Safesurfs.net virus (Removal Instructions) - Sep 2017 update
Safesurfs.net virus Removal Guide
What is Safesurfs.net virus?
Safesurfs.net virus hijack forces the user to try suspicious search services
Safesurfs virus is an untrustworthy search provider that uses a deceptive name for its domain. In reality, it is not entirely safe to search the Internet via this site. In particular, SafeSurfs is categorized as a browser hijacker[1] that alters settings in all browsers, so consciously avoiding it may not prevent you from seeing it load as your homepage or a default search engine one day.
Safesurfs.net redirect virus firstly picks victim's search query and transmits it to search.securefindersearch.com domain. From there, it connects to goto.searchpro.club domain and finally lands the victim on a page that provides modified Yahoo search results (Safer Browser Yahoo Search results). These results aren't considered trustworthy as they can contain links to promoted websites of unknown reputation.
The browser hijacker is able to spread together with other software, so the best thing you can do is to clean your computer with some reliable anti-spyware utility, such as FortectIntego. In addition, carefully pick the sources of your downloads. Besides taking over your browser, the virus may also annoy you with ads, redirect you to unfamiliar domains and keep a record of your browsing habits.
What dangers can these activities bring to your PC will be discussed later in the article, but if you stumbled upon our site specifically looking for Safesurfs.net removal recommendations, you can skip straight to the end of the article where you will find all the necessary information.
One of the most dangerous aspects of SafeSurfs hijack is the uncontrollable and unpredictable advertising. The sponsored ads and links are injected directly into the search results and on random web pages, diminishing the quality of the search and browsing experience.
Even if you are a fan of online deals and special offers, keep in mind that nothing that this hijacker promotes can be trusted. After clicking on any of the ads you may be immediately redirected to gambling sites and other insecure domains[2], thus it is advisable to avoid any interaction with the site.
On top of it all, Safesurfs.net virus may as well spy on you. Let it be the non-personal information that it keeps the record of, but once this data is collected, it becomes a property of the virus creators, can be sold or shared with other third-parties, and that should not be tolerated. That is why we recommend you to remove Safesurfs.net before even hitting the search button.
Protective measures to keep this hijacker away from your PC
As you have already found out, Safesurfs is a sneaky parasite and may enter the system undercover. Since the infection does not pose any direct harm to the computer, most users think that enabling your antivirus protection is enough to fend this virus off.
In reality, it takes more than that. The virus-fighting utility may delete the virus once it is on the computer, but it will not necessarily stop it from entering it in the first place. Because these infections travel in software packages with other software, it is necessary to keep an eye on what you are installing on your computer.
Only the Advanced/Custom options in the software’s setup allow such monitoring, so be sure you choose these setting when installing new software on your PC. Once you do that, do not forget to terminate the installation of potentially dangerous apps.
Our research shows that this browser hijacker rampages in India mostly. Computer users from this country are kindly invited to see cyber security tips provided by Varyarasa.in team[3].
Safesurfs.net removal isn't the easiest task
If you are new to the virus elimination, do not worry, Safesurfs.net removal is not a tough nut to crack. The infection can be eliminated manually or automatically.
The second option is your best choice if messing with viruses with your bare hands is the last thing you imagine yourself doing. This approach will require you to obtain some reliable antivirus software and run a scan of your system.
Also, there is always an alternative option to deal with potentially unwanted programs. You can remove Safesurfs.net virus manually. You will find the illustrated guide on how to do that below the article.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Safesurfs.net virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Safesurfs.net virus is a shortcut-hijacking software, so it will take a little more effort to eliminate it from your system. First of all, uninstall SafeSurfs-related programs via Control panel. Then you will need to fix your browser's shortcuts.
We strongly recommend you to look at screenshots provided below which will guide you through the removal procedure. You must delete https://Safesurfs.net/ value from the Target field in order to stop your browser from automatically launching this domain. We also suggest you to unpin infected browser icons from the taskbar and pin freshly cleaned shortcuts then.
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- 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 uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- 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:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
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 on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (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 Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
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.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
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.
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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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 Safe Surfs Net extensions from Chrome in this way:
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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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 unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Safesurfs.net registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting stealing programs
Protect your privacy – employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
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- ^ Browser hijacking. McAfee. Securing Tomorrow. Today.
- ^ Guðrún Unnur Gústafsdóttir. What are Unsafe Domains?. Siteimprove Support. Siteimprove Help Center.
- ^ Vayarasa. Vayarasa. Malware, Spyware Removal Tips.