MySearchConverters browser hijacker (virus) - Free Instructions

What is MySearchConverters browser hijacker?

MySearchConverters can change the settings of the browser and inject ads into the search results

MySearchConverters changes the appearance of the browser by changing the settings

MySearchConverters is a hijacker that changes the browser's main settings, like the homepage, new tab address, and search engine. It can also cause an increased amount of commercial content, like pop-ups, banners, and redirects. Crooks do not really care about user privacy or security so they may use rogue advertising networks that place ads leading to dangerous websites.

As a result, people may end up on sites that try to trick them into providing personal information, downloading PUPs (potentially unwanted programs),^[1] and even malware.^[2] If you experience any of these symptoms, follow our detailed removal guide to protect your machine from intruders.

MySearchConverters overview

This application belongs to a family of browser hijackers. We previously wrote about QuickCouponSearch, CoolMapSearch, BestMusicSearches, and many more. All of these extensions look the same, except for different logos and color schemes.

They also have a few useless functions to make them look more desirable – a PDF file converter, calculator, currency converter, and an ability to save favorite pages. It also changes the homepage to portal.mysearchconverters.com and redirects users' search queries through feed.mysearchconverters.com to search engines like:

• Searchlee
• Nearbyme
• Yahoo
• Bing

It is rare for hijackers to have their own custom search engines. The developers implement already existing ones just to make them functional. Bing and Yahoo are legitimate search engines, and there is nothing to worry about them, but the other ones are not.

If your search queries get redirected to searchlee.com or nearbyme.io, you might expect to see promotional links in the search results, ads inserted between them, and redirects to suspicious pages. This may lead to the installation of other PUPs, pop-up ad spam, and scam pages.

MySearchConverters can redirect users' search queries to shady search engines

Distribution methods

Usually, hijackers like MySearchConverters appear on the machine after browsing through shady websites. Sites that engage in illegal activities are especially dangerous as they are unregulated. Often, they are full of deceptive ads and sneaky redirects.

The web is full of fake “Downloader” pages that use social engineering tactics to fool people into installing bogus browser extensions. We recommend using only official web stores and doing your research. Read the reviews, look at the ratings, and the number of users an application has. It is best to choose those plugins, that have plenty of positive feedback and thousands of users.

Sometimes, browser hijackers can also install together with freeware.^[3] Freeware distribution platforms include additional programs in the installers to make their activity profitable. You should always choose the “Custom” or “Advanced” installation methods, read the Privacy Policy, and Terms of Use. The most important step is to check the file list and untick the boxes next to any unrelated apps.

Remove the unwanted browser extension

Browser hijackers typically reside in browsers, which means that the main app which should be removed in order to eliminate the PUP is an extension embedded in the browser. If you have never dealt with browser add-ons, we provide comprehensive instructions below.

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 the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.

Mozilla Firefox

• 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 plugin and click Remove.

MS Edge

• Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
• Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.

Safari

• Click Safari > Preferences…
• In the new window, pick Extensions.
• Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.

Check your system for PUPs

While MySearchConverters comes from a family of hijackers that spread as browser extensions, there could be additional apps installed on your computer. This is especially true if you are keen on frequently downloading software from third-party websites. Bundles can include several programs. Thus, you should check the section of the installed applications on your machine.

Or you can scan your device with SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, or another anti-malware software to ensure that there are no malicious programs and processes running in the background. Keep in mind that those who visit dangerous websites are more likely to get infected with malware. Without security software, it is almost impossible for regular computer users to know if it is present on the device, as the operations are usually hidden.

Windows

• Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
• Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
• From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
• Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
• If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
• Wait till the uninstallation process is complete and click OK.

Mac

1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
2. In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
3. Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)

To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:

1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
2. Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
3. In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
4. Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.

Clean your browsers

Cookies are small pieces of data that are used to include all sorts of settings. While they can't be malicious by themselves, they can be stolen by third parties and used for malicious purposes. Therefore, security experts advise cleaning web browsers from time to time. You can employ automatic cleaning tools such as FortectIntego, although you can also refer to the manual instructions below.

Google 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.

Mozilla Firefox

• Click Menu and pick Options.
• Go to Privacy & Security section.
• Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
• Click on Clear Data…
• Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.

MS Edge

• Click on Menu and go to Settings.
• Select Privacy and services.
• Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
• Under Time range, pick All time.
• Select Clear now.

Safari

• Click Safari > Clear History…
• From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
• Confirm with Clear History.