Dozensearch(.)com is a natural browser hijacker. The unwanted software can make various modifications to browser settings like the home page, search engine, and new tab. You could get redirected. When you browse, you may see advertisements. An add-on or extension supporting the hijacker may also be present in your browsers. To remove this browser hijacker, you should read the whole article.
Threat Summary
| Name | Dozensearch(.)com |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, PUP |
| Short Description | Your browsers can have the homepage, search engine and the new tab settings changed. |
| Symptoms | You will see changes made to your new tab, homepage and search settings. You can see ads and get redirected while browsing. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundle Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Dozensearch(.)com. |
Dozensearch(.)com – Distribution Methods
Dozensearch can be distributed with third-party installation setups. The unwanted program can enter your computer without your awareness. That is because it can hide in freeware installations and bundled packages. These packs usually include additional components selected to be installed by default. To avoid installing unwanted apps is doable by checking for a Custom or an Advanced menu within the install setup.
The Dozensearch hijacker can distribute via adverts, like banners or pop-ups, and by visiting unknown sites that are suspicious. The websites are likely to be partnered up with the hijacker’s creators. Browsers that are affected: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox.
Dozensearch(.)com – A Closer Look
Dozensearch(.)com is the main address of the browser hijacker bearing the same name. If this hijacker is found inside your PC, a few basic browser settings are probably going to be changed. Settings that change every time the hijacker installs are the homepage and new tab. Modifications are made to the search engine of all browsers as well. A toolbar might be present in some instances. The search engine setting might differ from browser to browser or depend on your country.
An add-on could be set in your browser or an extension. They regularly come with bundled software installed on your computer. Such extensions could easily redirect you to the Dozensearch(.)com search page or other sites when you browse.
Searching with the Dozensearch(.)com present in your browser software might be slow, and the results will be sent to its server. Whatever you write in the search bar, new tab, and homepage will usually redirect the searches to one place. You could see sponsored content, misleading search results or advertising.
You can see from the picture shown above, that sometimes the search engine used is Google. That can be a tactic of the hijacker to let you think everything is still alright, but information about your searches will be sent to the hijacker owners instead of Google. You could get redirected to other search engines depending on your geo-location or the browser you use.
The Privacy Policy of Dozensearch(.)com is short and claims that no personal information is going to be collected. Alas, an IP address counts as personal information, and also if you give your name and email address in any way – that is going to be collected. All of that information can be shared with third-parties under some circumstances, such as if required by law.
Down below you can see what information may be collected, according to the policy. (Note that the Policy states that any information you provide will be gathered, and your name and email address will be collected in case you contact the owners of the hijacker or register with them somewhere).
- Search queries and data you type in searches
- IP address
- Your name
- Email address
- Other information you provide
You can see a snapshot preview of the Policy down here:
By using services provided by Dozensearch(.)com not excluding any related applications, you grant permission for your information collection by these apps and services. Cookies or other tracking technologies could be used to acquire data from you.
Remove Dozensearch(.)com Completely
To remove Dozensearch(.)com manually from your PC, follow the step-by-step removal instructions given below. In case the manual removal does not get rid of the browser hijacker and get your settings back, you should search for and remove any leftovers with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such a program helps keep your system secure in the future.
- Guide 1: How to Remove Dozensearch(.)com from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of Dozensearch(.)com on Mac OS X.
- Guide 3: Remove Dozensearch(.)com in Google Chrome.
- Guide 4: Erase Dozensearch(.)com from Mozilla Firefox.
- Guide 5: Uninstall Dozensearch(.)com from Microsoft Edge.
- Guide 6: Remove Dozensearch(.)com from Safari.
- Guide 7: Eliminate Dozensearch(.)com from Internet Explorer.
- Guide 8: Disable Dozensearch(.)com Push Notifications in Your Browsers.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove Dozensearch(.)com from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Dozensearch(.)com
Step 2: Uninstall Dozensearch(.)com and related software from Windows
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 3: Clean any registries, created by Dozensearch(.)com on your computer.
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 Dozensearch(.)com there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
1. Open the Run Window again, type "regedit" and click OK.
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.
Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Step 4: Scan for Dozensearch(.)com with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Video Removal Guide for Dozensearch(.)com (Windows).
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
Get rid of Dozensearch(.)com from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Dozensearch(.)com and remove related files and objects
1.Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
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 Dozensearch(.)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 Dozensearch(.)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 Dozensearch(.)com files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Dozensearch(.)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 Dozensearch(.)com (Mac)
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
Remove Dozensearch(.)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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
Erase Dozensearch(.)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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
Uninstall Dozensearch(.)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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
Remove Dozensearch(.)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 Dozensearch(.)com will be removed.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
Eliminate Dozensearch(.)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 caused by Dozensearch(.)com 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".
Dozensearch(.)com-FAQ
What Is Dozensearch(.)com?
The Dozensearch(.)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 Dozensearch(.)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 Mac can be the following types:
- Rogue Antivirus programs.
- Adware.
- Browser hijackers.
- Clickers.
- Fake optimizers.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like Dozensearch(.)com?
Do not panic! You can easily get rid of most adware or unwanted programs by firstly isolating them and then removing them from your browser and computer. One recommended way to do that is by using a reputable malware removal software that can take care of the removal automatically for you. There are many anti-malware apps out there that you can choose from. SpyHunter is one of the recommended anti-malware apps that can scan your computer for free and detect any viruses, tracking cookies and unwanted adware apps and eliminate them quickly. This saves time when compared to doing the removal manually.
How to Secure My Passwords and Other Data from Dozensearch(.)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.
More tips you can find on our website, where you can also ask any questions and comment underneath the articles about your computer problems. We will try to respond as fast as possible.
How Does Dozensearch(.)com Work?
The Dozensearch(.)com threat is typically installed as part of another application that you may have downloaded from the internet. Unwanted apps are often disguised as helpful programs, such as browser add-ons or toolbars, but they can also be included in software downloads without your knowledge.
Threats such as Dozensearch(.)com can also be installed through malicious websites, email attachments, and other dubious sources. Once installed, Dozensearch(.)com can collect data about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. This data is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties. Dozensearch(.)com can also download other malicious software onto your computer, such as viruses and spyware, which can be used to steal your personal information.
Is Dozensearch(.)com Malware?
If you have noticed Dozensearch(.)com on your computer, you may be wondering if it is considered malware. The answer is yes, it is possible for an unwanted program to be classified as malware.
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. The best way to protect your computer from PUPs is to be careful when downloading software from the internet. Be sure to read the terms of service and privacy policies before downloading any software, and be wary of any suspicious download links or ads.
About the Dozensearch(.)com Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Dozensearch(.)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 Dozensearch(.)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 Dozensearch(.)com threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.
References
1.Browser Redirect – What Is It?
2.Adware Is Malicious, and It Uses Advanced Techniques to Infect
3.The Thin Red Line Between Potentially Unwanted Programs and Malware
4.The Pay-Per-Install Affiliate Business – Making Millions out of Adware
5.Malicious Firefox Extensions Installed by 455,000 Users Blocked Updates