This article aims to help you with the removal of Search.searchfstn.com redirect from affected browser and system. Follow the detailed guide to remove this nasty website completely from your PC.
Search.searchfstn.com website pushes a hoax search engine that is able to obtain your search queries and send them to its servers. It could land on the system unnoticeably with the help of shady distribution techniques. As a typical browser hijacker Search.searchfstn.com alters essential browser settings to replace the default search engine, homepage and new tab page with its main page. Afterward, you could experience redirects to Search.searchfstn.com during each browsing session.
Threat Summary
| Name | Search.searchfstn.com |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, PUP |
| Short Description | The suspicious domain Search.searchfstn.com can be set as homepage and new tab page in each affected browser. Its rogue search engine replaces the default one. |
| Symptoms | The homepage and new tab page of affected browsers display the main page of Search.searchfstn.com hijacker. Many advertisements flood the browser and make it sluggish. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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Malware Removal Tool
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Search.searchfstn.com. |
Search.searchfstn.com – Methods of Distribution
Search.searchfstn.com could infiltrate your system with the help of some shady techniques know to be used for the distribution of potentially unwanted programs like this one. Often the infection lands unnoticeably on the system by being part of a software bundle. Many vendors of free apps implement this practice as a way to monetize their projects. It allows them to incorporate additional potentially unwanted apps into the installers of their apps and set them to install by default. Such free and supposedly useful apps with extras are available for download on various websites across the net. During the installation process of such an app, you may unnoticeably install all extras along with the desired app. An efficient prevention of their installation is to choose the Advanced or Custom configuration options where you could find them and reject installation.
Search.searchfstn.com is likely to hijack frequently used web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari.
Search.searchfstn.com – More About Its Impact
Search.searchfstn.com redirect configures your new tab page, homepage and default search engine without asking for your permission. Afterward, the website starts to appear during each browsing session.
When you land on Search.searchfstn.com for the first time you may think that it provides a reliable search engine. In addition, it offers you an option to run a speed test and to see your current IP address.
However, Search.searchfstn.com is designed to use different tracking technologies to spy on your online behavior so it can then deliver you a lot of annoying advertisements that may be of your interest. So after a while your browser may become sluggish and at times completely unresponsive. You need to be very careful with all the banners, pop-ups, pop-unders, in-text links and all other kinds of ads you see in the affected browser as just a single click may land you on compromised web page that is set to deliver additional malware directly on your PC.
Search.searchfstn.com – Privacy Policy
The Privacy Policy section provides information that gives insight into what kind of data is collected by Search.searchfstn.com as well as how its owners plan to use it. Once you are aware of all these details you will be able to make an informed decision whether you need this website in your browser or not at all.
As stated in the policy the redirect is designed to collect both personally and non-personally identifiable information from all its users. So as long as you are using Search.searchfstn.com‘s services your consent for data collection is taken for granted. Which are the details about you, your system and browsing behavior stored on Search.searchw3w.com‘s servers? See bellow:
- 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
The company owner of this annoying hijacker is Polarity Technologies. In fact, the company is a well-known distributor of websites with identical design all of which aim to hijack frequently used web browsers, acquire data and deliver advertisements.
Thier policy reveals that they can use the records of your data for advertising purposes or disclose them to third-parties of unknown origin. How these third-parties plan to use your data is not clear. Chances are that they are going to send yet another wave of intrusive ads in your browser or cause serious issues related to your privacy.
Remove Search.searchfstn.com Browser Hijacker
The steps listed below will help you to remove Search.searchfstn.com hijacker completely from affected Chrome, Firefox, Explorer, and Safari browsers. In the guide that follows, you will also find how to remove this nasty program from your Windows system. There are two removal approaches – manual and automatic. In case that after the manual removal you still experience redirects to Search.searchfstn.com, you need to scan the system for some leftovers. With the help of an advanced anti-malware tool, you can easily locate and eliminate all leftovers.
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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- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove Search.searchfstn.com from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Search.searchfstn.com with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Search.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.com (Windows).
Get rid of Search.searchfstn.com from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Search.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.com files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Search.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.com (Mac)
Remove Search.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.com will be removed.
Eliminate Search.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.com-FAQ
What Is Search.searchfstn.com?
The Search.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.com Work?
Once installed, Search.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.com Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Search.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.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.searchfstn.com threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.