SafeSear.ch is a browser hijacker that fails to deliver organic search results
SafeSear.ch is a fake search engine that is established as soon as a potentially unwanted program[1] is installed on the computer. The intrusion is usually unexpected, as PUPs mostly travel within software bundles, and users fail to notice optional components inserted into the installer of shareware or freeware applications.
SafeSear.ch can affect multiple browsers, including Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and many others. Soon after installation, the browser hijacker sets the homepage, new tab URL and search engine to hxxp://safesear.ch without permission. Additionally, all the searchers performed on the hijacked browser are redirected to Yahoo, where users can see multiple sponsored links.
While SafeSear.ch developers promise the “streamlined search experience,” end users suffer from extorted browsing experience and intrusive ads. Fake search engines are deliberately presented as useful tools, while in reality, they are at least a nuisance, which can sometimes cause serious privacy and security issues, prompting users to look for SafeSear.ch removal options.
| Summary | |
| Name | SafeSear.ch |
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Category | Potentially unwanted program |
| Installation | Third-party sites, software bundling |
| Symptoms | Changed web browser settings, altered search results, sponsored links, increased amount of ads, etc. |
| Risks | Installation of other potentially unwanted software, malware infections, money loss |
| Termination | Use reputable security tool like FortectIntego or delete the hijacker manually based on our guide below |
While “SafeSear.ch virus” term is not entirely correct, users whose web browsers are affected do have the right to be concerned. In general, potentially unwanted programs have been receiving more attention from the security community, as the underlying dangers are evident.
Malware infections are something that all users should avoid and, even though it is unlikely that SafeSear.ch will bring you to installing dangerous computer viruses, it is not impossible. Compromised websites might host drive-by downloads[2] or malicious ads that can install malware automatically, without user interaction. To stop these, users should equip their devices with an anti-malware program and ad-blocking software.
No matter that SafeSear.ch promises to help people reach their favorite websites faster, sometimes it seems that all that it seeks is to promote third parties and increase their page rank, web traffic, or sales. Note that the hijacker redirects all the search results to Yahoo – a reputable search engine. However, that does not mean that the search results are organic[3] – they are littered with sponsored links and promotional content.
While the engine of Yahoo is used, SafeSear.ch hijack injects predetermined links at the top that generate money for the developers and then claim that these are allegedly the results you want to see. In reality, these are the results that were paid for, and might not be useful at all. Nevertheless, in order to cater your needs, information about your browsing activities is gathered continuously to serve you targeted ads, as explained in the Privacy Policy of SafeSear.ch site:[4]
<…>However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.
Be aware that some data, such as user IP address or search queries, might be considered personally identifiable information.
All in all, we recommend you remove SafeSear.ch from your computer and rather use Yahoo directly instead. In such a way, you won't see sponsored links and will be presented with accurate search results. To terminate the unwanted app, you can use anti-malware software (such as FortectIntego) or check out our manual removal guide below.
Browser hijackers are usually not installed deliberately – here's how to avoid them
As we have already mentioned, a browser hijacker may show up on your computer out of nowhere. In most of the cases, it hijacks Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox browsers after downloading questionable freeware on the system.
Please be very careful with such programs as download managers, PDF creators, and similar software. By saying “be careful” mean choosing Custom or Advanced settings when installing freeware, following every installation step and also unchecking all checkboxes that note that agree to change your search engine, new tab URL, and the search engine
In other cases, users might install potentially unwanted programs intentionally when promised with its advanced functionality. For example, browser hijackers often promise enhanced browsing practice; system optimizers claim to increase your computer speed while video players offer somehow better movie-watching experience.
Nevertheless, you should not pay attention to these empty promises and first check reviews to find out whether the app is actually useful and does not have underlying features that are not instantly apparent.
Delete SafeSear.ch from all your browsers and use reputable search engine instead
In most of the cases, you should be able to remove SafeSear.ch manually with the help of our detailed instructions that you can find below. If you have a standalone program installed that relates to the hijack, you will have to enter the installed program list and terminate the potentially unwanted application from there. After that, you should also reset all the installed browsers, as browser hijackers are known to alter their settings without permission.
The more comfortable way to perform SafeSear.ch removal is employing security software that specializes in PUPs, however. All you have to do is download the app, bring its database to the latest patch, and do a full system scan. In such a way, you will not only get rid of the PUP but also of its traces in Windows registry or LaunchAgents on Macs.
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.
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