The article will help you to remove Searchsmart.website fully. Follow the browser hijacker removal instructions given at the end of the article.
The Searchsmart.website redirect is a dangerous browser hijacker that has been uncovered in a recent attack campaign. It can be used to distribute virus payloads and cause various system changes to the infected hosts.
Threat Summary
| Name | Searchsmart.website |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, PUP |
| Short Description | The hijacker redirect can alter the homepage, search engine and new tab on every browser application you have installed. |
| Symptoms | The homepage, new tab and search engine of all your browsers will be switched to Searchsmart.website. You will be redirected and could see sponsored content. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Searchsmart.website. |
Searchsmart.website – Distribution Methods
The Searchsmart.website is a dangerous browser hijacker that is promoted using the most popular spread tactics. As usual a preferred method is the coordination of spam email messages. They use social engineering content in order to manipulate the victims into interacting with the dangerous element. Depending on the case the malware files may be either attached to the messages directly or hyperlinked in their contents. Emails are also among the most common methods for delivering payloads. There are two main types:
- Documents — Dangerous code can be embedded in files of different types: spreadsheets, presentations or rich text documents. Once they are opened a notification prompt may appear which asks them to enable the built-in macros. If this is done the virus will be installed on the victim machine.
- Software Installers — In a similar way the computer users can infect themselves by installing malware apps. The hackers embed the hijacker code in applications such as computer games, system utilities and creativity suites.
Usually browser redirects like this one are also advertised on the official browser repositories. The hacker operators use elaborate descriptions and fake user reviews.
In certain cases the Searchsmart.website can also infect users via web scripts. Such tactics can be used to load the infection to legitimate sites as well.
Searchsmart.website – Detailed Description
Once the Searchsmart.website has been loaded onto the victim’s computers they will start to modify the default settings. Usually infections like this one are made compatible with the most popular web browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Safari and Opera. In the most common case the goals of the hackers are to redirect the victim to a specific hacker-controlled site. This is done by changing the default settings: home page, search engine and new tabs page.
Any follow-up steps can be used to reconfigure the victim computers according to the specific instructions of the current attack campaign. An example use case is the creation of new Windows Registry entries that are associated with the browser hijacker use. This means that it may be harder to remove it from the computer. If the engine affects user-installed apps or operating system services then certain functions may stop working altogether. Overall system performance may be affected.
Note that browser hijackers may also be used as an intermediate delivery tactics. In this case some anti-virus software may not be able to pick up the infections.
In a behavior pattern that is similar to the ransomware operations the engine may start an information gathering module that can harvest sensitive information about the users and their machines. There are two primary categories:
- Private Data — Information that can reveal the users personal data such as their name, telephone number, location, interests, passwords and account credentials.
- Anonymous Metrics — They are used to optimize the attack campaigns and its contents includes hardware information and certain values taken from the operating system.
Once the victims access the dangerous site they will be greeted by a search engine box that prompts the users to enter in their queries. it is powered by a customized Internet services (Yahoo or Google) that may present sponsored, fake or malware contents. This is the reason why users are advised to remove the infections as early as possible. Such infections are also known for causing serious privacy damage to the victims.
There are various marketing slogans and content that presents the site as a useful search engine. At the bottom of the home page are the links to the privacy policy and terms of use documents.
Searchsmart.website – Privacy Policy
The privacy policy reads that upon first use and installation of the searchsmart.website redirect the users automatically give their consent to the service operators to gain access to their private data. As a result of this the site will harvest the following types of data:
- Information includes the web browser, their version and public IP address.
- Details about the operating system.
- E-mails and other communications with the service.
- Cookies and Site Interactions.
The harvested information can be shared with third-party services a well.
Remove Searchsmart.website Browser Hijacker
To remove Searchsmart.website 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 entirely, you should search for and remove any leftover items with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such software helps keep your computer secure in the future. We remind our readers that certain hijackers (most likely this one as well) are configured to harvest the information to a database shared with other similar threats.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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How to Remove Searchsmart.website from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Searchsmart.website with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website (Windows).
Get rid of Searchsmart.website from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website. 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 Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Searchsmart.website, 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 Searchsmart.website (Mac)
Remove Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website will be removed.
Eliminate Searchsmart.website 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".
Searchsmart.website-FAQ
What Is Searchsmart.website?
The Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website?
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 Searchsmart.website?
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 Searchsmart.website Work?
Once installed, Searchsmart.website 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.
Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Searchsmart.website 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 Searchsmart.website?
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 Searchsmart.website threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.