Search.pikatika.com virus. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
Search.pikatika.com browser hijacker aims to compromise your Mac to deliver ads
Search.pikatika.com is presented as a traditional search engine, although it is actually an untrustworthy browser hijacker[1] that spreads via suspicious software bundles. The potentially unwanted program (PUP) infects Macs mainly and compromises each web browser to set http://Search.pikatika.com/ as default search engine and homepage address.
The described search site is promoted with a dubious Mac application called Pikatika downloader. Installing it on your computer will disrupt your browser experience and force you to receive modified search results. The problem is that these results look trustworthy, although they can disguise dangerous URLs leading to low-reputation Internet sites.
Computer users who seek to protect their computers from potentially unwanted programs and more critical programs should remember that unexpected changes on the computer system should not be ignored. If you noticed one of the listed signs on your computer, you must remove Search.pikatika.com virus from it:
- Your browser acts slower than usual and displays you annoying ads (banners, pop-ups);
- You receive suspicious search results (for instance, you started receiving Yahoo search results although you were using Google the day before);
- Your browser automatically redirects you to Search.pikatika website each time you open it;
- Clicking on search results takes you to vague websites that make you question their reliability.
You must remember that browser hijackers are not programs designed for user’s benefit. According to LesVirus.fr[2], they function as money-making tools that pretend to be providing “web search services” although they are used only for ad serving[3]. Browser hijackers usually take search results from trustworthy search engines such as Yahoo and fill them up with sponsored links.
For a successful Search.pikatika.com removal, we strongly recommend using anti-malware program. We know that you can remove this annoying Mac parasite manually (especially with instructions provided by us!) but using anti-spyware or anti-malware software can save you tons of time.
For instance, Reimage can not only clean your computer from malware but speed up the entire system by removing junk files and fixing errors.
Click 'Start -> Control Panel -> Programs and Features' (if you are 'Windows XP' user, click on 'Add/Remove Programs').
If you are 'Windows 10 / Windows 8' user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once 'Quick Access Menu' shows up, select 'Control Panel' and 'Uninstall a Program'.
Right click on each of suspicious entries and select 'Uninstall'
Right click on browsers' icon and select 'Properties'
Select 'Shortcut' tab and delete 'http://isearch.babylon.com...' or other suspicious URL
Cick 'Go' and select 'Applications'
Click on every malicious entry and select 'Move to Trash'
Click on menu icon and select 'Manage add-ons'
Right click on each of malicious entries and select 'Disable'
Delete malicious URL, enter your desired domain name and click 'Apply' to save changes
Go to 'Advanced' tab and click on 'Reset' button. Now select 'Delete personal settings' and click on 'Reset' button again
Go to Settings and select 'Choose what to clear'
Select 'Clear' button
Open the start menu and select 'Task Manager'
Right-click 'Microsoft Edge' and select 'Go to details'
Select 'More details' if 'Go to details' option fails to show up
Find Microsoft Edge entries and select 'End Task'
Go to Microsoft Edge folder on your computer, right-click every entry and click 'Delete'
Find Windows PowerShell, right-click it and select 'Run as administrator'
Copy and paste a required command and press 'Enter'
Click on menu icon and select 'Add-ons'
Select 'Extensions' and look for malicious entries. Click 'Remove' to get rid of each of them
When in 'General' tab, delete malicious URL from 'Home Page' section or click on 'Restore to Default' button. Click 'OK' to save changes
Click on menu icon and then on '?'. Select 'Troubleshooting Information'
Click on 'Reset Firefox' button for a couple of times
Click on menu icon. Select 'Tools' and 'Extensions'
Look for malicious entries and delete each of them by clicking on the Trash bin icon
After clicking on menu and 'Settings', select 'Set pages'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', select 'Manage search engines...'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', scroll down to 'Reset browser settings' button and click on it
Click on 'Reset' button to complete your removal
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Preferences'
Go to 'Extensions' and uninstall malicious add-ons
When in 'General', delete malicious URL and enter your desired domain name
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Reset Safari...'
Select all options and click on 'Reset' button
Suggestions how to avoid browser hijackers
Keeping computer spyware and malware free can be tough. However, there is one thing that should help you to keep at least non-malicious but ad-supported programs at bay. You simply need to decompose software packages before installing them on your computer.
Free programs often travel in software bundles that look like regular programs. Each time you download a game, download manager or another free app, consider choosing Custom/Advanced settings for its installation.
This way, you will get a chance to drop off all programs bundled alongside your chosen app. Try to avoid Default, Standard or any other installation option marked as “recommended.” They usually hide agreements to install unknown programs such as Pikatika virus.
Search.pikatika.com removal requires computing skills or a special program
You can remove Search.pikatika.com virus in two ways – automatically or manually. Like any other non-malicious program, it can be rooted out from your Mac OS rather easily. If you decided to go for this uninstallation option, please follow the instructions provided below the article.
However, if you seek for a little more precise computer cleanup, consider the automatic Search.pikatika.com removal option. To complete the removal automatically, you will need anti-spyware or anti-malware software, obviously. Consider choosing one of the ones we recommend.
You can remove Search.pikatika.com automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareWebroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, Malwarebytes Anti Malware. We recommend these applications because they can easily delete potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Manual Search.pikatika.com virus Removal Guide:
Get rid of Search.pikatika.com from Mac OS X system
Remove Pikatika downloader from Applications folder this way:
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Search.pikatika.com or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Erase Search.pikatika.com from Internet Explorer (IE)
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Remove dangerous add-ons
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top right corner of the browser and choose Manage Add-ons. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Search.pikatika.com and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of the browser and select Internet Options. Stay in General tab. -
Here, remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Click Apply to save changes.
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Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
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When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Search.pikatika.com removal.
Remove Search.pikatika.com virus from Microsoft Edge
Reset Microsoft Edge settings (Method 1):
- Launch Microsoft Edge app and click More (three dots at the top right corner of the screen).
- Click Settings to open more options.
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Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
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Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
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Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
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Right-click on it and choose Go to details option. If can’t see Go to details option, click More details and repeat previous steps.
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When Details tab shows up, find every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right click on each of them and select End Task to end these entries.
Resetting Microsoft Edge browser (Method 2):
If Method 1 failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method.
- Note: you need to backup your data before using this method.
- Find this folder on your computer:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe. -
Select every entry which is saved on it and right click with your mouse. Then Delete option.
- Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type in window power in Search my stuff line.
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Right-click the Windows PowerShell entry and choose Run as administrator.
- Once Administrator: Windows PowerShell window shows up, paste this command line after PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> and press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}
Once these steps are finished, Search.pikatika.com should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
Mac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariDelete Search.pikatika.com from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Search.pikatika.com and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the menu (top right corner), choose Options → General. - Here, delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
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Click OK to save these changes.
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Reset Mozilla Firefox
Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Search.pikatika.com removal.
Eliminate Search.pikatika.com from Google Chrome
Delete all Pikatika-related extensions.
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Search.pikatika.com and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
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Change your homepage and default search engine if it was altered by your virus
Click on menu icon and choose Settings. -
Here, look for the Open a specific page or set of pages under On startup option and click on Set pages.
- Now you should see another window. Here, delete malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage.
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Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
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When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
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Reset Google Chrome
Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings. -
Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings.
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Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Search.pikatika.com removal.
Uninstall Search.pikatika.com from Safari
Fix Safari by deleting all extensions associated with the described search site.
- Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. -
Here, select Extensions and look for Search.pikatika.com or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Open your Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu section. Here, select Preferences as it was displayed previously and select General. -
Here, look at the Homepage field. If it was altered by Search.pikatika.com, remove unwanted link and enter the one that you want to use for your searches. Remember to include the "http://" before typing in the address of the page.
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Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... -
Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete Search.pikatika.com removal process.
About the author
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References
- ^ Browser hijacking. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ LesVirus. LesVirus. Your Source for Cyber Security Tips.
- ^ Most aggressive browser hijackers Watch out for the latest in browser hijackers – Qtipr.com, Motious.com and Launchpage.org. eSolutions. Cyber Security News, Tips & Tricks.