Search.findwide.com (Sep 2016 update) - Updated Guide

Search.findwide.com Removal Guide

What is Search.findwide.com?

Reasons to stay away from Search.findwide.com virus

Search.findwide.com can seem like a regular search tool for people who have never encountered a browser hijacker in their life. Sadly, this vague search tool is actively promoted with a help of a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that is often called Search.findwide.com virus. This PUP is also known under Findwide, FindWide.com Toolbar, and Findwide Search names. When someone installs this program on the system, it quickly alters some browser settings and sets the aforementioned URL as browser’s default start page. Unfortunately, this computer parasite can infiltrate the most popular web browsers – Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Once this trio gets affected, some symptoms of Search.findwide.com hijack can be spotted immediately. Just like we have said, the victim might notice that the browser launches the indicated URL on the startup and then displays the FindWide search engine. On top of that, the hijacker changes the default new tab page preferences, and this change can be noticed easily, too. However, there are some changes that cannot be spotted that easily. This hijacker adds tracking cookies into infected web browser to collect information about user’s browsing sessions and learn more about his or hers browsing activities and personal interests. These non-personal details about the user are used to deliver targeted advertisements, which can appear in pop-up windows or just be hidden between the organic search results powered by the questionable search engine that this hijacker presents.

Even though Find Wide search may appear to be reliable at first, you should better not trust its search results. Be aware that this hijacker has solely been developed for monetization purposes, which means that its main objective is to promote third-party websites, increase their rank in search results, collect users’ clicks, and so on. Therefore, whenever you initiate a search using that site, you may experience redirects to suspicious websites of its affiliates. Sites advertised this way often prove to be unreliable; therefore, by exploring such results, you risk exposing your computer to various cyber threats and ending up with a spyware or malware variant on your PC. Thus, to say at least, Search.findwide.com redirect virus is a useless application that we do not recommend using. The quickest and easiest way to remove Search.findwide.com is to perform a full system scan with a reputable and updated anti-malware, such as FortectIntego.

Search.findwide.com hijack

How can this program hijack my computer?

Search.findwide.com hijack can happen when the user recklessly installing another freeware or shareware example. Programs that contain other third-party software are known as software packages, or software bundles. Such software bundles are mostly promoted both on corrupted/suspicious websites and reliable download sources, such as Download, Cnet, Soft32, Softonic, and so on. There are hundreds of free programs that contain installers of various add-ons, plug-ins, toolbars, and apps and that in order to opt them out you have to check every free program that you are going to install. For that, we recommend reading users’ reports, EULA, Privacy Policy and other relevant information. Besides, we recommend to choosing Advanced or Custom installation option because such preference should disclose all ‘additional components’ added to your download and allow deselecting them. If you detect a notification saying that you agree to set search.findwide.com as your default start page, search provider, and a new tab, you should opt out of such propositions without any delay. Already missed doing so? Don’t worry, we have already prepared search.findwide.com removal guide that can be found below.

Search.findwide.com removal tutorial

Do not waste your time expecting Search.findwide.com virus to get better. You should follow Search.findwide.com removal instructions provided below and delete this pest from the system without any worries. If you cannot remove Search.findwide.com virus manually, send us a question or delete it with automatic malware removal tool.

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.

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What to do if failed?
If you failed to fix virus damage using Fortect Intego, submit a question to our support team and provide as much details as possible.
Fortect Intego has a free limited scanner. Fortect Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Fortect, try running SpyHunter 5.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Intego, try running Combo Cleaner.

Getting rid of Search.findwide.com. Follow these steps

Uninstall from Windows

Go to recently installed programs list using guidelines below and uninstall FindWide virus.

Instructions for Windows 10/8  machines:

  1. Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program. Uninstall from Windows 1
  3. From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
  4. Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
  5. If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
  6. Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK. Uninstall from Windows 2

If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program. Uninstall from Windows 7/XP
  3. Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
  4. At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
  5. In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
  6. Click OK once the removal process is finished.

Delete from macOS

Look through the system for FindFide app and uninstall it.

Remove items from Applications folder:

  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) Uninstall from Mac 1

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. Uninstall from Mac 2

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

To remove the hijacker from Firefox, complete these additional steps:

1. Go to Firefox Help Menu. Find TroubleShooting information option there and click on it.

2. In the Application Basics panel, find Profile folder and click on Open Folder button that is next to it.

3. Find the user.js file and delete it.

4. Restart Firefox and, if needed, carry out the following instructions then.

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove. Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Options.
  3. Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data…
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear. Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information. Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox. Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete preferences and extensions related to FindWide virus. These instructions explain how to do it:

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. 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. Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data. Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings. Reset Chrome 2

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 Search.findwide.com 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

Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are

There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.

Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.

Data backups are important – recover your lost files

Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.

While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.

About the author
Linas Kiguolis
Linas Kiguolis - Expert in social media

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