How To Remove AnyGameSearch Hijacker

Complete Guideline To Delete AnyGameSearch

AnyGameSearch is a browser hijacker that silently infiltrates the Windows computers without users’ approval and then alters the default browser’s settings to promote anygamesearch.com- a fraudulent search engine. The potentially unwanted program sets this notorious domain as the new homepage, search engine and new tab addresses replacing the previous one and grabs complete control over the entire browser. After that, it starts disrupting your online sessions with intrusive adverts and frequent redirects. The sole motive of the hackers behind creating this nasty PUP is to generate online income by promoting their partners’ websites, services and products.

Know More About AnyGameSearch:

AnyGameSearch inserts various tracking cookies on the affected browser which constantly monitors your online activities such as pages viewed, links opened, search queries etc. It gathers vital information regarding their preferences which is then employed for the advertisement campaign. And hence, during the presence of this hazardous threat in your work-station, you are regularly presented with attractive offers, deals, banners, discounts, pop-ups, coupons etc. which interrupts your web sessions badly. These ads include sponsored links and redirect you to affiliate sites when clicked that are trying to increase their popularity and gain more visits.

AnyGameSearch makes commission for the developers according to the clicks it gets on its adverts and with each redirection. However, it’s not necessary that all these sites are harmless and safe to visit. This perilous hijacker might also take you to potentially dangerous web pages that are filled with malevolent contents. Visiting on such unsafe domains may result in the intrusion of other unwanted programs or even more dangerous viruses like trojan or ransomware. So, it would be better to avoid interacting with these adverts no matter how attractive or useful they look.

AnyGameSearch can be a big hazard for your privacy too as it can also steal your personal data relating to banking and other financial details and expose them to cyber criminals for evil purposes. This notorious PUP downgrades the overall system performance severely as it consumes huge amount of memory resources and increases the usage of CPU. Due to its presence, you may have to deal with many other spiteful issues like boot errors, application malfunctioning, hard drive crash, software failure and so on. And hence, an instant AnyGameSearch removal is what you need to perform at the moment.

Threat Summary

Name: AnyGameSearch

Type: Browser hijacker, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Redirects users to third-party sites, promotes sponsored products, services and programs and make online revenues for the creators, Also steals users’ personal and confidential information and share them with hackers for evil purposes.

Symptoms: Changes in default browser’s settings, default Internet search engine, Endless annoying ads, identity theft. Users are enforced to visit hijacker’s website and search the Internet using their search engines, slowness of infected system’s performance.

Distribution methods: Free software installers (bundling), Deceptive emails, malicious pop-ups ads, fake flash player installers.

Damage: Web browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), exhibition of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites.

Removal: To get rid of this infection and other malware threats, our security researchers recommend scanning your device with an effective anti-malware tool.

Ways To Spread AnyGameSearch:

The most popular technique through which these PUPs are spread is software bundling. In this method, several free programs are added together in a single package that looks like one application. As soon as users download these freeware from third-party sites and then install it using the ‘Quick’, ‘Recommended’ or ‘Default’ mode sets, they often end up installing such unwanted programs in their systems. Moreover, clicking on vicious ads or hyperlinks also leads to the installations of adware or browser hijackers.

How To Avoid Such Attacks?

To prevent this, it is necessary to be very careful while surfing the web and stay away from unreliable sites that promote freeware. Download any software or product from reliable sources or direct links only and always select ‘Custom’ or ‘Advanced’ options to install the program. Here you can de-select the components that look suspicious and pick only the main software. In case your device is already infected with this hijacker, you must remove AnyGameSearch from the work-station as soon as possible.

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 AnyGameSearch:

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