Search.switch2search.com virus (Removal Guide) - Apr 2017 update
Search.switch2search.com virus Removal Guide
What is Search.switch2search.com virus?
Search.switch2search.com is not prepared for searching properly
Search.switch2search.com is a browser hijacker which is alternatively known as Switch2Search. This potentially unwanted program (PUP) belongs to ClientConnect Ltd company which has already released a wide list of similar programs that do not help people find needed information. In fact, when installed, Search.switch2search.com virus initiates malicious activities on the infected machine and then significantly decreases a performance of the affected web browser. This PUP cannot be assigned to malware category since it does not do any illegal activities. However, computer users are not typically satisfied with the activity of this hijacker, because it makes annoying ads appear and also provokes web redirects that lead to questionable Internet sites. This application attempts to implement pay-per-click advertising scheme by urging the victim to use a vague search engine, which it sets to appear on a homepage and a new tab page.
Once this hijacker gets inside the computer system, it adds Switch2search browser extension to Google Chrome browser. It seems that at the moment this hijacker is compatible only with this browser, but typically developers eventually create versions compatible with all main web browsers as well. This extension has several functionalities. First of all, it changes homepage and new tab page, and, on top of that, the default search engine settings as well. Second part of suspicious activities, that could lead you to Search.switch2search.com removal, are related to tracking your behavior online. It needs to know what websites does the user enter, what search queries does he send, what ads does he click on and so on. Such information helps the developers of this questionable extension (ClientConnected Ltd) understand what the computer user is interested in. However, you should also know that this company might share this information with particular third parties. “(including, without limitation, search engines, content providers, and advertising networks) that provide various services (such as advertising, marketing, analysis, content, and search) in connection with the Software & Services.”
In other words, you are going to receive a lot of targeted advertisements, which can reach you in a form of search results, pop-up ads, and similar content. Typically, computer users get annoyed when they receive intrusive advertisements; besides, this app uses computer’s resources to load all this sponsored content, so as a consequence, the speed of the computer performance is going to slow down. We suggest you to think about the consequences of keeping this browser hijacker on your computer, and if you would like to remove Search.switch2search.com, use a proper program for that. You can use FortectIntego or similar software.
Distribution techniques of this browser hijacker
A link to download this potentially unwanted application can be found on its official site, which, unfortunately, looks quite reliable. Nonetheless, it doesn’t seem that many PC users come across it while browsing the Internet, so the developers of this app use another distribution technique to spread it. Search.switch2search.com redirect virus is distributed along with other apps, so we suggest you to be careful and not rush while installing free computer programs that you download from the Internet. They typically include “I agree to install XXX” or “Yes, make XXX search my default homepage” and similar permissions within Default or Standard installation options, so make sure you switch them to Advanced or Custom option. However, that is not enough; to refuse to install suspicious additions, you need to remove checkmarks next to these permissions. It will not be hard to do that since these agreements will appear as soon as you choose Advanced/Custom settings.
Search.switch2search.com removal instructions
If you are not ready to experience web redirects, suffer system slowdowns, and similar problems, then do not waste your time and remove Switch2search virus from the system. For that, you can opt for automatic and manual removal methods. If you are thinking about manual Search.Switch2Search removal, make sure you are very attentive while following the steps given below. Usually, they help reverting unwanted changes back to normal. Besides, try to alter installation settings the next time you install a new computer program, and now follow these instructions to undo the installation mistake that you made a while ago:
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.switch2search.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
To uninstall Switch2Search, make sure you find all apps related to ClientConnected Ltd company.
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 Google Chrome
Add-ons that are related to ClientConnected ltd should be removed if you want to fix your browser properly.
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.
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.
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.switch2search.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
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 from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact – you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.