What Is Keywordssearching.com?
If you find that your searches from the address bar of your browser are being rerouted through Keywordssearching.com, beware that you may have an undesirable browser extension or program installed on your system.
Keywordssearching.com has been classified as a rogue search engine. This type of search engines are usually a result of the installation of an unwanted, ad-supported browser extension. Once the extension is added to the browser, your home page may be changed to Keywordssearching.com. Other crucial browser settings can be changed as well. These modifications usually are done without your prior consent, thus Keywordssearching.com can also be classified as a browser hijacker.
Continue reading to learn how to deal with Keywordssearching.com and what steps to take to rid of it for good.
What Is a Browser Hijacker
Keywordssearching.com fits the description of a browser hijacker. The most common changes hijackers make are to the browser’s homepage and default search settings, but some have been known to inject ads and automatically redirect you to potentially dangerous websites. Some hijackers can contain keyloggers, which are capable of recording user keystrokes and gathering potentially sensitive information, such as account credentials, that the user enters into websites.
Keywordssearching.com Details
| Name | Keywordssearching.com |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, PUA |
| Short Description | A suspicious browser extension that hijacks your browsers. |
| Symptoms | Your default page is replaced. Ads may be displayed. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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Keywordssearching.com – What Should I Know? How Is It Distributed?
If you don’t recall downloading Keywordssearching.com yourself, the extension may have been included in the installer of another program. This download method is known as software bundling (a bundled installer), and generally, it is not considered an illegal practice. However, since it could be used to generate profit on a pay-per-install basis, it is advisable to avoid downloading bundled software.
Such bundled installers come from download sites that host packaged archives laced with adware, browser plugins, potentially unwanted applications (PUAs), and even malware. You may have downloaded such an installer in an attempt to download a legitimate application.
As we already mentioned, software bundling is not illegal but it often causes unwanted, additional downloads, even of legitimate products. To avoid it from happening, you should be more careful during the installation steps of freeware applications.
Another scenario that may have caused the appearance of this adware is unsafe browsing. Maybe you recently clicked on a fake pop-up warning, suggesting that your antivirus has experied or that Adobe is out of date.
These are popular examples of fake tech-support scams that are known to cause browser redirects and unwanted downloaded on affected computers.
Also, be aware that if you interact with any of the content generated by Search-alpha.com, you may be exposed to additional unwanted downloads.
Is Keywordssearching.com a Virus?
Suspicious browser extensions and search sites such as Keywordssearching.com are not classified as computer viruses. However, they are known to take users to suspicious pages. If you interact with any of the content Keywordssearching.com provides, you can unknowingly install other potentially unwanted apps or even malware.
Is Keywordssearching.com Dangerous?
Due to the reasons described in this article, this website is considered potentially dangerous. Such sites are often used by scammers to redirect users to malicious websites that contain malware and fake software downloads.
How to Protect My Computer from Suspicious Extensions
The best way to protect against Keywordssearching.com is to build healthy online behavior, and be careful when browsing the web and downloading free programs, as these can often be a source of adware. Be sure to read all user agreements and only download programs from trusted and official repositories. Furthermore, you should always keep your operating system and web browsers updated, as this will help to prevent any form of malicious or unwanted programs from infiltrating your device.
How to Remove Keywordssearching.com
To remove Search-alpha.com and all its associated components, you should complete several removal steps. The instructions below provide both manual and automatic removal methods. To completely get rid of the files installed by unwanted applications, we recommend that you combine the steps.
Please, keep in mind that the manual removal may be quite a complicated process that requires tech-savvy skills. If you don’t feel comfortable with the manual steps, you can rely on automatic removal.
Milena Dimitrova
An inspired writer and content manager who has been with SensorsTechForum since the project started. A professional with 10+ years of experience in creating engaging content. Focused on user privacy and malware development, she strongly believes in a world where cybersecurity plays a central role. If common sense makes no sense, she will be there to take notes. Those notes may later turn into articles! Follow Milena @Milenyim
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- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove Keywordssearching.com from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Keywordssearching.com with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com (Windows).
Get rid of Keywordssearching.com from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com. 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 Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Keywordssearching.com, 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 Keywordssearching.com (Mac)
Remove Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com will be removed.
Eliminate Keywordssearching.com 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".
Keywordssearching.com-FAQ
What Is Keywordssearching.com?
The Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com?
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 Keywordssearching.com?
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 Keywordssearching.com Work?
Once installed, Keywordssearching.com 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.
Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Keywordssearching.com 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 Keywordssearching.com?
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 Keywordssearching.com threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.