How To Remove IncognitoSearchBox Hijacker

IncognitoSearchBox: Easy Delete Steps

IncognitoSearchBox is a potentially unwanted program that has been categorized as a browser hijacker. Once this notorious threat successfully infiltrates the computer, it makes changes to default browser’s settings to promote incognitosearchbox.com- a fake search engine. It aims to promote affiliate websites and make quick online revenues for the creators. Similar to Any Search Pro and other hijacker programs, it also records its victims’ web activities and gathers data which is then utilized for the advertising campaign. And thus, it constantly displays intrusive advertisements all over the day that makes your web sessions very complex.

IncognitoSearchBox Ads Redirect To Suspicious Pages:

IncognitoSearchBox ads often come with redirecting abilities and take people to sponsored sites when clicked that could be even malicious ones like scam/deceptive, gambling, porn, malware-laden and so on. Visiting on such perilous domains may cause your PC get infected with other online threats. As stated before, this nasty hijacker can track your browsing activities such as pages you visit, links you click, search queries you enter, IP addresses, geolocations and so on. It can even steal your personal data like credit card and banking information which can be misused by the scammers for deceptive transactions or purchases.

IncognitoSearchBox sets incognitosearchbox.com as the new home page, new tab page and default search engine without even seeking for any approval. This fake search tool is not even able to produce results by itself and hence, it redirects to search.yahoo.com or searchlee.com. However, the results are still not relevant as they usually contain ads and sponsored links that are placed right at the top. This perilous hijacker keeps performing malevolent acts in the background all the time which consume enormous amount of memory resources and drag down the overall PC performance severely. IncognitoSearchBox causes the system to respond in a very slow manner and take more than usual time to complete any task.

In order to get automatically activated with each device startup and to remain persistent, this nasty PUP makes vicious entries in Windows registries and alters its default settings. It ruins vital system files that are essential for smooth computer functioning and prevents many running as well as drivers from working in a proper manner. And hence, an instant IncognitoSearchBox removal is strongly recommended.

Ways To Spread IncognitoSearchBox:

This potentially unwanted program spreads using questionable and illusive methods. One of such techniques is known as “bundling.” Beware that you can end up with unwanted PC modifications and similar issues after installing freeware and shareware without monitoring its installation process. To stay safe and avoid penetrations of unwanted threats; you should start checking what apps you use. Avoid questionable, illegal and suspicious programs as they may cause serious dilemmas inside the machine.

If you decide to install free software from the Internet, always select Custom or Advanced installation method. After that, follow every installation step of the freeware and opt out of such PUPs like this one. You need to uncheck all checkboxes that offer you to alter your start page and default search engine because this may easily allow the installation of PUPs. In case your device is already infected with this hijacker, you must remove IncognitoSearchBox from the machine as early 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 IncognitoSearchBox:

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