Remove Search.searchquickm.com virus (Removal Guide) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
Worrisome functionality of Search.searchquickm.com search site
Search.searchquickm.com is a bogus search engine created by Polarity Technologies, Ltd. This search engine usually emerges in web browsers infected with Quick Maps extension. This potentially unwanted program (PUP) is promoted via software bundles[1] and this way it manages to hijack computers unnoticed. It has already affected computers worldwide, including Germany[2], India and USA.
This search tool is not the right one to use if you’re willing to find some relevant information online. The browser hijacker ensures that the user gets as many sponsored search results as possible, trying to generate pay-per-click revenue[3] this way. Links that it inserts into search results can be deceptive and trigger redirects to pages not associated with your search query.
Some of these pages can be highly suspicious and offer you dangerous programs or files or even ask to provide personally identifiable information. Stay away from such sites!
These redirects help to generate revenue for Polarity Technologies but unfortunately pose a threat to your security at the same time. Although it looks like an actual search provider, this search tool provides links that are not endorsed by the developer of it. In other words, it cares about pay-per-click revenue more than it cares about the quality of their services and that is not a good thing.
On top of that, this suspicious browser hijacker wants to analyze your browsing habits so that it could deliver targeted advertisements within search results. It might silently collect your search queries, track visited websites, IP address, and your geolocation. If you do not want to let this hijacker spy on your activities this way, you should remove Search.searchquickm.com ASAP.
Suspicious behaviour of Search.searchquickm.com virus makes cybersecurity experts classify it as a browser hijacker.
If you already noticed repetitious redirects to hxxp://Search.searchquickm.com/, take actions immediately. Cyber security experts recommend using Reimage Reimage Cleaner Intego or SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner software for removal of the browser hijackers because it is a much safer way to clean the computer from potentially unwanted programs. Attempts to delete the hijacker manually might result in failure. If you want to complete Search.searchquickm.com removal all by yourself, use instructions prepared by our team.
Distribution of potentially unwanted spyware
Potentially unwanted programs are sneaky programs that nobody wants to install. Obviously, their developers use tricky techniques to force computer users to place them on their computers. Shockingly, the majority of these potentially unwanted programs hijack computers using a legitimate software distribution technique called bundling.
Software bundling allows packing a couple of programs and adding them to installers of other, usually popular free software. It is not a secret that users tend to install programs in a rush; therefore they unwillingly agree to install all suggested programs because of pre-selected Default/Standard settings.
Remove Search.searchquickm.com from your browsers
The first thing that you should do is to remove Search.searchquickm.com virus. This way, you will protect your computer from URL redirections that Quick Maps causes. Besides, you will prevent this program from analyzing your activities online. You just have to decide whether you want to remove this hijacker manually or if you’d rather go for automatic Search.searchquickm.com removal.
You may remove virus damage with a help of Reimage Reimage Cleaner Intego. 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.
To remove Search.searchquickm.com virus, follow these steps:
Uninstall Search.searchquickm.com from Windows systems
Your task is to uninstall all questionable programs from your computer, including all those developed by Polarity Technologies, Ltd. Use these instructions:
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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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.
- Uninstall Search.searchquickm.com and related programs
Here, look for Search.searchquickm.com or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove Search.searchquickm.com from Windows shortcuts
Right click on the shortcut of Mozilla Firefox and select Properties.
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Go to Shortcut tab and look at the Target field. Delete malicious URL that is related to your virus.
Repeat steps that are given above with all browsers' shortcuts, including Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. Make sure you check all locations of these shortcuts, including Desktop, Start Menu and taskbar.
Get rid of Search.searchquickm.com from Mac OS X system
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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.searchquickm.com or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Eliminate Search.searchquickm.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.
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You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Search.searchquickm.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.searchquickm.com removal.
Delete Search.searchquickm.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.searchquickm.com should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
Remove Search.searchquickm.com from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
To take down the hijacker, look for QuickMaps extension and delete it without any hesitation. The extension should hide in Firefox's Add-ons tab.
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions.
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Here, select Search.searchquickm.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.
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Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Search.searchquickm.com removal.
Erase Search.searchquickm.com from Google Chrome
You just have to remove Quick Maps extension and reset Chrome to purify your browser.
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions.
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Here, select Search.searchquickm.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.searchquickm.com removal.
Uninstall Search.searchquickm.com from Safari
- 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.
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Here, select Extensions and look for Search.searchquickm.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.searchquickm.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....
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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.searchquickm.com removal process.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices. Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using Private Internet Access VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer various losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Software issues created by malware or direct data loss due to encryption can lead to problems with your device or permanent damage. When you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work.
It is crucial to create updates to your backups after any changes on the device, so you can get back to the point you were working on when malware changes anything or issues with the device causes data or performance corruption. Rely on such behavior and make file backup your daily or weekly habit.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware occurs out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the system restoring purpose.
About the author
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References
- ^ Liam Tung. Google: Unwanted bundled software is way more aggressive than malware. ZDNet. Technology News, Analysis, Comments and Product Reviews.
- ^ DieViren. IT Security News and Removal Guides for German-speaking People. DieViren. IT Security News, Self-Help Guides.
- ^ Pay-per-click. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
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