How to Remove SafeSearch.net Redirect Virus?

Posted by Yvonne Sterling
3
Sep 20, 2016
149 Views

Description of SafeSearch.net

SafeSearch.net changes the browser Internet settings and interrupts computer users' browsing activities to create web traffic by using social engineering tactics, so it is considered as a browser redirect virus. This redirect virus often pretends to be a legitimate website which offers the search service just like what Google, Yahoo and Bing do. It is created to generate advertisement revenue by hijacking innocent computer users to certain websites and tricking them into clicking on commercial ads and sponsored links. Generally, this redirect virus spreads by means of hacked websites, freeware, sharing files, and pop-up ads. Also, this tricky redirect virus will spread with the help of spam emails. As long as users click on the recourses containing the activation of SafeSearch.net virus, the virus will be able to permeate onto target machine easily.

During installation, the browser hijacker creates some files and adds new registry entries on the targeted computer in an effort to change the system settings. Then a series of weird symptoms start to appear on the web browsers including Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. This redirect virus will change users' browser default homepage and search engine by modifying the browser settings without any consent. By doing so, it can ensure that the website SafeSearch.net pops up as the default homepage every time users launch their browsers. Endless pop up ads will appear on the screen suddenly with this browser hijacker's help.

The virus should be terminated as soon as it is found on a computer. If not removed in time, the virus will download and install its add-ons, toolbars or extensions on browsers to record user's online search history and cookies. Under the circumstances, people's personal information may be exposed to the creator of the redirect virus. Users may notice that the performance of the system becomes very slow, this is because the virus occupies the large percent of the CPU. The worse thing is the hijack virus would make system more vulnerable to third party malware. With the help of backdoor loophole, remote hackers will be able to access compromised machine and do whatever they want to the infected computer.

Can not Detect SafeSearch.net?

SafeSearch.net threat is very dangerous and stubborn which can protect itself from being detected by using advanced technology. Many computer users try to remove the hijack virus with their installed anti-malware programs. However, the removal of this threat cannot be achieved easily, since the common antivirus programs may not be able to detect any traces of the redirect virus, to say nothing of removing it. This is because that not every antivirus program is powerful enough to detect and remove all malware, especially those are written by highly advanced cyber hackers. Equipped with advanced hiding tricks, the SafeSearch.net virus is able to escape from the detection and auto removal by anti-malware tools. Therefore, it is advised to remove this threat using the manual removal method.

Sometimes, it's not easy for computer users to manually eradicate this redirect virus because the malware may not be showed on the Programs and Features. Due to any mistake may lead to irreparable damage during the process. It will be dangerous if PC users mistaken remove crucial system files and registry during the process.

How to Remove SafeSearch.net Manually From Your PC?

Step 1 Remove SafeSearch.net relevant programs from Control Panel

Step 2 Remove malicious Extensions from Your IE/Chrome/Firefox

Step 3 Remove SafeSearch.net from Your IE/Chrome/Firefox homepage

Step 4 Reset your browser to default settings (Optional)

Step 5 Remove all related leftovers of the redirect virus with a professional security tool

Suggestion:

SafeSearch.net is a computer threat that interferes with users' browsing experience and may violate user's confidential information. If it can't be removed timely, the threat may damage the browser and steal user's valuable data and send it to third party. Most users tend choose to run their antivirus program to remove this nasty redirect virus; however, the result is not satisfactory - they cannot detect any traces of the redirect virus at all. The redirect virus which is equipped with changeable features may escape the detection and removal of regular antivirus programs. Under such circumstance, users can consider manually removing this threat from their machines.

Note that manual removal is only for the advanced PC users who can deal with the process, but it could not ensure a complete deletion of the redirect virus every time. If you are a novice user, we sincerely suggest you ask a computer expert to help you or just download and use an advanced malware removal tool to perform the removal, which can avoid unnecessary trouble. 

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