WorldSearchPro(.)com is a browser hijacker. It is spreading mainly with bundled free programs and the Websearch.Searchmania(.)info site. The hijacker also generates ads, shows misleading results and redirects. To remove it along with any unwanted programs and get your settings restored, read the article in full.
Threat Summary
| Name | WorldSearchPro(.)com |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, Adware, PUP |
| Short Description | Your browsers will have their homepage, new tab and the search engine changed. Sponsored adverts appear in your search results. |
| Symptoms | Shows advertisements, redirects and modifies a browser’s homepage, new tab and search engine. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundle Packages |
| Detection Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware Download Malware Removal Tool |
| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss WorldSearchPro(.)com. |
WorldSearchPro(.)com – Distribution Ways
WorldSearchPro could be found inside third-party installer setups. This hijacker can get inside your computer without your knowledge. That is due to it hiding in various freeware installations and bundled packages. Similar packs have additional components selected to be installed by default. Avoiding such installations is possible if you find a Custom or an Advanced menu from where to deselect the components.
WorldSearchPro could also have other ways of distributing itself. Clicking on links, ads or around unknown sites is a sure way to get an unwanted application such as this one. The hijacker is also distributed via redirects from Websearch.Searchmania(.)info. Browsers that are affected: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox.
WorldSearchPro(.)com – Description
WorldSearchPro(.)com is the main web address of the browser hijacker with the same name. It may have a browser extension as it comes with bundled software and free applications in most cases. Another effective way that the hijacker spreads through is the site Websearch.Searchmania(.)info. Websearch is another unwanted app, which has a lot of iterations and is one of the most annoying hijackers ever.
You can see, in the image below, the domain spreading redirects to WorldSearchPro(.)com (notice the banner trying to scare you into clicking):
An extension found throughout the Internet could also be installed. You might get redirected to other websites too. A lot of redirects lead to the following malicious ad sites:
- http://xml(.)adventurefeeds(.)com/click?adv=5649
- http://clickeu(.)teracreative(.)com/st?cipid=7969087
Absolutely all of your searches will get filtered through the WorldSearchPro(.)com web address for each query. You will be redirected to affiliates of WorldSearchPro(.)com if you click on any link from the search results. Sponsored advertising is to be found within every link on the search results page:
As you clearly see in the image above, the search results are only three. They couldn’t be scarcer. What you may not notice is that there are six links on the page. All search results and green info texts are actually links to other places than the ones indicated. Based on your keyword most title names are formed with the phrases “What is…” or ”Are you looking for…” etc.
Trying to trick you into clicking this is a very sophisticated and clever way of hiding links. Advertising content is also present on sites you can you are led from redirects. That content is in the form of pop-up ads, pop-unders, banners, full page advertisements and in-text links. The websites you can get mislead into clicking get revenue on a pay-per-click basis.
The Privacy Policy of WorldSearchPro(.)com is very long and filled with various kinds of mistakes. Aside from that, it is understood that a lot of personal and non-personal information is collected by the hijacker. Everything is disclosed with third-party partners and could be shared to other third-parties.
According to the Policy, the following information may be collected:
- Name, gender and date of birth
- Your IP address and Email address
- Your relationship status, intersts and hobbies
- Your user name, posts and profile pictures
- Educational details and employment information
- The referral source and the length of your visits
- The timing, frequency and pattern of service use
- Browser (version and type)
- Page views and website navigation paths
- Geo location and home address
- Credit card details
- Telephone number
- Operating System (and other such data)
You can see a preview snapshot of the Policy here:
By using the WorldSearchPro(.)com site, and every service associated with it, including any external third-party apps, you grant your consent for personal information collection. Cookies and different tracking technologies are used to aid the creators of the hijacker to gather some of the data mentioned above.
Remove WorldSearchPro(.)com Completely
To remove WorldSearchPro(.)com manually from your computer, follow the step-by-step removal instructions given below. In case the manual removal does not get rid of the browser hijacker, redirects and ads completely, you should search for and remove any leftovers with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such a program helps keep your system safe.
- Guide 1: How to Remove WorldSearchPro(.)com from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of WorldSearchPro(.)com from Mac OS X.
- Guide 3: Remove WorldSearchPro(.)com from Google Chrome.
- Guide 4: Erase WorldSearchPro(.)com from Mozilla Firefox.
- Guide 5: Uninstall WorldSearchPro(.)com from Microsoft Edge.
- Guide 6: Remove WorldSearchPro(.)com from Safari.
- Guide 7: Eliminate WorldSearchPro(.)com from Internet Explorer.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
How to Remove WorldSearchPro(.)com from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove WorldSearchPro(.)com
Step 2: Uninstall WorldSearchPro(.)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 WorldSearchPro(.)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 WorldSearchPro(.)com 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.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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Get rid of WorldSearchPro(.)com from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall WorldSearchPro(.)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:
- 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 WorldSearchPro(.)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 malware from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts, programs and malware, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. Combo Cleaner offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove WorldSearchPro(.)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
Erase WorldSearchPro(.)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
Uninstall WorldSearchPro(.)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
Remove WorldSearchPro(.)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 WorldSearchPro(.)com will be removed.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Eliminate WorldSearchPro(.)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.
