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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Browser Hijackers
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · May 2021

How to remove Whitesearch.com virus

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

Ugnius Kiguolis · The mastermind

WhiteSearch foists advertising links among search results

The image displaying WhiteSearch hijackeer

WhiteSearch.com functions as a search engine that tries to bribe users with a plain design and seemingly “improved” search results. However, all this is just a veneer, as it is classified as a browser hijacker due to several flaws. First of all, it does not offer its privacy policy but rather imitates Google Custom Search[1]. This points to the fact the app developers do not care about user privacy and safety.

Secondly, there is no way we would not mention its intrusive ad campaigns. The search engine provided at the homepage – which is set upon installation of the browser hijacker – uses customized search results, so do not be surprised that you do not see the same as you do on Google.

Name WhiteSearch.com
Type Browser hijacker, PUP
Distribution Software bundle packages
Operation Appends its own homepage and the new tab address; uses a customized search engine; shows alternative search results – they include ads that are shown at the top, making users likely to click on them
Removal Use anti-malware software or follow the manual guide below
Optional steps We recommend using FortectIntego to remediate damaged system files and for a quick cleaning process of the web browsers

Lastly, the promoted results might not always be safe. While not entirely malicious, they might promote other potentially unwanted programs or peruse users to set up a new account for dubious services (e.g., video streaming). Therefore, these arguments might encourage you to remove WhiteSearch.com.

The vivid world of browser hijackers

Previously, browser hijackers behaved quite aggressively. They enter your computer in a sneaky way and forcefully change the default search engine. While there is still the number of such PUPs, however, modern hijackers behave less annoyingly. Note that currently, the line between malvertising[2] and advertising is becoming thinner.

In this regard, you might have come across this search engine if you have been looking for a search engine. You might have come encountered it while simply browsing the Web as well.

This app does not prompt you with messages to install any browser plug-ins. Furthermore, it does not contain any third-party links either. Initially, it may look as an ordinary search tool sponsored by Google. However, such trick is popular among users who develop these PUP-like search engines.

Despite that Google Custom Search is the invention of Google, it often recurs in browser hijackers. If you are looking for a faster PUP removal, you should perform a full system scan with SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or another powerful security software. Besides, FortectIntego can be used to clean your web browser data and cookies that would otherwise continue tracking you.

Even if you do not consider online privacy valuable, the absence of a privacy policy questions the overall reliability of this search engine. You may only speculate what kind of information and for what purposes the hijacker uses it. Since it cooperates with third parties, you may be directed to their sponsored domains as well. In that case, WhiteSearch redirect issue might evolve into an annoying occasional phenomenon.

A moment of inattentiveness leads to installing PUPs

Besides running into this hijacker online, you might have accelerated the installation of the app without knowing it. It might have been settled on the computer along with another recently installed application.

How did it happen? Netizens commit the same mistake by hoping through the installation guides only to find out later that they have installed irrelevant attachments.

In order to cease such add-ons on time, make sure you pay close attention to the installation wizard. Opt for “Advanced” rather than “Basic” settings. The former displays optional downloads. Only when you are sure that no shady programs are installed, proceed with the installation guide.WhiteSearch example

Eliminating WhiteSearch.com hijacker

As previously mentioned, hijackers used to be a real pain to get rid  of. They used to alter various desktop shortcuts, alter Windows registry, setup Group Policy, etc. These actions are now taken by far more dangerous computer infections, including ransomware, trojans, rootkits, and other high-risk threats.

That being said, you can successfully remove WhiteSearch by performing the steps we provide below. Keep in mind that there could be several unwanted apps installed on your system or browsers, so you should be vigilant and uninstall them all at once.

If you are not entirely sure what you are doing and whether an app is safe, you should rely on an anti-virus to let it do the job for you. Besides, security software can check whether malicious processes are running in the background and eliminate them at once.

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.

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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