How to remove Search Monster browser hijacker

Complete tips to delete Search Monster

Search Monster is a rogue piece of software, categorised as a browser hijacker. The app is designed to promote an address of a fake search engine – search.wemakemonsters.it. It operates by modifying the installed web browsers’ settings such as homepage, new tab pages and search engine options. Additionally, it bears the data tracking potential, which is used to spy on the users’ day to day web browsing activities. The browser hijacker is considered as a potentially unwanted application because it often infiltrates system by stealth without users’ consent.

 Search Monster can infect any popular web browsers, including Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. However, usually, it targets the browsers with large user’s base. After the successful installation, it scans for the browsers installed, modifies their settings and replaces the homepage, new tab pages and search engine option with URL address – search.wemakemonsters.com. These changes are insignificant in normal cases and relatively easy to undo. However, due to the infection, access to the browsers’ settings is blocked by the cyber-intruder and also all possible changes are automatically reset.

In other word, the Search Monster makes it necessary for the users to surf the session with the illegitimate web searcher. Typically, fake web searchers are not capable of displaying their own search results. They simply tend to redirect to some legit web searching tool to display search results. Search.wetakemonsters.com in this case is not an exception. It displays results generated by search.yahoo.com- legit Yahoo web search engine that does not require any additional tools for its full operations and function. So, the promoted URL by Search Monster is completely useless.

The main problem with keep surfing using the fake search engine is that this way the developers behind it can insert various sponsored ads and links with the result pages. Also, they can spy on the day to day browsing session. The data tracking capability allows the PUA’s developers to display ads with customized content. The ads with the content related to what the users are searching for make them once to click on such ads that are often designed to trick into downloading rogue apps, pay for fake services and disclose personal and sensitive information. You should take an immediate action and remove Search Monster virus before any additional malware infiltrates and have any privacy issues.

How did Search Monster infiltrate my computer?

PUAs are often distributed via the download/ installation setups of regular software. What the developers do is hide the unwanted apps with regular products in the download/ installation setups as additional offers. These additional offers can be declined under the Custom/Advanced and similar setups. However, all users do that. They simply rush the download and skip major installation steps, leading to the inadvertent installation of unwanted applications.

How to prevent PUAs intrusion?

It is recommended you research software well before their download/ install and/or purchase. Additionally, use only official and verified sources for any software download. Avoid p2p networks, free file  hosting sites and third party downloaders/ installers that are often used to offer dubious and/or bundled content. During downloading/ installing, use Custom/Advanced option and manually opt out all additionally attached apps and decline all offers. Intrusive ads appear ordinary and harmless. However, they often redirect to various questionable and unreliable pages. In case, you encounter any such ads/ redirects, immediately check the systems for unwanted apps for their removal. Since Search Monster – a potentially unwanted application already infiltrates in, follow the below instruction and remove it right away.

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 Search Monster:

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