Surf-live.com virus (Virus Removal Instructions) - Free Instructions
Surf-live.com virus Removal Guide
What is Surf-live.com virus?
Surf-live.com search tool reroutes users to websites it wants them to visit
Surf-live.com virus is a questionable French browser hijacker monitored by Coinup Ltd. Users typically install it unwillingly as it travels in software bundles. Once installed, this shady program changes browser’s start page to hxxp://Surf-live.com/ and that makes the browser launch it automatically whenever the user opens the compromised browser or new tab. Such repetitious browser redirections are highly annoying, and on top of that, they can pose a threat to user’s privacy or security[1]. We highly suggest deleting this bogus program from the computer because it can only cause you stress. It doesn’t improve anything, nor it enhances your search experience but only uses your computer to push third-party offers and deals to your face. For this reason, we believe that it is right to remove Surf-live.com ASAP.
Browser hijackers are low-level computer viruses that do not implement malicious activities, however, we believe that they are hardly trustworthy programs that balance on the edge of legitimacy. They aim to deliver ads to the user, so they use tricky distribution schemes to make people install these shady programs without realizing it. Besides, Surf-live.com redirect virus collects personally non-identifiable information such as URLs of websites visited, names of downloads, search queries, clicks on links and similar information. The hijacker then uses collected data to analyze trends and deliver targeted advertisements to computer users. Experts claim that search queries can contain personally identifiable information as well, and that is why you should act very carefully after noticing this shady search engine in your web browser. For Surf-live.com removal, we recommend installing a trustworthy spyware/malware removal software[2] like FortectIntego. You can also use SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes software.
Surf-live.com browser hijacker serves many ads as search results, and that is why security experts consider it to be an untrustworthy program.
Explanation on how browser hijackers reach computer systems
Browser hijackers are programs that are produced on a daily basis. Typically, their developers create identical clones and simply rename them. Such programs then are added to installers of popular free software such as games, media players, various utilities and other programs that are available to download on various file sharing websites. It is clear that users tend to visit such sites frequently when they need a specific program to complete a certain task. However, you should never install such programs blindly. Do not rush during the installation process and do not click the “next” button before you read what’s written in the installer. If it tells that you agree to install additional programs, remove check marks next to such statements. In most cases, it is impossible to do so without choosing CUSTOM or ADVANCED installation option. Do so, decompose the software pack and proceed with the installation then.
Ways to delete Surf-live.com hijacker quickly
If you’re trying to force your browser to load a different page as the homepage, you must remove Surf-live.com virus first. Otherwise, it will keep hijacking your browser’s settings and causing redirects to vague web pages again and again. You should follow the given instructions attentively and not rush during Surf-live.com removal procedure because leaving any of its remains on the system could cause various problems to your PC. We suggest you try to delete the hijacker manually and then complete the removal with anti-malware software.
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 Surf-live.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
The browser hijacker may have arrived to you computer in a form of a standalone program or/and browser extension. You need to find all associated files and delete them this way:
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)
Firefox might be hiding some suspicious add-ons that are related to this hijacker. Find and delete them using this tutorial.
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
Look for an extension called Surf Live and remove it from Chrome. If you find any other suspicious additions, delete them without hesitations ASAP.
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 Surf-live.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
Protect your privacy – employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
- ^ Stefan Heule. The Most Dangerous Code in the Web Browser. Stefan Heule's Blog. Covers Topics such as Programming Language Research, Computers and Life in General.
- ^ Linas Kiguolis. Protect your PC with best anti-malware programs of 2017. NoVirus. Virus Removal Tutorials.