How To Remove PDFSearchz Browser Hijacker

Complete Guideline To Delete PDFSearchz

PDFSearchz is a kind of browser hijacking application that promotes a fake search engine- pdf-searchz.com by making certain changes in default browser’s settings. Soon after successfully penetrating into your device, it replaces the default browser’s settings such as homepage, search engine and new tab URLs with pdf-searchz.com and acquires complete control over the entire browser. After that, it starts disrupting your web sessions with intrusive adverts and frequent redirects. It aims to generate online revenues for the creators and to accomplish its purpose, its conducts a series of malicious activities in the background.

More About PDFSearchz:

PDFSearchz pretends to be a useful tool and claims to enhance users’ online experience by providing most relevant, fast and authentic search results. This fraudulent search engine is not capable of providing results so it redirects users to search.yahoo.com. It generates results powered by Yahoo. However, the results are still not organic as they include sponsored links at the top. Due to the presence of this unwanted program in your computer, you are flooded with thousands of intrusive ads and pop-ups all over the day that makes your web sessions very complex and problematic.

PDFSearchz displays attractive deals, offers, discounts, banners, coupons etc. and tries to make users click on them in order to earn revenues via cost-per-click mechanism. Similar to other PUPs, it is also capable of tracking users’ online activities like search queries typed, pages viewed, links clicked and so on. This nasty hijacker collects important information regarding users’ online preferences which is then utilized for the advertisement campaign. Nonetheless, it can also steal personal data relating to banking, credit card and other financial details and expose then to hackers for evil purposes.

Presence of PDFSearchz in your work-station for a long time may result several other hazardous issues such as frequent system crash, boot errors, application malfunctioning, hard drive failure, data loss and so on. It eats up huge amount of memory resources and drags down the overall computer performance severely. Due to this, machine starts responding in a very slow manner and takes more than usual time to complete any task. And thus, a quick PDFSearchz removal is highly recommended.

Threat Details

Name: PDFSearchz

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: Changes in default browser’s settings, default Internet search engine, Tons of annoying adverts, Fake pop-up messages, identity theft, new tab settings. 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 PDFSearchz:

Browser hijackers are usually delivered by disguising them as legitimate and handy apps. The creators take care that their app successfully reaches the targets within a software bundle of freeware or share. This might occur when users select the Recommended installation option instead of the Custom or Advanced one. Moreover, clicking on malicious ads or hyperlinks, downloading programs from unverified sources like Peer-to-peer networks or third-party installers also result in PUP intrusion.

How Does This Threat Enter Your PC?

According to the experts, you should choose the Advanced configuration instead of any other modes as this particular option allows you to take full control of your incoming downloads and refuse those programs that you do not want to see or have on your PC system. While another type of configuration allows additional content to enter machines very easily. Moreover, stay away from content that you receive on suspicious sites. In case your device is already infected with this hijacker, you must remove PDFSearchz from the machine without wasting any time.

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 PDFSearchz:

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