This article will aid you to remove HappySearch.org totally. Follow the browser hijacker removal instructions at the bottom of this article.

HappySearch.org is a web domain for a browser hijacker redirect that goes by the same name as its URL – “Happy Search”. The hijacker might redirect you to unknown websites and might show you sponsored advertisements and targeted content whenever you use the HappySearch service. This hijacker can modify the homepage, the new tab, plus your current search engine for all browser programs that you use.

Threat Summary

Name	HappySearch.org
Type	Browser Hijacker, PUP
Short Description	Every browser program located on your computer device might get affected. The hijacker will redirect you and display numerous advertisements in its search results.
Symptoms	Browser settings which could be altered are the homepage, default search engine and the new tab page.
Distribution Method	Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by HappySearch.org Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join Our Forum to Discuss HappySearch.org.

HappySearch.org – Distribution Ways

The HappySearch.org hijacker could be distributed using various ways. One of them is via third-party installations. The installer setups might be inside bundled applications and freeware which could be designed to install more components by default. That might happen without you knowing. You could have tried installing a converter app or other free software and got your browser settings altered by the hijacker. Preventing undesired programs like these from installing on your computer is doable if you find Custom or Advanced settings in the setup.

HappySearch.org could be distributed with other ways, as well. These ways typically involve a browser extension or an add-on that installs on your browser applications. Other distribution methods use advertisements, like banners, pop-ups, pop-unders, and redirect links. Targeted content, as well as sponsored advertising on suspicious websites might also distribute the hijacker. Those websites could be partnered up or affiliated with HappySearch.org in a way. The following browsers can be affected: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari.

HappySearch.org – Detailed Analysis

HappySearch.org is the Web domain for a browser hijacker that is named after it and that is precisely, “HappySearch”. You will get redirected and witness sponsored advertisement from its search results and links which can be found on the pages of the related website. The main page is displayed below in the following snapshot:

HappySearch.org is a service of a browser hijacker that will redirect you and could display lots of advertisements when you are using it. The search results will load in a redirect, which uses its own search engine. Each search inquiry that you make will send information to servers that are associated with the hijacker in question. The page that is shown in the above screenshot replaces the homepage, new tab and the default search engine for almost every browser that you have installed on your computer. Extensions, including browser add-ons which are connected to the unwanted application could be found around the Internet, having similar browser hijacking capabilities as the redirect.

Various types of redirect links to external websites could show up, which can send you to another domain address than the one that you see being advertised. Be careful around any links that seem suspicious and about what you click on or what sites you visit when browsing with the HappySearch services.

The image that is displayed under this paragraph shows an example of a search query, made with the HappySearch.org search engine. All results made through it, show a lot of different websites. This hijacker might open more than one webpage once you access a link from it. Moreover, it will filter every search query that you make, so take note of that. Thus, everything that you provide as information will be sent to the servers associated with the browser hijacker and its developers.

The website can display numerous advertisements, as seen above, plus many more across webpages you visit and redirects which can fill your computer machine with browser cookies that can track you. Additional tracking technologies could be implemented, too. Refrain from clicking on links and advertisements, as they could gather even more information about you, as well.

HappySearch.org – Privacy Policy

The Privacy Policy of the HappySearch.org site is located in the footer of the main Web address of the website. The policy provides enough insight about the data collection done by the browser hijacker. Keep on reading and see what data exactly could be collected from you when you are using the services of HappySearch.org.

You can view the Privacy Policy from the picture down here:

All information provided in the list below will get acquired from you, according to the Policy.

• Your IP address
• Your E-mail address
• Browser type
• Internet Service Provider (ISP)
• Webpages that you visit
• Any information you provide, including such data regarding registration

To add to the information that is stated to be collected above, browser cookies are also dropped by the website and the service of HappySearch will collect more information about you and your online habits.

In conclusion, you should be careful with what information you share and give out to search engines or websites, such as those. Also, in case you do not like any personal information to be collected from you by this browser hijacker, you should consider removing it as soon as possible.

Remove HappySearch.org Completely

To remove HappySearch.org 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.

Manually delete HappySearch.org from Windows and your browser

Note! Substantial notification about the HappySearch.org threat: Manual removal of HappySearch.org requires interference with system files and registries. Thus, it can cause damage to your PC. Even if your computer skills are not at a professional level, don’t worry. You can do the removal yourself just in 5 minutes, using a malware removal tool.

1. Remove or Uninstall HappySearch.org in Windows

Remove or Uninstall HappySearch.org in Windows.

Step 1: Remove/Uninstall HappySearch.org in Windows

Here is a method in few easy steps to remove that program. No matter if you are using Windows 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 get left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, mistakes 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:

Hold the Windows Logo Button and “R” on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear (fig.1).

In the field type in “appwiz.cpl” and press ENTER (fig.2).

This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC.
Select the program that you want to remove, and press “Uninstall” (fig.3).

Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall HappySearch.org.

2. Remove HappySearch.org from Your Browser and Your Registry Editor

Remove HappySearch.org from Your Browser.

Remove a toolbar from Mozilla FirefoxRemove a toolbar from Google Chrome Remove a toolbar from Internet Explorer Remove a toolbar from Safari Fix registry entries created by HappySearch.org on your PC.

Start Mozilla Firefox Open the menu window

Select the “Add-ons” icon from the menu

Select HappySearch.org and click “Remove”

After HappySearch.org is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red “X” in the top right corner and start it again.

Start Google Chrome and Open the drop menu

Move the cursor over “Tools” and then from the extended menu choose “Extensions“

From the opened “Extensions” menu locate HappySearch.org and click on the garbage bin icon on the right of it.

After HappySearch.org is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red “X” in the top right corner and start it again.

Start Internet Explorer:

Click “‘Tools’ to open the drop menu and select ‘Manage Add-ons’

In the ‘Manage Add-ons’ window, make sure that in the first window ‘Add-on Types’, the drop menu ‘Show’ is on ‘All add-ons’

Select HappySearch.org to remove, and then click ‘Disable’. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected toolbar, and some additional toolbars might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click ‘Disable’.

After HappySearch.org has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red ‘X’ in the top right corner and start it again.

Start Safari

Open the drop menu by clicking on the sprocket icon in the top right corner.

From the drop menu select ‘Preferences’
In the new window select ‘Extensions’
Click once on HappySearch.org
Click ‘Uninstall’

A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall HappySearch.org. Select ‘Uninstall’ again, and the HappySearch.org will be removed.

Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries of your computer to change different settings. This is why manual clean up of your Windows Registry Database is strongly recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit lenghty, we recommend following our instructive article about fixing registry entries.

Automatically remove HappySearch.org by downloading an advanced anti-malware program

1. Remove HappySearch.org with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data

Remove HappySearch.org with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

1. Install SpyHunter to scan for and remove HappySearch.org.2. Scan with SpyHunter to Detect and Remove HappySearch.org. Back up your data to secure it against infections and file encryption by HappySearch.org in the future.

Step 1:Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.

Download

Malware Removal Tool

It is highly recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter.

Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to automatically update.

Step1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Scan Computer Now’ button.

Step2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any HappySearch.org files, click on the ‘Fix Threats’ button to remove them automatically and permanently.

Step3: Once the intrusions on your PC have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart it.

Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future

IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data automatically with cloud backup and insure it against any type of data loss on your device, even the most severe. We recommend reading more about and downloading SOS Online Backup .

SOS Online Backup

Optional: Using Alternative Anti-Malware Tools

Remove HappySearch.org Using Other Alternative Tools

STOPZilla Anti Malware

1. Download and Install STOPZilla Anti-malware to Scan for And Remove HappySearch.org.
Step 1: Download STOPZilla by clicking here.
Step 2: A pop-up window will appear. Click on the ‘Save File’ button. If it does not, click on the Download button and save it afterwards.

Step 3: After you have downloaded the setup, simply open it.
Step 4: The installer should appear. Click on the ‘Next’ button.

Step 5: Check the ‘I accept the agreement’ check circle if not checked if you accept it and click the ‘Next’ button once again.

Step 6: Review and click on the ‘Install’ button.

Step 7: After the installation process has completed click on the ‘Finish’ button.

2. Scan your PC with STOPZilla Anti Malware to remove all HappySearch.org associated files completely.
Step 1: Launch STOPZilla if you haven’t launched it after install.
Step 2: Wait for the software to automatically scan and then click on the ‘Repair Now’ button. If it does not scan automatically, click on the ‘Scan Now’ button.

Step 3: After the removal of all threats and associated objects, you should Restart your PC.

Berta Bilbao

Berta is the Editor-in-Chief of SensorsTechForum. She is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space.

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