Searchbent.com virus. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
How should you treat searchbent.com?
Searchbent.com virus may look like a search engine. However, it does not require any specific analysis to notice its features of a browser hijacker. After you get redirected to this domain, you see that it completely fails as a reliable search engine. After you start researching any topic, you find out that it does not provide any search results at all. However, its presence should not be ignored. The infiltration of such seemingly harmless PUP reveals that there are significant flaws in your cyber security. You should remove searchbent.com right away. Reimage does that effectively. After the hijack, you might notice an increasing number of scams. Thus, there is another reason to initiate searchbent.com removal process.
Though there are tons of search engines which almost do not differ from reliable search tools, this hijacker joins the group of PUPs which instantly give out their initial aim. Unfortunately, there is the number of similar hijackers as this one: newsearch2016.com, paper-search2016.com, searchonlineisa.com, etc. Their initial goal is to attract users and make them click on certain links. The developers of this virus are rather interested in receiving many user views and clicks than retaining the users. Though there is a slight possibility of searchbent.com redirect, you should not disregard this hijacker.
Questions about Searchbent.com virus
If you take a look at the privacy policy, it states that the PUP collects information about your search queries, visited domains, detects your geographical region and pinpoints your IP address. It seems that the PUP operates more as a tracker rather than an independent search engine. This website is linked to multiple other websites. On the contrary, if you try to access the domain promoted on the homepage, you bump into a message stating that such domain was not found. Such behavior is certainly not distinctive for a reliable browsing tool.
What is more, your non-personal data along with personal details (if you provide them) may be shared with another company in the case of a merger. Surprisingly, such data transfer might occur without your direct approval. Though there are too many contradictions involving this hijacker, it may assist more serious cyber infections to hijack your device. Thus, it would be better to proceed to Search Bent elimination.
When did I come across the hijacker?
If you tend to install new applications frequently, then the chances are that you enabled searchbent.com hijack accidentally after installing a new app. Due to the common tendency to rush through the settings of the installation wizard, you might have overlooked the additional program. It might have contained the executable file of the hijacker. Luckily, there are ways how you can prevent the invasion of similar PUPs. When you are about to run the installation, select “Custom” mode. Likewise, you will be able to see optional programs. Only when you are sure that no optional tools will be installed, continue with the installation procedure.
How quickly can I remove searchbent.com?
The reliable and speedy method to eliminate searchbent.com virus is to run an anti-spyware application. After downloading it, update it so that the tool could preview its virus database and locate all elements of the hijacker. Usually, searchbent.com removal process does not require much time. In case, you are used to uninstalling programs on your own; you might lean towards the manual elimination method. In order to remove searchbent.com effectively, you will need time and patience to go through step attentively. Lastly, you may reduce the risk of any PUP hijack if you watch for additional tools while installing a new program. User reviews often reveal valuable tips as well.
You can remove Searchbent.com automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareWebroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, Malwarebytes Anti Malware. We recommend these applications because they can easily delete potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Manual Searchbent.com virus Removal Guide:
Erase Searchbent.com from Windows systems
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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 Searchbent.com and related programs
Here, look for Searchbent.com or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove Searchbent.com from Windows shortcuts
Right click on the shortcut of Mozilla Firefox and select Properties. -
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.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariDelete Searchbent.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 Searchbent.com or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Uninstall Searchbent.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. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Searchbent.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 Searchbent.com removal.
Get rid of Searchbent.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.
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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, Searchbent.com should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Searchbent.com from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
After implementing these steps, all elements of the hijacker will be eliminated and you will be able to use the former search engine again.
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Searchbent.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. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Searchbent.com removal.
Eliminate Searchbent.com from Google Chrome
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Searchbent.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 Searchbent.com removal.
Erase Searchbent.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. -
Here, select Extensions and look for Searchbent.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 Searchbent.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.... -
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 Searchbent.com removal process.