Thesearchweb.net virus (Free Instructions) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
Thesearchweb.net virus Removal Guide
What is Thesearchweb.net virus?
Why does my browser open Thesearchweb.net search engine for me at random times?
Thesearchweb.net virus is yet another potentially unwanted program (PUP) that falls into browser hijacker[1] category. It is highly recommended that you stay away from a search engine that this browser hijacker mounts into your web browser because it is likely to provide more sponsored search results[2] instead of organic ones. Each visitor who enters these advertised third-party websites brings revenue for developers of Thesearchweb.net redirect virus. Sadly, these visits may result in computer infection[3], especially if you tend to explore content provided by third-party sites carelessly. We were surprised to find out that Thesearchweb.net site doesn’t provide Terms of Use or Privacy Policy documents, which clearly makes us throw shade on it. In other words, we weren’t able to find any information on how Thesearchweb.net collects information and what kind of data it seeks to obtain. We want to warn you that it, just like any other browser hijacker, might try to collect your search queries, see your browsing history and ads/links that you clicked on. Sadly, we couldn’t find out whether this browser hijacker collects personally identifiable information or not, however, since there is no Privacy Policy/Terms of Use documents provided on that site, we suggest you stay away from it and use a different search engine instead.
Researcher shows how Thesearchweb.net virus looks like. If your web browser starts opening the search engine shown in the picture, you should remove Thesearchweb.net hijacker ASAP!
To remove Thesearchweb.net browser hijacker, we suggest using instructions provided below the article. We have prepared pictures to make Thesearchweb.net removal easier task for you; however, if you are not keen on learning how to remove browser hijackers manually, you might be interested in automatic removal method. To delete Thesearchweb.net automatically, you will need to use an anti-spyware or anti-malware program like FortectIntego.
How did I get infected with a browser hijacker without realizing it?
Hijackware typically travels alongside other free programs, so watch what you download to your computer. Thanks to software bundling technique[4], now many computer users have issues with potentially unwanted programs because this software distribution method helps developers of PUPs spread their products effectively and in a legitimate way. To prevent installation of unwanted programs, check Custom or Advanced settings[5] during software installation procedure and see what additional programs your chosen program offers to you. Deselect all suspicious-looking apps and browser extensions and proceed with the installation. Please bear in mind that Default or Standard installation options are not the “right ones” – these will only make you install “recommended” programs without even telling you about them.
Remove Thesearchweb.net browser hijacker right now
The fact that you visited this website shows that your web browser is probably infected with Thesearchweb.net virus and now you are looking for ways to remove it from the system. You do not have to use the described search engine if you do not want to – besides, we are afraid that the search results it delivers can make you visit dangerous third-party websites. Therefore, we believe that you should remove Thesearchweb.net hijacker right away. You just need to choose how you want to get rid of it – you can either user anti-spyware program and complete Thesearchweb.net removal automatically or rely on yourself and remove it manually using instructions that we prepared.
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 Thesearchweb.net virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
This tutorial is balanced for users who seek to remove Thesearchweb.net virus manually. You should find programs that you cannot remember installing first and delete them from your PC. If you have doubts about the certain program, ask our experts or search for information about it online (obviously, do not use Thesearchweb.net search for that!)
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
Fix Chrome using these instructions. Your goal is to eliminate all questionable browser extensions from it. Finally, if the browser redirection problem persists, reset Chrome.
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 Thesearchweb.net 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
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
- ^ How to prevent and repair browser hijacking. AV-Comparatives. Independent Tests of Anti-Virus Software.
- ^ Mark Levene. An Introduction to Search Engines and Web Navigation. Google Books. The World's Most Comprehensive Index of Full-text Books.
- ^ How does a computer get infected with a virus or spyware?. Computer Hope. Free Computer Help.
- ^ Will Dormann. Bundled Software and Attack Surface. SEI Insights. Collection of Blogs that Cover Software Engineering, Vulnerability Analysis, Insider Threat, Development Operations, and more.
- ^ Lincoln Spector. How to spot and avoid installing potentially unwanted programs. PCWorld. News, tips and reviews from the experts on PCs, Windows and more.