Gotosearch.ru is a page redirect which also has browser hijacking capabilities. The hijacker can alter browser defaults, such as the homepage, search engine, and new tab setting. After you make a search inquiry, the redirect filters your search and all information gathered from it will be sent to servers that are closely associated with the hijacker. To remove this browser hijacker and the files tied to it, you should read the whole article.
Threat Summary
| Name | Gotosearch.ru |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, PUP |
| Short Description | Browser applications on your computer can be affected. The hijacker will redirect you. |
| Symptoms | The homepage, search engine and new tab of all your browsers will be altered. You will be redirected from searches. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Gotosearch.ru. |
Gotosearch.ru – Ways of Delivery
The Gotosearch.ru redirect could use a few delivery ways. Third-party installations for freeware or bundled applications are one of the main ones. Typically, these programs are media players or converters. Their installation setups might be set to put extra components on your computer machine. Without your knowledge, the setup installs those components. After that, the hijacker will modify your browser settings. To prevent the installation of unwanted components on your computer system, you should find Custom or Advanced options in the setup, if there are such present.
Different ways for delivery could involve an add-on, a plugin or an extension put inside your browser applications. Banners, pop-ups, pop-unders and similar advertisement types that are hosted on websites could be used as another delivery method. This hijacker could spread redirect links and generate them on more websites, too. These websites might be partnered up or affiliated with Gotosearch.ru. The following browsers could be affected: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari and Mozilla Firefox.
Gotosearch.ru – In-Depth Inspection
Gotosearch.ru can redirect you and hijack your browser applications. That defines it as a browser hijacker. The unwanted application will replace the default search engine, homepage, and new tab window, alongside other settings of your browsers with its main page.
You can see the main web page down here:
The Gotosearch.ru web page consists of the following: a plain, white background, a search bar, a logo that looks similar to that of Google’s and a huge banner advert. The banner with the advertisement inside it is placed under the search bar and switches to different adverts.
In the screenshot under this paragraph, you can see the search results page of Gotosearch.ru. You will get redirected to the search engine of Google Custom Search. Despite that, you will still see a heap of advertisements as shown below, and you could get redirected to other websites. The hijacker platform gathers any information you type in its search bars.
Every search query that you make will get filtered by the Gotosearch.ru redirect. When that information is gathered, data about your advertisement interactions as well as those with targeted content will also be acquired. Thus, you should be careful of this and other platforms because that information will get stored on servers tied to them. Also, it could be disclosed and sold to third parties.
Do not provide any information, especially if it is personal or about account credentials and banking data. Links that redirect and are promoted in the form of in-text adverts could be presented to you when you are casually browsing the Internet. Browser cookies, plus similar tracking technologies are utilized to gather all of the aforementioned data. Continue to read below to find out what exactly can the Gotosearch.ru website collect from you.
The Privacy Policy of the Gotosearch.ru website is not present on the main website page or any other pages you can end up from using it. That could be expected from a search engine which is non-legitimate. The policy could still be placed somewhere, but it is not available to the public. Regardless of this fact, the website uses cookies, which are used to track you and your online activity. You can see a list with most of them in the below image:
The expiration date of most cookies is set to the year of 2018, which is two full years from the moment of their creation. This website is using the cookies with the goal of spying on you and finding out what your habits are, as well as your interests. A huge possibility exists of the site using more tracking technologies. Just via the browser cookies a lot of information can still be gathered from you.
List of websites’ cookies pushed from the browser hijacker:
- Gotosearch.ru
- Yandex.ru
- Quora.com
- Khms0.googleapis.com
- Mt.googleapis.com
- Gstatic.com
- Mc.yandex.ru
All information, which could be acquired, could be strictly technical or it might include personally identifying information, such as your current location and addresses – IP, e-mail, geographical. Anything you put inside the Gotosearch.ru search page, you can be sure that is collected, including your name, phone number, banking credentials or other related data. That is why you should be wary around using such websites.
A lot of other technologies which can be used, besides cookies, gather technical information in most cases. Those technologies include clear GIFs, pixel tags, Web beacons and others. So, take note that opening sites of unknown origins and interacting with those sites can result in data collection. Moreover, when you get redirected to various sites, they will probably track you as well.
Remove Gotosearch.ru Completely
To remove Gotosearch.ru manually from your computer, follow the step-by-step removal instructions provided below. In case the manual removal does not get rid of the hijacker redirect and its files completely, you should search for and remove any leftovers with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such a program can keep your computer safe in the future.
- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove Gotosearch.ru from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Gotosearch.ru with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru (Windows).
Get rid of Gotosearch.ru from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru. 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 Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Gotosearch.ru, 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 Gotosearch.ru (Mac)
Remove Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru will be removed.
Eliminate Gotosearch.ru 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".
Gotosearch.ru-FAQ
What Is Gotosearch.ru?
The Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru?
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 Gotosearch.ru?
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 Gotosearch.ru Work?
Once installed, Gotosearch.ru 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.
Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Gotosearch.ru 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 Gotosearch.ru?
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 Gotosearch.ru threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.