This article aims to help you with the removal of Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com hijacker from affected browser and system. See a detailed guide that could help you to get rid of this annoying program in full.
Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com is a website that provides hoax search engine. It redirects all search queries to Yahoo search in order to mislead you of being a legitimate website. However, once it runs in a target browser or system it could replace browsers’ homepage, new tab page and default search engine with its domain address. That’s one of the reasons why it is considered to be a potentially unwanted program. Keep reading to learn more about the adverse effects that may be caused by this hijacker.
Threat Summary
| Name | Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, PUP |
| Short Description | A website with questionable search enigne that hijacks browser homepage, new tab page and default search engine. All modifications happen on the background without users’ knowledge. |
| Symptoms | The homepage, new tab page and search enigne in preferred web browser are set to dislay the main page of Safesearchprotect.com hijacker. Browser slowdowns occur due to increased number of online ads.td> |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com. |
Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com – Spread Techniques
Undesired programs like Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com are primarily distributed via software bundles. So they often land on computer systems along with other desired free third-party apps. As of these apps, they are usually released on various online stores, torrent networks and websites of unknown origin.
How an unnoticed installation of an undesired program could happen is by following the regular installation steps presented in the setup of a desired app. So during the installation process of new apps, it is highly recommended to look for and choose Advanced or Custom configuration steps. When you read carefully all the details presented there you could be able to avoid the installation of any nasty extras that aim to invade your system.
Frequently used web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari could be affected by Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com hijacker.
Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com – More About Its Impact
Once files associated with Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com hijacker are started on a computer system they initiate several modifications of main browser settings. All changes could happen without your permission. The moment you open your preferred web browser and see the main page of the hijacker is the one when you understand about applied changes.
As it gets clear from the main page of the hijacker its main function is to provide a searching service. Along with the search field displayed in the middle several icons for quick access to other websites could be seen on hijacker’s main page. Here is a picture of how it exactly looks like:
A side effect of using this hoax search engine is incomplete or misleading search results. Even though, Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com redirects all search queries to Yahoo search it is possible that among the displayed results you will always see many sponsored ones.
In addition, as long as this hijacker keeps appearing in your browser it could be able to inject many other online ads in an attempt to trick you to visit the web pages they promote. As a result, many browser slowdowns may occur and make the browser sluggish. Beware that some of the ads pose a great risk of your system due to the fact that they could be set to land you on corrupted web pages that download malicious directly on the device.
What’s more the privacy policy of the website its owners (Polarity Technologies) admit that all affected users automatically agree with the collection of all following details:
- Visited URLs and websites
- Browser’s home page
- Search queries
- Search queries on the visited web pages
- Type of used browser
- Operating system type
- Internet protocol (IP) address
- Geographic location
- The domain name of current Internet service provider (ISP)
- Diagnostic information which describes how their Services are operating on the system
Data could be used for advertising or business purposes. At worst it could be released on underground forums and obtained by hackers.
How to Remove Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com Hijacker
In order to remove Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com hijacker and all associated files from your PC make sure to complete all the steps listed in the removal that follows. It presents both manual and automatic removal instructions that combined could help you to remove this undesired program in full. The automatic approach guarantees maximum efficiency as a scan with an advanced anti-malware tool reveals the presence of harmful files and further lists their exact location. So the results could enable you to access and remove all harmful files from your PC. Have in mind that files associated with this hijacker may be detected with different names than Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com.
In case that you have further questions or need additional help, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or contact us via email.
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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- Mac OS X
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- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com and related software from Windows
Uninstall Steps for Windows 11
Uninstall Steps for Windows 10 and Older Versions
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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com 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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.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.
Video Removal Guide for Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com (Windows).
Get rid of Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com 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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com. 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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com, 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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com (Mac)
Remove Search.hwatchonlinestreams.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.
Erase Search.hwatchonlinestreams.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.
Uninstall Search.hwatchonlinestreams.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.
Remove Search.hwatchonlinestreams.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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com will be removed.
Eliminate Search.hwatchonlinestreams.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.
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".
Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com-FAQ
What Is Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com?
The Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com 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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com?
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 device can be rogue antivirus software, adware, browser hijackers, clickers, fake optimizers and any forms of PUPs.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com?
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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com Work?
Once installed, Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com can collect data using trackers. This data is about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. It is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties.
Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com 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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com 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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com 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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com?
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 Search.hwatchonlinestreams.com threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.