Search.search-el.com virus (Improved Guide)
Search.search-el.com virus Removal Guide
What is Search.search-el.com virus?
What should you know about search.search-el.com?
If you are thinking why search.search-el.com virus appeared instead of your usual search engine, let us assure you that it is an ordinary case of a browser hijack. This search engine is just another sample from the family of Safer Browser series. Therefore, we recommend you to remove Search.search-el.com virus right away. The longer the hijacker resides on your computer the more frustrating advertisements might emerge in front of your screen; they do not only slow down the browser but disturb your surfing sessions. The ads might pop up even in information websites. In addition, redirects to possibly corrupted domains also become a frustrating phenomenon. Make a rush to start Search.search-el.com removal. FortectIntego comes as a practical tool for dealing with browser hijackers and every sort of PUPs [1].
Gearheads of Safer Browser hijackers seem to work relentlessly as they regularly come with new search engines. If you have bitter experience dealing with one of their products, you might realize that all browser hijackers are identical. What is more, the PUPs share most the same URL addresses. Even if the hijacker provides you links to email accounts and social networks, such advantages have its certain drawbacks. In other words, you might notice that advertisements of other companies are starting to cram your browser. They many inject their own information-tracking cookies to obtain important data about your browsing activities [2].
Furthermore, if you take a look at the privacy policy of search.search-el.com, you might find interesting pieces of information which might help you decide to hurry up with the elimination of Search-el. According to the capitalized provisions, the hijacker asks your permission to track your browsing data, including visited domains, browsing frequency, search entries, IP address, geographical location, etc. What is more, Safer Browser owners may share it with third-parties. As a result of such bargain, the recipient company misuses such data for generating pay-per-click-ads. However, the addressees of such advertising content – users – only end up with great frustration having to cancel emerging pop-ups all the time. Though the gathered data is labeled as non-personal information, it is likely that it might contain your email address. All in all, it seems that privacy on the Internet is becoming a more fragile matter [3]. As a result, keep in mind that your email might be overcrowded with spam. Note that spam emails occasionally distribute highly severe viruses [4]. Lastly, we would like to warn you not to stay too long in redirect web pages once Search.search-el.com redirect becomes active. The domains may be also infected with viruses.
How did the hijacker end up on my computer?
Interestingly, such browser hijackers spread with the help of “bundling” technique. Specifically, Search.search-el.com hijack occurred when you accidentally installed optional programs along with your preferred application. It is not difficult to detect such PUP programs if you take into account several tips. Firstly, when you start installing any programs, opt for “Custom” settings. They will disclose optional tools and you will be able to prevent suspicious tools from invading the system. In addition, develop a habit installing new programs from the official domains.
Search.search-el.com elimination guide
You can remove search.search-el.com virus with an anti-spyware application. The software is a useful utility eliminating more serious viruses, particularly trojans, computer worms, etc. Alternatively, you can complete Search.search-el.com removal by following the below-given instructions. It is of utmost importance to eliminate all elements of the hijacker, otherwise, remaining elements might help the future PUP to occupy your device more easily. Remember that your participation in ensuring cyber security plays a significant role [5].
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 Search.search-el.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
No need to worry as users will find the instructions for each browser. Precision and attention are necessary for completely eliminating the threat.
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 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 Search.search-el.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
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
- ^ Franziska. Potentially Unwanted Programs slow down your system and can be harmful: Here’s what can you do about it. Emsisoft Blog.
- ^ Ross Benes. Ad tech profits from ads on fake news -- and preventing ads on fake news. Digiday. Get smarter about programmatic.
- ^ Dave Neal. Freedom House warns that internet privacy is eroding fast. The Inquirer. IT news media.
- ^ Looming Epidemic? Zepto Ransomware Found Spreading Via Massive Spam Campaign. TrendMicro. Securiting Your Journey to the Cloud..
- ^ How to prevent and repair browser hijacking. Independent tests of anti-virus software.