How To Remove Protected Search From Computer

Simple Steps To Delete Protected Search From PC

Protected Search is a kind of browser hijacking program which upon getting into your PC, conducts a series of malicious activities in the background and wreaks havoc onto the machine. It pretends to be a real search engine and claims to improve users’ web browsing experience by providing most relevant, fast and authentic search results. It has been even designed in a manner that it looks like a genuine search tool similar to Google, Yahoo and Bing. Nevertheless, despite of all the claims and appearance, it is indeed a hazardous malware infection which only aims to generate Online revenues for the creators and to accomplish its purpose, it contributes several malevolent deeds inside your system.

Initially, Protected Search replaces the default browser’ settings such as home page, search engine and new tab addresses with its own perilous domain and acquires complete control over the entire browser. While using this bogus search tool, you only get inorganic outcomes and get redirected to affiliated sites where tons of products and services are promoted. With each redirection, this perilous hijacker makes commission for the authors. This potentially unwanted application floods your PC screen with thousands of intrusive ads and pop-ups all over the day and turns your Online browsing into nightmare. Ads by Protected Search look very eye-catching but can be very risky for your system’s security as they might include spiteful links and redirect you to phishing, scamming or even malware-laden sites that are filled with malevolent contents.

Ways To Spread Protected Search:

There are various deceptive methods through which such types of PUPs are distributed such as freeware downloads, peer to peer network sharing, malicious ads or hyperlinks, infected removal drives and so on. However, the common way is via software bundling. It is attached with third-party applications as an additional tools and when you download and install program via “Quick” or “Recommended” wizard, there is huge possibility that you might end up with getting such hijacker or adware in the work-station as well along with the main software.

How To Prevent The System From PUP Attack?

In order to prevent your device from getting infected with Protected Search or other similar infections, is is necessary to be very attentive while surfing the web. Download any freeware program from trusty source and always choose “Custom” or “Advanced” mode set to install the app as here you can take full control over the incoming contents. You have to untick the components that give a concerning look and choose only the main software. Additionally, avoid visiting harmful web pages, clicking on malicious ads or links and sharing files through unsecured network. Don’t forget to use a reliable anti-malware program and keep updating it from time to time.

Threat Details

Name- Protected Search

Category- Browser hijacker, PUP

Description- Aims to promote third-party products, services and websites and make quick revenues for the operators.

Symptoms- Changes in default browser and system’s settings, appearance of intrusive ads and pop-ups, redirects to unknown web pages and so on.

Distribution- Malicious File Downloads, Freeware or shareware installers, P2P file sharing, and many more.

Removal- Manual and automatic guidelines as provided under this article

Other Common Symptoms of Protected Search:

Protected Search can monitor your Online actions and steal your personal and confidential data such as user ids, passwords, credit card, debit card, bank account and other financial details and expose them to hackers for evil purposes. It eats up enormous amount of memory resources and drags down the overall computer performance severely. Due to this, machine starts responding slower than ever before and takes more than usual time to complete any task. This perilous hijacker makes vicious entries in boot section and alters its default settings in order to get automatically activated with each Window reboot. It messes with important system files which assure efficient computer functioning and prevents many installed apps as well as drivers from working normally. And hence, to prevent all these threats from being occurred, you must remove Protected Search from the system immediately.

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 Protected Search:

Remove the related items of Protected Search 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 Protected Search 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 (Protected Search) 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 Protected Search 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 Protected Search 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 Protected Search 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 Protected Search 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 Protected Search (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.