How To Remove PDFSearchHQ Hijacker

Simple Steps To Delete PDFSearchHQ

PDFSearchHQ is a notorious browser hijacker which modifies browser’s settings in order to promote a deceptive search engine named pdfsearchhq.com. This website is regarded as fake search tool because it doesn’t provide any search results. It just forwards all searches queries to search.yahoo.com. As soon as this perilous hijacker successfully infiltrates the Windows computers, it alters the default search engine, home page preference, new tab option. And hence, each time victims open a new window or type a search query, all traffic is first sent through their affiliated web domains before landing on a genuine search provider like search.yahoo.com, google.com and so on.

Depth Analysis of PDFSearchHQ:

PDFSearchHQ is considered as a potentially unwanted program or PUP, due to the stealthy distribution and installation methods it uses. Typically, these apps end up on PCs without the approval of their owners through freeware bundles or malicious ads. When PC users have this hijacker installed on their systems, they only get manipulated search results mixed with commercial contents and sponsored links right at the top. These types of PUPs are known to track victims’ web activities and gather various browser-related information such as visited sites, links clicked, search queries etc. and personal data as well like geolocation, IP addresses, credit card or banking and so on.

Data collected by PDFSearchHQ might be sold to third-parties who might be cyber criminals and could misuse those stuffs for fraudulent purchases or transactions. And therefore, presence of this nasty threat in your computer may lead to severe privacy issues, identity theft and huge financial loss. And so, it is not safe to have this potentially unwanted program installed on any computer and to use it. There are many other intrusive symptoms regarding this hijacker as well. PDFSearchHQ slows down the overall PC performance drastically as it consumes huge amount of memory resources and increases the usage of CPU.

It can even alter the system registry by making vicious entries in it in order to get automatically activated with each device startup and to remain persistent. This notorious parasite may lead to many other hazardous issues in your work-station such as hard drive crash, software failure, boot errors, application malfunctioning and so on. And hence, an instant PDFSearchHQ removal is highly recommended.

Summarize Information

Name: PDFSearchHQ

Type: Browser hijacker, Redirect virus, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Redirects users to affiliated 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: Home page, search engine, new tab page altered, tons of annoying adverts, Fake pop-up messages, 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.

Infiltration of PDFSearchHQ:

As we have stated before, browser hijackers are generally considered potentially unwanted programs because of their sneaky installation methods. Most often, they use “bundling” technique to sneak into the targeted computers where they are added to a single package along with regular software. All you have to do bypass these unwanted threats is to follow our recommended steps:

• When installing freeware or software bundles, please take the time and opt for Custom or Advanced configuration settings instead of the Quick or Standard one. De-select all ticks from pre-ticked boxes agreeing to install some additional offer, that you didn’t even know will be installed in the first place.
• Avoid non-official software distributors Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, third-party downloaders etc. Buy desired programs from official web stores of the developers to avoid software bundles altogether.
• Acquire a dependable anti-malware program. Frequently update its virus database and perform full system scans at least once a week. A trustworthy anti-virus engine will prevent cyber attacks. Remove PDFSearchHQ or any other malware that you find in your 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 PDFSearchHQ:

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