches collects various data about users' web browsing habits, which might later be shared with third parties for profits.

Name	MovieSearches
Type	Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted programs
Distribution	Software bundles, deceptive advertisements
Symptoms	MovieSearches extension installed on the web browser Unknown applications installed on the computer The homepage and new tab address is set to portal.movie-searches.com All searches redirect to search.yahoo.com Search results are filled with sponsored links and ads
Risks	Installation of other potentially unwanted programs, privacy risks due to information gathering practices, financial losses
Removal	You can delete unwanted programs manually as per instructions below of scan the device with anti-malware, such as SpyHunter Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes Malwarebytes. If you want to ensure proper elimination, you should also reset your web browsers
Further steps	In case your anti-malware found additional threats, you should eliminate them immediately. If you see any negative consequences on the performance of your system, you can attempt to fix virus damage with Fortect Intego repair tool

MovieSearches is just one of the apps that belong to a broader family of browser hijackers – others include SearchProConverter, PDFSearchio, AllConvertersSearches, and many others. As a general rule, members of this family are virtually identical, although each of them uses a different icon and a name. Despite this, even the naming is not completely original – it is all about “converters” and “searchers.”

The so-called MovieSearches virus includes several seemingly useful components to users' disposal, which include currency converter, crypt converter, calculator, PDF converter, etc. These widgets are embedded into the front page of the hijacker in order to make users keep in installed for as long as possible.

However, these attributes are there to distract users from the main purpose of the potentially unwanted program – providing free features is just one side of the app. To reach its goals, MovieSearches takes over the installed web browser by changing the new tab and homepage portal.movie-searches.com. While such changes might not seem significant, they change fundamentally change the way you browse the web.

When you enter a phrase or a word into a web search, you are redirected to Google.com, or another provider you have chosen. As soon as a browser hijacker gets involved, it will alter this setting automatically. As a result, you might see that your searches are no longer handled by Google, but rather by Yahoo, or another provider. While these are legitimate companies, injected sponsored links have nothing to do with these tech giants, as ads are injected by the MovieSearches hijacker.

MovieSearches hijacker

Since ads are placed at the top of search results, you are more likely to click them, allowing the developers of PUP to monetize on such clicks (this scheme is called pay-per-click). Unfortunately, such practice can mislead users and make them purchase useless products and download potentially dangerous apps.

If you think that altered web browser settings and intrusive ads are not enough to remove MovieSearches from your web browser, you should check the app's privacy policy. It becomes evident that various data can be harvested and shared with some third-parties for various reasons:

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.

Among the others, MovieSearches also collects some personal data, such as unique device identifiers and the IP address. The information is gathered thanks to tracking technologies such as cookies or web beacons.^[2]

To uninstall MovieSearches, you should access your web browser's settings and delete the browser extension from there. If the hijack does not disappear, it might be that there is another potentially unwanted application hiding on your system. Search for it manually, or employ security software like SpyHunter Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes Malwarebytes for a quick elimination. Also, you should scan the machine with Fortect Intego for the best results and then reset the installed browsers if required.

Browser hijackers hide within software bundles

Most users do not install browser hijackers on other potentially unwanted programs intentionally (that is why so many people are surprised when they see sudden browser changes). This is because freeware developers and third-party distributors do not adequately disclose information about third-party components within common installers. Then again, users themselves are often rushing through steps and end up missing the warning signs in the process.

To avoid potentially unwanted applications in the future, there are a few tips from cybersecurity experts:^[3]

If possible, download applications from official websites only;
Do not visit torrent or similar sites that distribute software cracks and pirated programs;
During the installation, always opt for Advanced/Custom settings instead of Recommended/Quick ones to stay in control of the whole process;
Remove ticks from checkboxes (apart from the ToS agreement);
Install powerful anti-malware software capable of detecting potentially unwanted programs.

MovieSearches virus

MovieSearches removal instructions

While browser hijackers are not generally considered as major security threats, it is important to amplify the fact that they rarely provide any real value for end-users – they change browser settings in order to feed them with ads and monetize clicks. Hence, MovieSearches removal is something that should be mandatory for everyone who values their privacy and prefers ad-free browsing.

To remove MovieSearches virus, you need to find and eliminate the browser extension or an application related to the hijack. To find the add-on, simply access your web browser's settings (for example, on Google Chrome, you should go to Menu > More Tools > Extensions). To uninstall a program, check the manual instructions below.

Note that some browser hijackers, including MovieSearches, might employ the “Managed by your organization” feature to prevent its termination. In such a case, you should reset the web browsers and scan the machine with anti-malware.

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 MovieSearches

MovieSearches is a potentially unwanted application that inserts sponsored links in your search results

Browser hijackers hide within software bundles