News Searcher Pro browser hijacker (virus) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
News Searcher Pro browser hijacker Removal Guide
What is News Searcher Pro browser hijacker?
News Searcher Pro is a potentially unwanted application that takes over your browser settings to promote shady providers
News Searcher Pro is a hijacker that alters web browser settings without the user's explicit consent. It will typically alter the homepage, new tab page, and default search engine when installed, typically redirecting searches via unknown or sponsored sites, such as obsrchrdr.com. Although it may appear to be offering useful search enhancements, its only purpose is to drive traffic to related pages for advertising income.
It is a type of unwanted program (PUP) that typically comes bundled with free software or deceptively offered downloads, catching users off guard. Many users might not even realize the difference initially, but they might, after some time has passed, feel slower browsing, increased exposure to advertisements, and random redirects to suspicious websites. News Searcher Pro can be stubborn, and restoring default browser settings might prove difficult without suitable removal processes.
Although News Searcher Pro is not a risk-malware, it still poses a privacy threat to the user and internet security. It can track search terms, browsed websites, and other internet use to customize sponsored content or sell the data to third parties. For this reason, one needs to get rid of the occurrence of such browser hijackers as soon as possible to avoid other security or privacy issues.
| Name | News Searcher Pro |
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted application |
| Distribution | Software bundling, third-party websites, ads |
| Symptoms | The extension can modify your browser settings by replacing your homepage and new tab page with obsrchrdr.com, while also inserting promotional links among the top search results to drive traffic to sponsored content |
| Risks | Installation of other potentially unwanted programs/malware, personal data disclosure to unknown parties, monetary losses |
| Removal | You can eliminate the browser extension by accessing your browser's settings. A scan with powerful security software SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner is also recommended |
| Other tips | Cleaning your web browsers is an important follow-up step after removing PUPs or malware, as it helps protect your privacy and ensure smooth browsing. To speed up the process, you can use FortectIntego, which can efficiently clear browsing data and eliminate any unwanted changes made by malicious software |
How News Searcher Pro can end up on users' computers
The majority of users find programs like News Searcher Pro on their computers without knowing how they acquired it. Among the leading reasons is software bundling, wherein free software downloaded from the web has other unwanted software packaged with their installation file. Individuals who rush through installers without really paying attention to what they are agreeing to generally unknowingly opt to install browser hijackers into their system with legitimate software.
Another typical infection avenue involves misleading online advertisements and pop-ups. The advertisements could come in the form of misleading system warnings or offer allegedly fantastic deals, inviting users to click unwittingly. A misleading click would trigger an immediate browser hijacker download and installation like News Searcher Pro without further user action.
Typically, there are usually significant means by which browser hijackers spread:
- Software bundling. Integrated into installation routines of free software or shareware downloads.
- Misleading advertisements. Triggering silent downloads on user interaction with fake alerts or advertising banners.
Apart from these, certain hijacked websites have the ability to take advantage of browser vulnerabilities to trigger automatic downloads of unwanted software. Peer-to-peer file-sharing networks are also a major threat since downloaded files may hide hidden malware such as News Searcher Pro. Being careful while downloading and not interacting with suspicious ads can significantly lower the possibility of falling victim to such browser hijackers.
Removal of all unwanted or malicious components
Browser hijackers like News Searcher Pro provide no real value to users, and leaving such applications installed can result in far more harm than good. For this reason, it is strongly recommended to eliminate any potentially unwanted programs as soon as they are detected.
In most cases, News Searcher Pro embeds itself as a browser extension or add-on. To begin addressing the issue, users should first identify and uninstall the related plugin from their browsers. Following that, it is advisable to run a complete system scan with SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, or another trusted security tool to ensure that no hidden malware components remain. Running a full scan can help detect additional threats that may not be immediately visible.
After verifying that your device is free from any additional infections, you can proceed to completely remove the News Searcher Pro extension and revert your browser settings to their default state. This approach ensures that any lingering effects of the hijacker are fully eradicated.
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 window's top-right).
- Select Add-ons.
- Here, select the unwanted plugin and click Remove.
MS Edge (Chromium)
- 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.
Internet Explorer
- 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.
Final clean-up and browser reset
As highlighted earlier, browser hijackers like News Searcher Pro are well-known for gathering user information, often sharing collected data with third parties for profit. To achieve this, developers equip these programs with various tracking mechanisms that can continue operating even after the main extension has been removed. Because of this, a thorough cleanup of all browsing data is essential.
Trackers, cookies, and other remnants left behind may compromise privacy unless they are properly cleared. To fully secure your system, it is necessary to remove cookies and related web data. This task can be completed automatically by using FortectIntego, which simplifies the process significantly. Alternatively, users may opt to perform a manual cleanup by following detailed steps provided below.
Completing this final step helps ensure that News Searcher Pro and its tracking tools are entirely eliminated, allowing users to regain control over their browsing experience.
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 (Chromium)
- 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.
Internet Explorer
- Click on the Gear icon > Internet options and select the Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
How to prevent from getting browser hijacker
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices. Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using Private Internet Access VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact – you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.
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