Remove SportSearchNow Hijacker From PC

SportSearchNow: Complete Delete Process

SportSearchNow is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that gets installed on your computer when you download and install a freeware from third-party site. Soon after its penetration, you can see your homepage, new tab, and default search engine changed to sportsearchnow.com. It’s a browser hijacker that forces its victims to surf via a customized search tool. In most cases, all the search queries are rerouted to Yahoo or nearbyme.io (based on the location). Unsurprisingly, the search results are filled with ads and affiliated links that are all placed at the top, making users more likely to click them.

SportSearchNow Displays Intrusive Ads:

Just like any other browser hijacker, SportSearchNow is also claimed that it provides enhanced search results. Nonetheless, the sole motive of its creators is to manipulate users’ online experience in way that would benefit only them. Instead of helping to allegedly get enhanced search results, it exposes victims to an excessive amount of ads at the top of the results and also replaces the provider altogether. The layer of these adverts is not shown by the engine itself (Yahoo, for instance) but rather the hijacker.

If you want to use Yahoo or another provider, you can merely assign it as your homepage without SportSearchNow or any other additional programs or extensions. It is improbable you want to take apart from your regular search engine, likely, Google, however, in the first place. To appear relevant, the hijacker provide various ‘features’ that may seem useful, e.g., Calculator, Currency converter, PDF converter, etc. Besides, it would also display your local time at the top corner of the screen. All these features are already embedded in your current browser or can be reached with just a few clicks. Hence, even these functions are quite worthless.

In the meantime, all the time you have SportSearchNow hijacker installed, you will have to deal with modified settings and search tool, increased number of advertisements, as well as background data tracking. PUPs are designed to track and collect victims’ browsing-related information such as sites visited, links clicked, IP addresses, geolocations, entered search queries, and even personal data like credit card number, saved passwords, etc. These details are then monetized by selling it to third-parties and could be employed for customizing ads, making deceptive transactions, online purchases, and so forth. Thus, an instant SportSearchNow removal is highly recommended.

Penetration Of SportSearchNow:

The most common method used to spread potentially unwanted programs is software bundling. The term “bundling” refers to pre-packing regular apps with unwanted or malicious additions. When users download a freeware from third-party portal like cnet.com, softonic.com, download.com, soft32.com, etc. and then perform rushed installation process (e.g., ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, choosing Quick or Recommended mode set, etc.), they allow all the bundled components to get installed alongside.

To prevent yourself from downloading PUPs like this one, avoid unofficial distributors and peer-to-peer file sharing platforms. They are filled with hidden downloads. You should be more careful while downloading freeware and go through all the steps during the installation. Choose the “Custom” or “Advanced” method and inspect the files included. Untick the boxes next to those that look questionable, and unrelated or are not required and pick only the one you wanted at the first. If your computer is already infected with this hijacker, you must remove SportSearchNow from the device 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 SportSearchNow:

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