Searchfast.ru virus. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
Seeing Searchfast.ru on your browser is the sign of infection
Searchfast.ru is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and a browser hijacker. The program might enter the system bundled with freeware and alter Google Chrome's, Mozilla Firefox's, Internet Explorer's and other popular browser’s settings in order to take over the targeted browser.
The hijacker mostly aims at computer users located in Russia.[1] However, careless software installation from unknown sources may help it to infiltrate devices in other parts of the world.
On the affected device, it alters browser’s settings in order to set http://searchfast.ru/go/?q= as default search engine and homepage address. To prevent users from switching back to their preferred domain, the hijacker might alter Windows Registry and various shortcuts. Thus, Searchfast.ru removal might be slightly complicated.
When these changes are made, the hijacker might start causing undesired activities on the browser, such as delivering lots of commercial content on the browser. It might alter search results and include sponsored links at the top of the results page.
What is more, Searchfast.ru virus might also display pop-ups, banners, discount coupons and other types of online ads while users are browsing the web. Undoubtedly, such activities diminish browsing experience. However, these ads might put users at risk too.
One of the biggest problems related to the hijacker is its redirect tendencies. This cyber threat might deliver potentially dangerous content that may lead to high-risk websites. Here users might be tricked to install or purchase bogus software, reveal personal information to criminals or get infected with a malicious trojan.
As you can see, clicking on content provided by this program might end up with computer-related problems or data loss. However, the hijacker might also be interested in tracking information.[2] Usually, such data includes:
- IP address;
- location;
- search keywords;
- clicked ads;
- visited websites;
- other browsing-related data.
Usually, this data is used for displaying interest-based ads. However, it might also be shared or sold to unknown third-parties and advertising networks. Thus, you can expect an increased amount of strange online ads.
However, this browser add-on is also known of being capable of installing partners’ extension and tracking technologies. The problem is that these tools might be harmful and lead to serious privacy-related issues. For this reason, you should remove Searchfast.ru from the computer with the help of Reimage.
Click 'Start -> Control Panel -> Programs and Features' (if you are 'Windows XP' user, click on 'Add/Remove Programs').
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'.
Right click on each of suspicious entries and select 'Uninstall'
Right click on browsers' icon and select 'Properties'
Select 'Shortcut' tab and delete 'http://isearch.babylon.com...' or other suspicious URL
Cick 'Go' and select 'Applications'
Click on every malicious entry and select 'Move to Trash'
Click on menu icon and select 'Manage add-ons'
Right click on each of malicious entries and select 'Disable'
Delete malicious URL, enter your desired domain name and click 'Apply' to save changes
Go to 'Advanced' tab and click on 'Reset' button. Now select 'Delete personal settings' and click on 'Reset' button again
Go to Settings and select 'Choose what to clear'
Select 'Clear' button
Open the start menu and select 'Task Manager'
Right-click 'Microsoft Edge' and select 'Go to details'
Select 'More details' if 'Go to details' option fails to show up
Find Microsoft Edge entries and select 'End Task'
Go to Microsoft Edge folder on your computer, right-click every entry and click 'Delete'
Find Windows PowerShell, right-click it and select 'Run as administrator'
Copy and paste a required command and press 'Enter'
Click on menu icon and select 'Add-ons'
Select 'Extensions' and look for malicious entries. Click 'Remove' to get rid of each of them
When in 'General' tab, delete malicious URL from 'Home Page' section or click on 'Restore to Default' button. Click 'OK' to save changes
Click on menu icon and then on '?'. Select 'Troubleshooting Information'
Click on 'Reset Firefox' button for a couple of times
Click on menu icon. Select 'Tools' and 'Extensions'
Look for malicious entries and delete each of them by clicking on the Trash bin icon
After clicking on menu and 'Settings', select 'Set pages'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', select 'Manage search engines...'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', scroll down to 'Reset browser settings' button and click on it
Click on 'Reset' button to complete your removal
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Preferences'
Go to 'Extensions' and uninstall malicious add-ons
When in 'General', delete malicious URL and enter your desired domain name
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Reset Safari...'
Select all options and click on 'Reset' button
The hijack might occur during the installation of freeware
For a while, this tool has been available on Chrome Play store and other legitimate websites. However, currently Searchfast.ru is hard to find on any of such sites, but computer users report about hijacked web browsers continuously.
Indeed, one of the main ways how the hijacker is spread is software bundles. Thus, the Searchfast.ru hijack might occur during the installation of freeware or shareware.[3] This program might be added as an optional download, and if user rushes to install the necessary software, he or she might install undesired apps as well.
In order to avoid such applications, you have to:
- use Advanced/Custom installation method;
- monitor installation procedure;
- read notifications, Privacy Policy, and EULA;
- look up for the checkbox with pre-selected entries and unmark them all.
Terminate Searchfast.ru virus from the computer right now
Just like any other browser hijacker, this one can be eliminated either manually or automatically. Manual Searchfast.ru removal suggest investigating the system and deleting all hijacker-related files.
By following the instructions below, you need to check the list of installed programs via Control Panel. If you cannot find any suspicious software, you should review installed browser extension of each of your web browser. Once all suspicious entries are terminated, you have to reset browsers.
If you would like to simplify this procedure, you can remove Searchfast.ru automatically. This method offers to scan the system with anti-malware software and deleting all suspicious files with the help of it.
You can remove Searchfast.ru 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.
To remove Searchfast.ru virus, follow these steps:
Eliminate Searchfast.ru from Windows systems
In order to remove Searchfast.ru browser hijacker, you need to investigate the system and look up for suspicious programs installed to your PC.
-
Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
-
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 Searchfast.ru and related programs
Here, look for Searchfast.ru or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove Searchfast.ru 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 Searchfast.ru 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.
-
Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Searchfast.ru or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Get rid of Searchfast.ru from Internet Explorer (IE)
After the hijack, you have to clean Internet Explorer from hijacker-related components. These guidelines will help you:
-
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 Searchfast.ru and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
-
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.
-
Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
-
When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Searchfast.ru removal.
Uninstall Searchfast.ru virus from Microsoft Edge
Follow the instructions to fix Microsoft Edge after the hijack.
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.
-
Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
-
Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
-
Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
-
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.
-
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, Searchfast.ru should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Searchfast.ru from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
In order to get rid of all hijacker-related files, you need to uninstall Search Fast and other suspicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox.
-
Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Searchfast.ru and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
-
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.
-
Click OK to save these changes.
-
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 Searchfast.ru removal.
Erase Searchfast.ru from Google Chrome
Getting rid of Searchfast.ru requires uninstalling unknown browser extensions and resetting Google Chrome.
-
Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Searchfast.ru and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
-
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.
-
When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
-
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.
-
Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Searchfast.ru removal.
Eliminate Searchfast.ru 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 Searchfast.ru or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
-
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 Searchfast.ru, 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.
-
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 Searchfast.ru removal process.
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References
- ^ Bedynet. Bedynet. The website provides latest information about computer viruses and removal tutorials.
- ^ Rebecca J. Rosen. What Does It Really Matter If Companies Are Tracking Us Online?. The Atlantic. News and analysis on politics, business, culture, technology, national, international and life .
- ^ Freeware vs. Shareware. Diffen. The collection of unbiased comparisons in the world.