Remove Search Protect (Free Guide)

Search Protect is a potentially unwanted program that changes your browser settings to bring you ads

Search Protect is an application whose sole purpose is to prevent other related programs from being eliminated from the infected computer. This is why, once various potentially unwanted programs from a bundle are implemented on the system, uninstallation becomes difficult, and other third-party programs may get installed without your permission.

It belongs to the family of programs developed by Conduit – it is known for developing such intrusive and questionable programs previously. Beware that this particular app has already been labeled as a browser hijacker,^[1] which changes the settings of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or another browser without permission. Many AV engines can block access to this website or detect it as a potentially unwanted program and eliminate it.

It seems that the main reason why security experts decided upon such categorization is that the developer of this program is a questionable company, responsible of releasing other applications such as Trovi, Conduit, Search.conduit.com which have all been categorized as browser hijackers. This fact is also one of the determining factors that should encourage you to eliminate the app immediately.

Name	Search Protect
Type	Browser hijacker
Category	Potentially unwanted program
Symptoms	Alters browser settings, delivers advertisements, causes redirects to suspicious sites, affiliated pages
Distribution	Comes via bundled software, deceptive ads, and pages
Main danger	Tracks and collects information about the user, browsing habits and preferences
Elimination	Use Malwarebytes Malwarebytes for PUP removal
Browser fix	Use Fortect Intego to clean your browser automatically after hijacker's elimination

They are mostly presented as search engines, but you should never trust them and use them for your searches. We say so because they may alter your Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and other web browsers and, after doing so, may show you altered search results. Clicking on such results may lead you to redirects ^[2] to unknown websites and other issues.

If you have already discovered altered settings on each of your web browsers, keep in mind that it is yet another creation of Conduit that can barely give anything useful in return. Even more, this search engine is not only useless. You should also know that it may trick you into visiting suspicious websites because it has been actively used for affiliate marketing ^[3] and other questionable activities.

Besides, just like any other browser hijacker programs, it may start tracking your online activities and collecting your search queries, most visited websites, time that you send on them, etc. If this sounds familiar, you should check to remove Search Protect from your computer. For that, we highly recommend using reputable anti-malware program or other security software because intruder may try to 'protect' itself when trying to get rid of it manually. For that, we recommend SpyHunter Combo Cleaner.

Make sure to eliminate the PUP by scanning the machine with antivirus tool fully, so all alterations and changes this unwanted program has made can be reversed:

altered registry entries;
disabled programs;
installed browser extensions.

This app is the ad-supported that can continuously deliver you commercial content in the form of banners, pop-ups, pop-unders, and multiple redirects and in-text-links. Different monetization platforms promote this program and bundled apps to distribute even further with all the intrusive behavior.

Due to the relation with Conduit company and other browser hijackers, Search Protect can install various applications and tools automatically like Conduit OurToolbar or questionable bookmarks, add-ons and programs that keep you from adding other browser plugins or search engines.

The primary purpose of such programs is to redirect your online traffic to affiliated, sponsored sites filled with commercial content and create revenue for the publisher this way because every page visit and views on the advertisements can be monetized.

These redirects and commercial content also ensures that users click on delivered content and PUP developer can access various information about the visitor and create more personalized advertisements this way. To end this behavior you need to get the reputable anti-malware tool like Malwarebytes Malwarebytes and make sure to clear the system. Keeping this tool can also help avoid any similar infections later on because this AV can block potential threats before the initial infiltration.

The virus hijacks computers without the user's permission

You can download this rogue software consciously when developers promote the program as useful and valuable. However, we highly recommend not doing so because you may notice various issues and inconveniences on it. Furthermore, your system may be hijacked by this potentially unwanted program without your permission asked.

Moreover, just like other PUPs, this application may travel as an additional attachment of various freeware ^[4]. If you are attentive enough, you can prevent the installation of such unwanted attachments, but you should pay close attention when installing freeware on your computer for that.

As experts always^[5] note, select Custom or Advanced installation options when downloading any updates or freeware. Please, do so when installing your next download manager, PDF creator, video streaming software, etc. This way you can de-select any unwanted application included on the list.

Tips for the proper Search Protect removal

We have already noticed that there are lots of internet users, who have been affected by this unwanted program. They claim that they have difficulties when trying to remove the app because, as we have already mentioned, it relies on some tricks when trying to protect itself.

It looks like this program is capable of dropping registry entries that help this program to reappear on the system after its manual removal is finished. So, to make sure that this program is completely removed, we recommend scanning your computer with a reliable anti-malware program. Of course, you can also follow the step-by-step Search Protect removal guide below the article and get rid of this pesky intruder manually.

Make sure to eliminate all associated files and programs so that the virus damage can get eliminated. Resetting your browsers to default may also help since this intruders may install extra add-ons or plug-ins.

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.

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.

How to remove Search Protect

Search Protect is a potentially unwanted program that changes your browser settings to bring you ads

The virus hijacks computers without the user's permission