Remove GetGameSearch Hijacker From PC

GetGameSearch: Simple Delete Process

GetGameSearch is potentially unwanted program, categorized as browser hijacker that mainly spreads via software bundle packages, resulting in a sneaky infiltration. Once installed, it assigns homepage and new tab address to getgamesearch.com, applies a customized search engine and starts redirecting all search results to nearbyme.io and Yahoo. Furthermore, the perilous hijacker inserts sponsored links into these results and increases the number of ads users see while surfing the web. Typically, it comes as a browser extension for Chrome, MS Edge, Firefox, or another browser, although its associated modifications might be related to an unwanted application installed on the Windows computer.

GetGameSearch Manipulates Search Results:

Browser hijackers like GetGameSearch are extremely common even though the security of common web browsers was greatly improved over the years. This nasty hijacker provides a very basic search feature, all while using a legitimate Yahoo search engine in the process. Unlike the real Yahoo, it injects additional sponsored links when victims try to search the internet. As a result, instead of seeing relevant search outcomes, they are provided with fake ones – basically, these are ads. By doing so, creators of the app attempt to monetize users’ clicks on these ads.

Users affected with GetGameSearch hijacker are forced to browse via a hijacked browser, which can significantly diminish their online experience. They might struggle to find related information or deal with advertisements more often than they would like. Ads delivered by this PUP keep appearing all the time and interrupt users’ web sessions badly. Interacting with these adverts may put their privacy and their systems’ security at high risk as they redirect to potentially insecure domains when clicked. Victims might be rerouted to several phishing/scam, fake tech support, malware-laden and other insecure sites.

GetGameSearch inserts various spying cookies on the infected browsers and constant tracks their web activities. It collects several browsing-related data that include IP addresses, geolocations, pages viewed, links clicked, search queries typed and so on. These details are very useful for the advertisers to generate personalized ads that make users more eager to click on them. However, you should stay away from these adverts as they may redirect you to hazardous domains and you may end up with infecting your PC with malware, exposing your sensitive data to cyber crooks and so on. Looking at all these threats, GetGameSearch removal should not be delayed.

Ways To Spread GetGameSearch:

Browser hijackers and other potentially unwanted programs use deceptive techniques such as bundling to enter the targeted system. These PUPs are added to a single installer along with regular software and manages to enter the computer as soon as the Quick or Recommended installation settings are chosen. These configuration settings usually don’t disclose the components added to the software package and hence, they manage to get installed secretly along with the regular software without users’ notice.

What you should do is choose only trustworthy and original downloaders/installers for your software. Moreover, it is advisable to use only the Custom or Advanced installation mode that will provide you with the capability to control and remove unwanted contents from the download list. This way, you can avoid potentially unwanted programs from intruding your work-station and install only the one you wanted at the first. If your PC is already infected with this hijacker, you must remove GetGameSearch from the machine without wasting any time.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows Click Here For Mac

Important Note: This malware asks you to enable the web browser notifications. So, before you go the manual removal process, execute these steps.

Google Chrome (PC)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the Menu button
• Select “Settings”. Scroll the mouse downward to choose “Advanced” option
• Go to “Privacy and Security” section by scrolling downward and then select “Content settings” and then “Notification” option
• Find each suspicious URLs and click on three dots on the right side and choose “Block” or “Remove” option

Google Chrome (Android)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the menu button and then click on “Settings”
• Scroll down further to click on “site settings” and then press on “notifications” option
• In the newly opened window, choose each suspicious URLs one by one
• In the permission section, select “notification” and “Off” the toggle button

Mozilla Firefox

• On the right corner of the screen, you will notice three dots which is the “Menu” button
• Select “Options” and choose “Privacy and Security” in the toolbar present in the left side of the screen
• Slowly scroll down and go to “Permission” section then choose “Settings” option next to “Notifications”
• In the newly opened window, select all the suspicious URLs. Click on the drop-down menu and select “Block”

Internet Explorer

• In the Internet Explorer window, select the Gear button present on the right corner
• Choose “Internet Options”
• Select “Privacy” tab and then “Settings” under the “Pop-up Blocker” section
• Select all the suspicious URLs one by one and click on the “Remove” option

Microsoft Edge

• Open the Microsoft Edge and click on the three dots on the right corner of the screen to open the menu
• Scroll down and select “Settings”
• Scroll down further to choose “view advanced settings”
• In the “Website Permission” option, click on “Manage” option
• Click on switch under every suspicious URL

Safari (Mac):

• On the upper right side corner, click on “Safari” and then select “Preferences”
• Go to “website” tab and then choose “Notification” section on the left pane
• Search for the suspicious URLs and choose “Deny” option for each one of them

Manual Steps to Remove GetGameSearch:

Remove the related items of GetGameSearch using Control-Panel

Windows 7 Users

Click “Start” (the windows logo at the bottom left corner of the desktop screen), select “Control Panel”. Locate the “Programs” and then followed by clicking on “Uninstall Program”

Windows XP Users

Click “Start” and then choose “Settings” and then click “Control Panel”. Search and click on “Add or Remove Program’ option

Windows 10 and 8 Users:

Go to the lower left corner of the screen and right-click. In the “Quick Access” menu, choose “Control Panel”. In the newly opened window, choose “Program and Features”

Mac OSX Users

Click on “Finder” option. Choose “Application” in the newly opened screen. In the “Application” folder, drag the app to “Trash”. Right click on the Trash icon and then click on “Empty Trash”.

In the uninstall programs window, search for the PUAs. Choose all the unwanted and suspicious entries and click on “Uninstall” or “Remove”.

After you uninstall all the potentially unwanted program causing GetGameSearch issues, scan your computer with an anti-malware tool for any remaining PUPs and PUAs or possible malware infection. To scan the PC, use the recommended the anti-malware tool.

How to Remove Adware (GetGameSearch) from Internet Browsers

Delete malicious add-ons and extensions from IE

Click on the gear icon at the top right corner of Internet Explorer. Select “Manage Add-ons”. Search for any recently installed plug-ins or add-ons and click on “Remove”.

Additional Option

If you still face issues related to GetGameSearch removal, you can reset the Internet Explorer to its default setting.

Windows XP users: Press on “Start” and click “Run”. In the newly opened window, type “inetcpl.cpl” and click on the “Advanced” tab and then press on “Reset”.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 Users: Press the Windows logo, type inetcpl.cpl in the start search box and press enter.  In the newly opened window, click on the “Advanced Tab” followed by “Reset” button.

For Windows 8 Users: Open IE and click on the “gear” icon. Choose “Internet Options”

Select the “Advanced” tab in the newly opened window

Press on “Reset” option

You have to press on the “Reset” button again to confirm that you really want to reset the IE

Remove Doubtful and Harmful Extension from Google Chrome

Go to menu of Google Chrome by pressing on three vertical dots and select on “More tools” and then “Extensions”. You can search for all the recently installed add-ons and remove all of them.

Optional Method

If the problems related to GetGameSearch still persists or you face any issue in removing, then it is advised that your reset the Google Chrome browse settings. Go to three dotted points at the top right corner and choose “Settings”. Scroll down bottom and click on “Advanced”.

At the bottom, notice the “Reset” option and click on it.

In the next opened window, confirm that you want to reset the Google Chrome settings by click on the “Reset” button.

Remove GetGameSearch plugins (including all other doubtful plug-ins) from Firefox Mozilla

Open the Firefox menu and select “Add-ons”. Click “Extensions”.  Select all the recently installed browser plug-ins.

Optional Method

If you face problems in GetGameSearch removal then you have the option to rese the settings of Mozilla Firefox.

Open the browser (Mozilla Firefox) and click on the “menu” and then click on “Help”.

Choose “Troubleshooting Information”

In the newly opened pop-up window, click “Refresh Firefox” button

The next step is to confirm that really want to reset the Mozilla Firefox settings to its default by clicking on “Refresh Firefox” button.

Remove Malicious Extension from Safari

Open the Safari and go to its “Menu” and select “Preferences”.

Click on the “Extension” and select all the recently installed “Extensions” and then click on “Uninstall”.

Optional Method

Open the “Safari” and go menu. In the drop-down menu, choose “Clear History and Website Data”.

In the newly opened window, select “All History” and then press on “Clear History” option.

Delete GetGameSearch (malicious add-ons) from Microsoft Edge

Open Microsoft Edge and go to three horizontal dot icons at the top right corner of the browser. Select all the recently installed extensions and right click on the mouse to “uninstall”

Optional Method

Open the browser (Microsoft Edge) and select “Settings”

Next steps is to click on “Choose what to clear” button

Click on “show more” and then select everything and then press on “Clear” button.

Conclusion

In most cases, the PUPs and adware gets inside the marked PC through unsafe freeware downloads. It is advised that you should only choose developers website only while downloading any kind of free applications.  Choose custom or advanced installation process so that you can trace the additional PUPs listed for installation along with the main program.