How to remove MyIncognitoSearch browser hijacker

Complete tips to delete MyIncognitoSearch redirect virus

MyIncognitoSearch is a browser hijacker application that is designed to promote MyIncognitoSearch.com fake search engine. It operates by modifying browsers’ settings – to cause redirects to this illegitimate web search engine. Additionally, the app spies on users’ browsing sessions. Because of dubious techniques used for the distribution, it is deemed to be a potentially unwanted application.

Browser hijackers primarily target popular browsers with large user bases. After the successful installation, they assign fraudulent web search addresses as browsers’ homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs.

MyIncognitoSearch modifies the browsers in this manner as well. These changes have significant impact on the web browsing experience. To elaborate this, with the hijacker virus installed, each opened tab and entered search query on the URL bar – redirect to MyIncognitoSearch.com.

Fake web searchers seldom provide search results and so they tend to redirect to or cause a chain of redirection that ends up to genuine ones. The MyIncognitoSearch.com (the URL promoted in this case) is not an exception.

It has been observed that the website simply redirects to legit Yahoo and sometimes fake searchlee.com. The latter one is a fake search engine that can provide search results, but the results are often inaccurate and may endorse various unreliable/ malicious contents.

Browser hijackers usually restrict/ deny users’ access to the browsers’ settings. Alternatively, they can reset any changes the users try to make to their web browsers. Therefore, restoring the hijacked browser is impossible without removing the software affecting it.

What’s more, MyIncognitoSearch has the dangerous data tracking capability. It can monitor the web browsing activity and collect the data include URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, IP addresses, geo-locations, personally identifiable information and etc.

The collected data could be then shared with and/or s old to third parties/ potent crooks. Thus, the presence of the data tracking app on system can lead to severe system infection, financial loss and even identity theft.

Therefore, it is crucial to remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection. You can check manual PUAs removal instruction provided below or switch to automatic mode and employ some reputable antivirus, perform system scan and let the software to do the rest of the task.

How did MyIncognitoSearch enter my system?

Some PUAs, including MyIncognitoSearch, have official promotional/ download pages. Intrusive ads are used to proliferate in these apps as well. Once clicked on, these ads can execute certain malicious scripts to download/ install these apps without users’ consent.

PUAs can also be spread via downloaders/ installers of other programs. This false marketing method of packing one app with regular product is termed as software bundling. Rushed the download/ installation increase the risk of inadvertent installation of unwanted apps.

How to prevent PUAs installation?

It is advised to research software well before their download/ install and/or purchase. Only official and verified download channels should be used. Untrustworthy sources such as unofficial and free file hosting sites, p2p networks and other third party downlodaers- often offer dubious and/or bundled content.

When downloading/ installing, it is recommended to read all terms, study possible option, use Custom/Advanced settings and opt out all additionally attached apps and decline all offers. Intrusive ads can appear legit and harmless. However, they always open various questionable sites.

If you encounter any such ads/ redirects, the system should be investigated and all suspicious apps and browser extensions/ plug-ins should be removed from the system. If the system is already infected with MyIncognitoSearch, we recommend you running a full system scan using some reputable antivirus tool to automatically remove it from the system.

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 MyIncognitoSearch:

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