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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Browser Hijackers
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Nov 2020

How to remove Spacerin Search

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Olivia Morelli · Ransomware analyst

Spacerin Search – another browser hijacker that might show up out of nowhere

Spacerin Search

Spacerin Search is a potentially unwanted program that is not usually installed on users' machines intentionally. While it is most commonly spread as a browser extension, the changes to the homepage and new tab web address (set to portal.spacerin.com or feed.spacerin.com) might also be caused by a program installed on a Windows or Mac computer.

The app not only changes the homepage but also applies a customized search engine to it, which redirects all search results to search.yahoo.com. Additionally, Spacerin Search hijack also inserts sponsored links each time users search the web. In the background, this potentially unwanted application also gathers internet usage information and shares it with business partners and third-parties.

Name Spacerin Search 
Type Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program
IP address 104.28.26.93 
Distribution Software bundling, deceptive ads, fake updates, third-party websites
Symptoms Spacerin Search extension or an unknown application installed on the computer; homepage and new tab address set to portal.spacerin.com or feed.spacerin.com; additional links and ads inserted into search results which are redirected to Yahoo
Risks Installation of other potentially unwanted programs, monetary losses, personal data disclosure to suspicious parties
Removal You can uninstall potentially unwanted programs by following the manual guide below or by scanning the computer with powerful anti-malware
Optional steps Computer infections can cause significant damage to system files or disrupt normal settings. To revert these changes and remediate the OS, perform a full system scan with FortectIntego repair software

Browser hijackers might be installed from official sources, but users most commonly do not install them intentionally. This is because of deceptive distribution methods that the developers use – software bundles or fake update prompts. This is another reason why Spacerin Search belongs to the potentially unwanted program category. 

Nonetheless, as soon as users install the app, the changes to Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or MS Edge web browsers become evident – a new extension is applied, new homepage and new tab setup, and a customized search engine redirects results to sponsored sites.

Spacerin Search virus belongs to a larger group of browser hijackers that are constantly being renamed, rebranded, and distributed as new applications, all while visually and functionality-wise remaining the same. While it is not clear who behind these programs are, previous creations include the following:

Spacerin Search app, along with its predecessors, claims to have several benefits, such as implemented calculator, currency converter, and other perks, which are emended into the homepage. These customized additions might seem useful initially, although it is worth not forgetting that these apps are only created for one reason – to hijack web browsers and deliver sponsored content, earning profits in the process.

Spacerin Search virus

While one of the main reasons to remove Spacerin Search is misleading search results and injection of ads, it is also important to note that the app gathers data (IP address, ISP, visited websites, clicked links, search terms, etc.) about users as long as they have it installed on the browsers. For that, the developers use web beacons,[1] cookies, and other tracking technologies. These details might later be shared with third-parties that would use them for marketing purposes.

The information gathering practices are clearly in the Spacerin Search Privacy Policy, although few users are keen on reading such information:[2]

Non-Personal Information may be automatically transmitted by the user's device. When using our Service, we assign your device with a log file, a cookie (session or persistent), web beacons or other related technologies, to collect Non-Personal Information with respect to your activity in connection with our Service.

Thus, if you value your privacy, perform Spacerin Search removal immediately, and then scan your device with FortectIntego, SpyHunterCombo Cleaner, or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes to perform further checks. If you are not sure how to delete the extension, please check the manual guide below.

Beware of software bundles – they can include all sorts of unwanted programs

While most users are aware that downloading pirated apps or opening email attachments can result in malware infection, there are still quite a few that are not aware of how adware, browser hijackers, and other potentially unwanted programs spread. Thus, people who get an infected claim that PUPs appear on their computers seemingly out of nowhere. However, this is far from the truth, and users let the apps in themselves.

Most PUP infections occur when users download free software from third-party websites. This is because software bundling is by far the most preferred distribution method for various apps. During the installation process of the desired application, users are often tricked into accepting optional components that they never asked for.

Security experts[3] advise users to stay vigilant during the freeware installation process, as developers often use pre-ticked boxes, fine print text, misleading offers, and other tricks to make users install undesired apps. Most importantly, you should always pick the Advanced/Custom installation method when prompted, as it would allow you to stay in control of the process from start to finish.

Spacerin Search hijack

Delete Spacerin Search from your web browser

Spacerin Search removal should not be a difficult process as long as you previously eliminated extensions from your browser. All you have to do is access Chrome, Firefox, MS Edge, or another browser's settings section and deleting the related extension. If you previously never had to deal with that, you can follow our detailed guide below – we provide step-by-step instructions for each of the web browsers. Below you will also find directions on eliminating programs from both macOS and Windows, as the Spacerin Search virus hijack might be related to some other application installed on your system.

If you do not want to bother with the tedious Spacerin Search removal process, we suggest you instead employ a robust anti-malware program and perform a full system scan. This would not only delete potentially unwanted programs from your computer (although keep in mind that not all security detection rates for PUPs are relatively obscure) but also check for invisible malware and protect from it in the future.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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