Socopoco.com virus (Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge) - Removal Instructions
Socopoco.com virus Removal Guide
What is Socopoco.com virus?
How reliable is Socopoco.com?
Socopoco.com virus targets users as a search engine. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary search engine which provides the ability to surf online. Interestingly, when you conduct a search or click on the logo of this browsing tool, you are redirected to search2.ozipcompression.com. It is another search engine. Though it may not cause suspicion for you, but there are things you should know about it. It shows more ad-supported search results in comparison with legitimate search engines. It may redirect you to the websites different from your initial destination. What is more, excessive advertising may become a highly irritating issue within a while. IT experts have labeled it as a browser hijacker. It might not be secure for usage. Therefore, we recommend you to remove Socopoco.com from the device. If you are unsure how to do it, follow the guidance of FortectIntego.
If you decided to give a new freshness to your browsing, you might easily get lost in the variety of various search engines. It would be wiser to get acquainted with the main qualities of a search engine or a program before installing it. Firstly, you need to take a look at the privacy policy[1]. Users usually tend to overlook it though it is the very piece of document which gives a valuable insight about the program or web page. Unlike other browser hijackers, Socopoco does provide a registered address. What is more, it disclaims of collecting and distributing personal information for marketing and advertising purposes[2]. On the other hand, even legitimate websites, such as Google are regularly criticized over spying too much on users[3]. Thus, it is too naive to trust such statements.
Do not trust the veneer of this website but instead take a look at its privacy policy.
Alternatively known as Ozip Search, this PUP is not compatible with security plug-ins and extensions. While choosing an additional security extension is also a complicated matter[4], the presence of it might help you escape destructive threats lurking in disguise. Additionally, due to cooperation with third parties and delivery of their advertising content, your browser may become slower. Furthermore, Socopoco.com redirect tendency might start to annoy you as it may divert to sponsored websites firstly rather than to an expected domain. There is a probability that they might bear malevolent components. Therefore, it would be better to start socopoco.com removal right away.
Did someone set this hijacker on my computer?
If you are wondering whether hackers accessed remotely your computer and changed the settings, this is not the case. It is true that some browser hijackers may contribute with cyber criminals, but most likely you accidentally accelerated Socopoco.com hijack yourself. How did it happen? In fact, the entire process does not take long. Since it is a common habit to skim through the settings, you missed add-ons. Leaving them pre-marked enables their installation as well. Upon enabling the installation of any new application, opt for “Advanced” settings. Unmark all unwanted products and continue installing the preferred program[5].
Socopoco.com elimination suggestions
It is not difficult to remove Socopoco.com virus either manually or automatically. The latter method might be more convenient. The software quickly locates all possibly malignant elements and remove them. It also serves in removing more complex virtual threats. In addition, you might take a look at the manual Socopoco.com removal guidelines for extra removal tips. On the final note, you might also give a look at users’ reviews before downloading or installing any new application.
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 Socopoco.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
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 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
If you suspect that malware removal utility might have overlooked something, follow the below-indicated steps. Lastly, reset the settings.
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 Socopoco.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.
- ^ Natalia Drozdiak and Jack Nicas. Google Privacy-Policy Change Faces New Scrutiny in EU. The Wall Street Journal. Breaking News, Financial and Business News, Economics.
- ^ Dominik Bosnjak. Google Opposing Online Advertising Tax Reform In Canada. Android Headlines. Android News.
- ^ George Slefo. Google Partners With Security Firm Cloudflare to Deliver Instant Ads. AdvertisingAge.Advertising and Marketing News.
- ^ Sean Gallagher. Google slams AVG for exposing Chrome user data with “security” plugin. ARS Technica. Technology News, Reviews, Comments.
- ^ Tiberius Hefflin. 4 ways to improve your security online right now. OpenSource. IT news.