Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.
Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.
Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.
Note! Your computer might be affected by SafeSearch.net and other threats.
Threats such as SafeSearch.net may be persistent on your system. They tend to re-appear if not fully deleted. A malware removal tool like SpyHunter will help you to remove malicious programs, saving you the time and the struggle of tracking down numerous malicious files. SpyHunter’s scanner is free but the paid version is needed to remove the malware threats. Read SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy
Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.
SafeSearch.net is the website for a browser hijacker named SafeSearch. Read the whole article carefully to see how you can remove it. This hijacker can change the new tab, homepage, and add an extension to your browsers. The search engine of your browsers will be modified. You might get redirected while browsing. Search results can show advertisements or try to mislead you.
Threat Summary
Name
SafeSearch.net
Type
Browser Hijacker, PUP
Short Description
The homepage, the new tab, and search engine of your browsers are modified.
Symptoms
Your browsers can have their homepage, new tab, and search engine changed. A browser extension could be added. Search results may be incorrect or show ads.
Distribution Method
Freeware Installers, Bundle Packages, Chrome Web Store
Detection Tool
See If Your System Has Been Affected by SafeSearch.net
A common distribution way for SafeSearch.net is from third-party installation setups. Without your awareness, the hijacker can get inside your PC. It can hide in freeware installs and bundled packages. More components are chosen for installation by default in such packages. The components are often hidden, so SafeSearch.net can install. Checking for a Custom or an Advanced menu in the setup is a good way of preventing unwanted installations.
Above you can see a browser extension connected with SafeSearch.net. It is available at Google Chrome’s Web Store. Another way for distribution of this hijacker is from advert clicks or visiting untrusted sites. Websites with an unknown reputation could be partnered with the hijacker’s creators. Affected browsers are: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari.
SafeSearch.net – Description
SafeSearch.net is the main web page for a browser hijacker bearing the same name. If it is found on your PC, your browser settings will be changed. All of your browsers might have their homepage and new tab modified. The search engine will be modified as well. This hijacker claims to keep you safe by setting up website protection for your browsers. No such thing happens.
A browser extension associated to SafeSearch.net can be installed. The name is the same, just without the domain extension – SafeSearch. One of the available locations for it is the Google Chrome’s Web Store. The extension might have come bundled with other free software on your PC. You can experience multiple redirects sites of the hijacker or ones related to it. And except redirects, targeted advertisements might show while you browse.
The browser extension does this:
Read and change all your data on the websites you visit
Display notifications
Change your search settings to: safesearch.net
Everything inputted into the SafeSearch.net address will be filtered by it. Do not enter any personal information, or the hijacker will collect it. The search results of the untrusted program might be misleading. There could also be advertisements and links on the results page. You can see an example in the picture down here:
Another possibility is that the hijacker can set a search engine that at least at first glance looks exactly like Bing. It is possible that this is a tactic to trick you that the hijacker is a reputable program.
Redirects might appear with the hijacker installed on your PC. Not only the browser extension can redirect to SafeSearch.net, but also the homepage, new tab or clicking on adverts. Message notifications, pop-unders, pop-ups, text links or banners can display on pages as ad content. The redirects could be with the aim of getting more traffic to affiliated sites of the hijacker, by using pay-per-click.
The Privacy Policy of SafeSearch.net found on the same site, claims that both personally and non-personally identifiable information can be collected.
Information that may be collected according to the policy:
Your IP address
Your e-mail address
Your browser type
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Your webpage visits
Cookies information
Using the services and the site SafeSearch will make the hijacker gather personal information about you. Cookies and whatever you type and technical data will be gathered. According to the policy, only in very rare cases may that data be shared or sold to third parties.
Remove SafeSearch.net Completely
To remove SafeSearch.net manually from your computer, follow the step-by-step removal instructions provided down. If the manual removal does not get rid of the browser hijacker completely, you should search for and remove any leftovers with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such software can keep your computer safe.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by SafeSearch.net or other threats. Scan Your PC with SpyHunter SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as SafeSearch.net. Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
To remove SafeSearch.net follow these steps:
1. Uninstall malicious programs from Windows
OFFER
Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!
We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter
Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria
How to Uninstall malicious programs 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:
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 most programs.
2. Clean your Browser and Registry from SafeSearch.net
Remove SafeSearch.net by cleaning your Browser and Registry.
Remove an extension from Mozilla FirefoxRemove an extension from Google Chrome Remove an extension from Internet Explorer Remove an extension from Microsoft Edge Fix registry entries created by SafeSearch.net on your PC.
Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window
Select the “Add-ons” icon from the menu.
Select the unwanted extension and click “Remove“
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.
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 the unwanted extension and click on its “Remove” button.
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.
Start Internet Explorer:
Click on the gear icon labeled ‘Tools’ to open the drop menu and select ‘Manage Add-ons’
In the ‘Manage Add-ons’ window.
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’.
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.
Start Edge
Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
From the drop menu select “Extensions”.
Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.
Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs
3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Scan your PC and Remove SafeSearch.net with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for SafeSearch.net and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove SafeSearch.net. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.
It is 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. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.
Step 2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.
Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.
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 with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup.
Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.
Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.
Remove an extension from Mozilla Firefox
Remove an extension from Google Chrome
Remove an extension from Internet Explorer
Remove an extension from Microsoft Edge
Fix registry entries created by SafeSearch.net on your PC.
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for SafeSearch.net and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
