How to remove PDFConverterSearchBee browser hijacker

Complete guide to delete PDFConverterSearchBee

PDFConverterSearchBee is a browser hijacker application that is designed to promote an address of a fake search engine by modifying web browsers’ settings. Additionally, such apps can track users’ browsing based information as well. Since people often download these applications unknowingly and unintentionally, they are also called potentially unwanted applications.

More about PDFConverterSearchBee

As a rule, browser hijackers promote addresses of fake search engines simply by altering web browsers’ settings and assigning them to the browsers’ homepage, new tab page and default search engine. PDFConverterSearchBee is designed to promote PDFConverterSearchBee.com.  While such changes seem minor and insignificant, they are not. Usually, the users whose systems have such hijacker viruses see the browser redirect to the promoted URL addresses all the time when they open their browsing tab and enter any queries on the URL bar. Illegitimate web searchers are not capable of displaying their own search results and therefore they tend to redirect to (or cause redirection chains that end up to) Yahoo, Bing or Google. The promoted URLs by PDFConverterSearchBee simply redirects to the Yahoo (Search.yahoo.com) search engine.

Browser hijackers can undo any changes made to the browsers’ settings and/or restrict/deny access to such settings outright. Therefore, restoring to the previous browser settings option is possible only after removal of the software that is affecting it. As said, hijacker viruses can have data tracking capability. They can monitor web browsing session and collect the data like IP addresses, Search queries, Viewed pages, URLs visited, ISP, Geo-locations, Type of OS and browser used and etc. To sum up, the presence of the unwanted app can create system infections, privacy issue, identity theft and much more. To prevent any such things from happening in future, immediately remove PDFConverterSearchBee from the browser and the system. For this, check our below mentioned step-by-step guide or use some reputable antivirus tool that can find all suspicious applications and browser extensions/ plug-ins and perform their removal with just one mouse click.

Threat Summary

Name: PDFConverterSearchBee

Category: Browser hijacker/browser-hijacking app

Sub-category: PUP

The Main Goal: Gain revenue from victims who decide to use the PUP and its provided features

Symptoms: Default search engine is set to PDFConverterSearchBee. Users face dubious redirects, various browser settings including the homepage are modified

Spreading techniques: Software bundles, rogue websites

Removal: Use reputable antivirus tool or follow manual removal instruction provided below the post to remove PDFConverterSearchBee from the device

Ways through PUAs enter systems

Some PUAs have their official websites from where people can download them by thinking that these will enhance their browsing experience. These apps are distributed through the download/ installation setups of regular software. This fake marketing method of packing regular software with unwanted and malicious ones is termed as software bundling. By rushing the download and skipping most of the installation sections, users increase the risk of inadvertent installation of unwanted applications. Once being clicked, intrusive ads can cause PUAs download by running certain scripts.

 Precautionary measures to prevent PUAs infiltration

It is strongly recommended you to use only official websites and direct links for any software download. P2p networks, free file hosting sites and third party downloaders/ installers often spread dubious/ bundled content. Also, it is advised to read terms, study possible option, use Custom/Advanced settings and opt out from additional apps, tools and features and so on. Intrusive ads often appear legit and ordinary. However, they redirect to various unreliable and questionable pages such as gambling, adult dating and pornography and similar. If you encounter any such ads/ redirects, inspect the system for suspicious applications and browser extensions/ plug-ins for their removal.

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 PDFConverterSearchBee:

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