Search.socialnewpagesearch.com (Oct 2016 update)
Search.socialnewpagesearch.com Removal Guide
What is Search.socialnewpagesearch.com?
Why you should not rely on Search.socialnewpagesearch.com search results
Search.socialnewpagesearch.com virus has already earned a poor reputation among spyware researchers and is known as a tool that tends to slither into computer systems silently and modify browser settings without user’s consent. This application, which is developed by Imali Media, Ltd, changes some settings in user’s web browsers in order to promote a search engine that is displayed below. This search engine pretends to be a legitimate and trustworthy, supposedly providing the users with quick access to their favorite search sites and social networking platforms. It also offers email and news services and seems to be related to another browser hijacker known as the Social Newtab Plus. This already raises suspicions, but even more concerning features of this search engine emerge when you start using it. In the following article, we will discuss what these features are, how to protect your computer from this virus and, also, how to remove search.socialnewpagesearch.com from your computer.
Search.socialnewpagesearch.com hijack is based on taking control over the browser’s settings, so the users first notice that something is wrong with their browser when they start seeing the unfamiliar Socialnewpagesearch website instead of the regular homepage or search engine. By this time, the browser hijacker is already settled on the computer and is ready to flood you with links to sponsored websites as soon as you try to use the search. In reality, these links often lead to very questionable sites which you would normally avoid. They may be filled with infectious content or simply try to push you some completely unnecessary products. You should keep in mind that search.socialnewpagesearch.com redirect problem will not simply go away and will only become more serious as time goes by. That is why it is recommended to eliminate the virus from the system as soon as you suspect its presence on the PC. Sophisticated antivirus tools, such as FortectIntego, should take care of the Search.socialnewpagesearch.com removal without much trouble, so you will be able to enjoy your usual browsing in no time.
Methods used to distribute this potentially unwanted program
Potentially unwanted programs like search.socialnewpagesearch.com redirect virus are deceptive in a variety of different ways. They often display modified search results, fake advertisements and redirect you to suspicious sites. But the initial point at which the user gets tricked is stealthy system infiltration. Search.socialnewpagesearch.com enters the browser by attaching itself to legitimate freeware or shareware programs. Therefore, if you are not attentive enough and choose the quick installation instead of a lengthier advanced one, you may easily become infected with the virus. Also, this parasite may infiltrate your computer through some corrupted software update or a fake pop-up ad. Therefore, it is important to have your system protected by some reliable antivirus software at all times.
Uninstall search.socialnewpagesearch.com hijacker to fix your browsers
If you are already fed up with all the mentioned inconveniences and thinking about the search.socialnewpagesearch.com removal, you have two option to consider. First, you should scan your system with some reliable antivirus scanner to determine the extent of the infection. When the scanner finds all of the infectious files, it will delete them automatically. Additionally, it will also get rid of other potentially unwanted software that may be installed on your computer. Of course, there are some alternatives for the automatic removal as well. You can also remove search.socialnewpagesearch.com manually. This technique may take longer but should be able to delete the virus successfully. You will find the detailed instructions provided below. However, if you find them too complex, you should stick to the automatic elimination option.
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.socialnewpagesearch.com. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Look for programs that are published by Imali Media, Ltd, and uninstall them. Then, check your browsers for such extensions: SocialNewtabPlus, SocialNewTab, Social-tab, SocialNewPage, and similar ones. Remove them!
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
In order to clean up your Mac from this virtual pest, look for applications developed by Imali Media and uninstall them. Do not forget to uninstall other suspicious applications and, if in doubt, search the web for some information about their reliability. Next, check all web browsers for the following extensions:
- Social-tab;
- SocialNewTabPlus;
- SocialNewTab;
- SocialNewPage.
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.socialnewpagesearch.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.