Foxsearch.me is the domain of a hoax search engine that may hijack popular browsers so it can force users to utilize its services. Once Foxsearch.me penetrates the system it may access the browser settings and make various changes. The changes usually refer the home page, the search engine and the new tab page of the affected browser. All are likely to be set to redirect to FoxSearch.me. In case that you want to regain your online security, it is advisable to remove Foxsearch.me entirely from your browser and PC.
This article aims to help you with the removal process of Foxsearch.me redirect by providing a detailed step-by-step guide.
Threat Summary
| Name | Foxsearch.me |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, PUP |
| Short Description | Every browser application on your computer might get affected. The hijacker will redirect you and show a lot of advertisements and sponsored content. |
| Symptoms | Browser settings which will get changed are the homepage, search engine and new tab. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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Malware Removal Tool
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Foxsearch.me. |
Foxsearch.me – Distribution Tactics
Foxsearch.me redirect may occur after an installation of free apps. Such apps are usually presented as useful and can be downloaded from various torrent websites. Actually, the browser hijacker may be bundled with the installation setup of the freeware and hidden in the Advanced/Custom options. It is well-known fact that most users install new software just by clicking the Next button paying a little to no attention to the additional products that get along with the primary product. As bundling is one of the most preferred distribution ways for browser hijackers like Foxsearch.me it is advisable always to select the Custom installation options where all potentially unwanted programs may be unmarked. Thus it is most likely to prevent the hijacker from affecting the system and the installed browsers.
Foxsearch.me – Technical Analysis
The design of Foxsearch.me homepage resembles a lot those of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Bing and other trustworthy search engines. In fact, this trick aims to convince you that the website and its services are reliable. The practice is commonly applied by creators of browser hijackers. After an infection with Foxsearch.me redirect you may notice that most of the installed browsers (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Edge, Safari, Opera, etc.) are set to show you the vague domain of the hijacker each time you open the browser. You may be harshly forced to use its services as it may also appear on each new tab. Below you can see how the search engine and the homepage of Foxsearch.me look like:
Even though Foxsearch.me is not considered to be a malware it has the annoying ability to penetrate the system, hijack installed browsers without asking for evident permission.
The primary purpose of Foxsearch.me is to collect information about your online behavior so it can deliver you targeted content and displays numerous advertisements in the affected browser. This pattern guarantees its creators money revenue from advertisers who sponsor the process. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of your online security as sponsored results may land you on corrupted web pages that automatically deliver malware on the computer. Furthermore, the large number of online advertisements of all kind may reduce the system performance which can cause severe browser crashes.
The removal process of Foxsearch.me is the step that will help you to regain the security of your PC and browsers.
Foxsearch.me – Privacy Policy
In this paragraph, we will review some of the privacy-related statements made in Foxsearch.me Privacy Policy. This section reveals what information Foxsearch.me collects from people who are using its services and how the company handles this information. It gets clear that the company receives the following non-personal information:
- Browsing history – including all search queries and visited websites
- IP-address
- Cookies and related Data
The personal information gathered and saved on their servers includes:
- Your name
- E-mail and / or addresss
However, being classified as a typical browser hijacker by security experts, Foxsearch.me is believed to obtain additional information that is not mentioned in its Privacy Policy from its users. In order to keep your privacy and stay safe online, it is better to consider the complete elimination of the potentially unwanted program from the PC.
Remove Foxsearch.me Redirect
A simple uninstall of Foxsearch.me from the browser does not mean that it is gone from the PC. To get rid of the annoying redirect completely you can follow the step-by-step removal guide below that aims to help you. The removal process of Foxsearch.me redirect may be a slightly tough task even for the tech-savvy users. What’s more is that the manual removal approach may not always stop the annoying redirects to Foxsearch.me and that’s why security experts recommend the help of an advanced anti-malware tool. Such a tool will completely clean all the malware from the system and keep you safe in future.
Gergana Ivanova
Highly motivated writer with 5+ years of experience writing for ransomware, malware, adware, PUPs, and other cybersecurity-related issues. As a writer, I strive to create content that is based on thorough technical research. I find joy in the process of creating articles that are easy to understand, informative, and useful. Follow me on Twitter (@IRGergana) for the latest in the field of computer, mobile, and online security.
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- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove Foxsearch.me from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Foxsearch.me with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Foxsearch.me 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 4: Clean Any registries, Created by Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me (Windows).
Get rid of Foxsearch.me from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me. 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 Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Foxsearch.me, 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 Foxsearch.me (Mac)
Remove Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me will be removed.
Eliminate Foxsearch.me 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".
Foxsearch.me-FAQ
What Is Foxsearch.me?
The Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me?
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 Foxsearch.me?
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 Foxsearch.me Work?
Once installed, Foxsearch.me 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.
Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Foxsearch.me 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 Foxsearch.me?
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 Foxsearch.me threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.