Remove SmartSportSearch: Avoid Unwanted Redirects

SmartSportSearch: Complete Uninstall Process

SmartSportSearch is a potentially unwanted program, categorized as a browser hijacker that is usually installed as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or other browsers. At most of the times, users find the browser hijackers out of nowhere as it uses unfair distribution techniques, mainly software bundling. Once installed, the PUP alters the homepage and new tab addresses to smartsportsearch.com, appends a customized search engine, and redirects all search results to Yahoo and nearbyme.io that are filled with ads and affiliated links. In the background, the hijacker records victims’ information and later shares it with third-parties, which later feed users with personalized ads.

SmartSportSearch: Depth View

SmartSportSearch mainly targets Windows OS based computer systems and can appear on all compatible internet browsers. These browser hijacking apps claim to improve users’ web browsing experience by providing enhanced search results and other useful features. However, these claims are just a trick to make people believe that it’s actually a beneficial tool. While having this perilous hijacker on your work-station, whenever you open a new tab/window or type something into the URL bar, you are redirected to smartsportsearch.com. As stated before, these fake search tools are not able to produce results, so they reroute to Yahoo or other legitimate engines.

SmartSportSearch bombards your system screen with an excessive amount of annoying advertisements all the time which interrupts your web sessions badly. These ads come in multiple formats e.g., coupons, banners, pop-ups, deals, discounts etc. They are specially designed to make pay-per-click income. So, the more users click on these adverts, the more money fall straight into the developers’ pocket. Clicking on these ads is not recommended though as it redirects to potentially insecure websites that contain malware, tech support scam, push notification viruses and other hazardous material.

It is also important to note that SmartSportSearch collects information (search terms, ISP, IP address, visited websites, clicked links, etc.) about victims as long as they have it installed on the browsers. For this purpose, the creators use cookies, web beacons and other tracking technologies. These details might later be shared with third-parties that would use them for marketing purposes. Moreover, it can also gather your private data like banking and credit card details that could be misused by the scammers for making fraudulent transactions, unauthorized purchases and so on. Thus, a quick SmartSportSearch removal is highly recommended.

Ways To Propagate SmartSportSearch:

Software bundling is the technique that is mostly utilized by PUP creators to spread their malicious programs, as users are tricked into installing apps they otherwise would not. This usually takes place when people download a freeware from popular site like softonic.com, soft32.com, cnet.com, download.com etc. and then perform rushed installation process (ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, choosing Quick or Recommended mode set, etc.).

Therefore, before you install new software to your computer or append an extension to your web browser, you should check the reviews online, as these often provide a good indication of whether the app is truly helpful. Moreover, you should be very cautious when installing free programs from third-party websites, as it is well known that almost all of them bundle software. Never rush the installation, read the instructions vigilantly, refuse all the offers, and always opt for the Advanced/Custom settings if prompted. But at the moment, you must remove SmartSportSearch from the computer 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 SmartSportSearch:

Remove the related items of SmartSportSearch 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 SmartSportSearch 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 (SmartSportSearch) 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 SmartSportSearch 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 SmartSportSearch 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 SmartSportSearch 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 SmartSportSearch 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 SmartSportSearch (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.