Remove SearchShield(.)co Browser Hijacker Totally from Your Computer

SearchShield(.)co is one of the many domains and the main search engine for a browser hijacker. The hijacker can redirect you and can show you sponsored content and various advertisements on the search results page. SearchShield(.)co can modify the homepage, new tab and the search engine of most browsers. A related browser extension can be added as well and is spread in various ways. To remove the hijacker and all of its files, you should read the article through.

Threat Summary

Name	SearchShield(.)co
Type	Browser Hijacker, PUP
Short Description	Every browser on your computer might be affected. The hijacker can filter your searches and might redirect you.
Symptoms	Browser settings which can be changed are the homepage, search engine, new tab. An extension can be added as well. You will see sponsored content and advertisements in search results.
Distribution Method	Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by SearchShield(.)co Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join Our Forum to Discuss SearchShield(.)co.

SearchShield(.)co – Delivery Ways

SearchShield(.)co has quite a few delivery ways. Third-party installers are one of the main ways in which the program could install to your computer system. Bundled software and freeware packages can insert the hijacker inside your computer. The installer setups might have more components set for installation, by default. Different settings could be tampered with on your computer and browser before you even come to see it. Avoiding installations like that can be managed if you find Custom or Advanced settings from where to deselect certain components.

SearchShield(.)co could use many ways to push its search engine onto your browser apps. One of the ways is through a direct download/install button on its main site shown in the image on top of the page. Another is with the help of a browser extension, which is also found on the Google Chrome web store, as shown in the image directly above this paragraph. Advertisements, such as banners and pop-ups might also spread its distribution. The hijacker could be distributed with redirects hosted on suspicious websites and one of those redirects is srchshld(.)com. Many websites like that could be somehow affiliated with SearchShield(.)co. The following browsers could be affected: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari and Mozilla Firefox.

SearchShield(.)co – Detailed Information

SearchShield(.)co is the primary domain of a browser hijacker and it serves as its search engine. You can see the web page and the logo of the hijacker in the screenshot down here:

The SearchShield(.)co domain is compiled of a search bar, logo, download button, and a couple of links directing to information about the hijacker like its EULA. That page is set as the go-to default page of your browsers, replacing their default search engine, new tab, and homepage. Your browser preferences might be modified, as well. There is also an extension which can be installed from the main domain of the hijacker, from the above-mentioned download button and Google’s Chrome web store.

It can do the following things:

• Read and change all your data on the websites you visit
• Change your privacy-related settings

If any programs tied to SearchShield(.)co find its place inside your computer or browser software, then you will notice a change in the behavior of your browsers. Extensions, add-ons, and plug-ins can generate advertisements and redirect you when you browse. You could witness third-party sponsored content around sites. Such websites could be connected to SearchShield(.)co.

You can see above, in the picture, the appearance of the SearchShield(.)co search results. As you can clearly see there is a lot of sponsored content and adverts and they even cover the whole results page. You also get redirected to the search results page of another domain. All the following domains are connected to the browser hijacker and can filter your searches and redirect you:

• https://SearchShield(.)co
• Srchshld(.)com
• https://search.assist(.)ly

Any information that is filtered goes through the servers of SearchShield(.)co and its affiliates. Be careful with whatever information you input and about your browsing habits when using the hijacker services. Continue to read and find out what exactly can be obtained from you by SearchShield(.)co.

SearchShield(.)co – Privacy Policy

The Privacy Policy of the SearchShield(.)co gives details about the actions which the owners of the hijacker take. It becomes clear from the Policy that both personal and anonymous (technical) information is obtained from you. All information which is collected from you is shared with multiple third-parties with which the hijacker’s owners do business with, as stated in the said policy.

You can view the Privacy Policy on this image:

According to the Policy, the following data can be collected:

Personal Information

• Your name
• Your Address
• Electronic mail (email) address
• Phone number
• Credit card information

Anonymous Information

• Domain names
• IP addresses
• Type of browsers that you may use
• URLs you have visited
• Referring URLs
• Other, non-personally identifiable information

Purchasing, using or trying out any software, extensions or services in any way related to SearchShield(.)co you automatically give your approval for the hijacker software to collect information about you and your browsing activity. Be very careful in what you write, when you conduct searches in such applications. If you don’t want your privacy to be invaded like that, you should remove this browser hijacker and its associated files.

Remove SearchShield(.)co Completely from Your PC

To remove SearchShield(.)co 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 and all of its files completely, you should search for and remove any leftovers with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such software can keep your computer secure in the future.

Manually delete SearchShield(.)co from Windows and your browser

Note! Substantial notification about the SearchShield(.)co threat: Manual removal of SearchShield(.)co 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.

2. Remove SearchShield(.)co from Your Browser

Remove SearchShield(.)co 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

Start Mozilla Firefox Open the menu window

Select the “Add-ons” icon from the menu

Select SearchShield(.)co and click “Remove”

After SearchShield(.)co 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 SearchShield(.)co and click on the garbage bin icon on the right of it.

After SearchShield(.)co 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 SearchShield(.)co 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 SearchShield(.)co 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 SearchShield(.)co
Click ‘Uninstall’

A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall SearchShield(.)co. Select ‘Uninstall’ again, and the SearchShield(.)co will be removed.

Automatically remove SearchShield(.)co by downloading an advanced anti-malware program

1. Remove SearchShield(.)co with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

Remove SearchShield(.)co with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

1. Install SpyHunter to scan for and remove SearchShield(.)co.2. Scan with SpyHunter to Detect and Remove SearchShield(.)co.

Step 1: Click here to go to SpyHunter’s download instruction page.
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 SearchShield(.)co 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.

2. Back up your data to secure it against attacks related to SearchShield(.)co in the future

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

1. For Windows 7 and earlier 1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 1. Enabling the Windows Defense Feature (Previous Versions)

1-Click on Windows Start Menu

2-Type Backup And Restore
3-Open it and click on Set Up Backup

4-A window will appear asking you where to set up backup. You should have a flash drive or an external hard drive. Mark it by clicking on it with your mouse then click on Next.

5-On the next window, the system will ask you what do you want to backup. Choose the ‘Let Me Choose’ option and then click on Next.

6-Click on ‘Save settings and run backup’ on the next window in order to protect your files from possible attacks by SearchShield(.)co.

1-Press Windows button + R

2-In the window type ‘filehistory’ and press Enter

3-A File History window will appear. Click on ‘Configure file history settings’

4-The configuration menu for File History will appear. Click on ‘Turn On’. After its on, click on Select Drive in order to select the backup drive. It is recommended to choose an external HDD, SSD or a USB stick whose memory capacity is corresponding to the size of the files you want to backup.

5-Select the drive then click on ‘Ok’ in order to set up file backup and protect yourself from SearchShield(.)co.

1- Press Windows button + R keys.

2- A run windows should appear. In it type ‘sysdm.cpl’ and then click on Run.

3- A System Properties windows should appear. In it choose System Protection.

5- Click on Turn on system protection and select the size on the hard disk you want to utilize for system protection.
6- Click on Ok and you should see an indication in Protection settings that the protection from SearchShield(.)co is on.

Restoring a file via Windows Defense feature:
1-Right-click on the encrypted file, then choose Properties.

2-Click on the Previous Versions tab and then mark the last version of the file.

3-Click on Apply and Ok and the file encrypted by SearchShield(.)co should be restored.

Optional: Using Alternative Anti-Malware Tools

Remove SearchShield(.)co Using Other Alternative Tools

STOPZilla Anti Malware

1. Download and Install STOPZilla Anti-malware to Scan for And Remove SearchShield(.)co.
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 SearchShield(.)co 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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