What Is PremiumSearch?
PremiumSearch is the name of a hoax search engine that is related to a browser hijacking software. This means that this program is made with the primary idea to change the settings of your web browser, including its default search so that it can display its own content, which is primarily comprised of different types of third-party ads. These ads may sometimes be dangerous for your computer system as they could often lead to risky websites, like scams and even malware.
Read this article to learn more about this software and how you can remove it from your computer system and your web browser in an effective manner.
PremiumSearch Summary
| Name | PremiumSearch |
| Type | Browser Hijacker / PUP / Scam Redirect |
| Short Description | Aims to modify the settings on your web browser in order to get it to cause browser redirects and display different advertisements. |
| Symptoms | Your web browser begins to display various types of online advertisements, which results in slowing down of your computer. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your Device Has Been Affected by PremiumSearch
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Malware Removal Tool
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss PremiumSearch. |
PremiumSearch Redirect – How Did I Get It
PremiumSearch is designed in the same way as many other browser hijackers like it, like the recently detected Easy-Search, Protectionrequired.com and Goodcaptchastyle.top, for example.
The main issue that is related to these programs is that they could end up on your computer system without you even realizing it. This is achieved via one of the two main ways:
- If you have added it from some suspicious site advertising it via a pop-up or redirect to include it.
- If it has been automatically installed by some other adware you already have on your computer.
In case you have added the software by installing some other third-party app, it could appear in one of its installation steps, like the example below shows:
If you have downloaded the software from some website, often such sites are designed to trick you that you are downloading a helpful program or an update for your computer system while in reality you get the adware application instead.
PremiumSearch – What Does It Do?
Once PremiumSearch is installed in your computer system, it may begin to heavily modify its settings. It may change the default registries of your web browser and Windows Registry Editor, and may change the homepage, new tab page and the search page that appears each time you search for something online.
Among the activities of PremiumSearch is to also likely use cookies and other types of trackers, for example:
These types of trackers are small objects that are left on your computer system and may remain there for years of time if you do not remove them right away. They are often utilized to obtain information, like the following details from your browser:
- Sites that you have bookmarked on your computer.
- The browsing history of your web browser.
- Which pages you have visited.
- Where you click online and your mouse movements.
The main activity of this program is related to displaying you different types of advertisements so that it’s developers can make a profit by using pay-per-click and other types of schemes for monetizing. The advertisements that you may see as a result of that could be of the following types:
- Push notification pop-ups.
- Pop-up ads.
- Redirect adverts.
- Text ads, highlighted on the sites you visit.
- Banner ads.
- Ad-supported results when you search something.
Is PremiumSearch a Virus?
No, PremiumSearch it’s not a virus, however it may pose an equal threat as one. The main reason for that is that the advertisements that are shown by this application could lead to absolutely all kinds of websites, because their main purpose is profit, not legitimacy. This is often how you make it redirect to websites that are dangerous, like the following kinds:
- Phishing domains.
- Domains that may have viruses.
- Scammer websites.
- Fraudulent tech support scams.
- Fake software download URLs.
- Redirect loop schemes of long URLs.
- Fake survey scams.
This is the primary reason why this program is classified as an indirect risk for your computer system it should be gotten rid of immediately.
How to Remove PremiumSearch?
To remove PremiumSearch from your web browser and clean up your computer system as well, our main suggestion is to follow the steps for removal below. They are designed in a specific way to help you clean up each of the affected browsers by this software and uninstall it from your computer system manually or automatically. If you want the most effective removal, security professionals do advise that you take the automatic approach and go straight into scanning your computer by using anti-malware software. Such a security program is designed to thoroughly check your computer and delete any traces of malicious software from it.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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- Mac OS X
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- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
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- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove PremiumSearch from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for PremiumSearch with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall PremiumSearch and related software from Windows
Uninstall Steps for Windows 11
Uninstall Steps for Windows 10 and Older Versions
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 4: Clean Any registries, Created by PremiumSearch on Your PC.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by PremiumSearch there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Video Removal Guide for PremiumSearch (Windows).
Get rid of PremiumSearch from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall PremiumSearch and remove related files and objects
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to PremiumSearch. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove PremiumSearch via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove PremiumSearch files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as PremiumSearch, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Video Removal Guide for PremiumSearch (Mac)
Remove PremiumSearch from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Erase PremiumSearch from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window:
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Uninstall PremiumSearch from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Remove PremiumSearch from Safari
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the PremiumSearch will be removed.
Eliminate PremiumSearch from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.
Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.
Remove Push Notifications from Your Browsers
Turn Off Push Notifications from Google Chrome
To disable any Push Notices from Google Chrome browser, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Go to Settings in Chrome.
Step 2: In Settings, select “Advanced Settings”:
Step 3: Click “Content Settings”:
Step 4: Open “Notifications”:
Step 5: Click the three dots and choose Block, Edit or Remove options:
Remove Push Notifications on Firefox
Step 1: Go to Firefox Options.
Step 2: Go to “Settings”, type “notifications” in the search bar and click "Settings":
Step 3: Click “Remove” on any site you wish notifications gone and click “Save Changes”
Stop Push Notifications on Opera
Step 1: In Opera, press ALT+P to go to Settings.
Step 2: In Setting search, type “Content” to go to Content Settings.
Step 3: Open Notifications:
Step 4: Do the same as you did with Google Chrome (explained below):
Eliminate Push Notifications on Safari
Step 1: Open Safari Preferences.
Step 2: Choose the domain from where you like push pop-ups gone and change to "Deny" from "Allow".
PremiumSearch-FAQ
What Is PremiumSearch?
The PremiumSearch threat is adware or browser redirect virus.
It may slow your computer down significantly and display advertisements. The main idea is for your information to likely get stolen or more ads to appear on your device.
The creators of such unwanted apps work with pay-per-click schemes to get your computer to visit risky or different types of websites that may generate them funds. This is why they do not even care what types of websites show up on the ads. This makes their unwanted software indirectly risky for your OS.
What Are the Symptoms of PremiumSearch?
There are several symptoms to look for when this particular threat and also unwanted apps in general are active:
Symptom #1: Your computer may become slow and have poor performance in general.
Symptom #2: You have toolbars, add-ons or extensions on your web browsers that you don't remember adding.
Symptom #3: You see all types of ads, like ad-supported search results, pop-ups and redirects to randomly appear.
Symptom #4: You see installed apps on your Mac running automatically and you do not remember installing them.
Symptom #5: You see suspicious processes running in your Task Manager.
If you see one or more of those symptoms, then security experts recommend that you check your computer for viruses.
What Types of Unwanted Programs Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the threats that can currently affect your device can be rogue antivirus software, adware, browser hijackers, clickers, fake optimizers and any forms of PUPs.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like PremiumSearch?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your email passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activities with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these recommendations, your network and all devices will become significantly more secure against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
How Does PremiumSearch Work?
Once installed, PremiumSearch can collect data using trackers. This data is about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. It is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties.
PremiumSearch can also download other malicious software onto your computer, such as viruses and spyware, which can be used to steal your personal information and show risky ads, that may redirect to virus sites or scams.
Is PremiumSearch Malware?
The truth is that PUPs (adware, browser hijackers) are not viruses, but may be just as dangerous since they may show you and redirect you to malware websites and scam pages.
Many security experts classify potentially unwanted programs as malware. This is because of the unwanted effects that PUPs can cause, such as displaying intrusive ads and collecting user data without the user’s knowledge or consent.
About the PremiumSearch Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this PremiumSearch how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific, adware-related problem, and restore your browser and computer system.
How did we conduct the research on PremiumSearch?
Please note that our research is based on independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware, adware, and browser hijacker definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the PremiumSearch threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.