How to remove SearchConverterBox browser hijacker

Easy steps to delete SearchConverterBox from system

SearchConverterBox is a potentially unwanted application, categorized as browser hijacker. This type of malware is designed to promote fake search engines. Additionally, such apps have the dangerous data tracking capability as well that they use in tracking and collect users’ browsing based information. Since people install browser hijackers unintentionally, these applications are deemed to be potentially unwanted applications.

More about SearchConverterBox

SearchConverterBox browser hijacker promotes search.converterbox.com. It does this simply by altering browsers’ settings and assigning this URL address to the browsers’ homepage, new tab pages and default search engine. While these changes seem insignificant and relatively easy to undo, the users whose devices got the hijacker virus infection are not able to return to the previous browser settings option. The PUP injects various browser settings objects especially for the task to reassign any changes that the users attempt to make on the settings to restore to the previous the default one. In other word, it ensures that the users visit the promoted URL all the time when they open their browsing tab and enter any queries on the URL bar.

As said very initially, browser hijackers promote illegitimate web searchers that are usually not capable of displaying any unique search results. They tend to display search results generated by Google, Bing or Yahoo web browser. The promoted URL SearchConverterBox.com in this case is not an exception to this. It simply redirects users to search.yahoo.com (Yahoo). The problem with this redirect is that it is easy for the PUA developers to insert various sponsored links or ads to offer dubious content that are usually unsafe.

Furthermore, it is common that PUAs have the dangerous data tracking capability. With this ability, SearchConverterBox can track day to day browsing session and thus manage to collect the data like IP addresses, Search queries, Viewed pages, URLs visited, ISP, Geo-locations and etc. Typically, such data are used in designing customized ads. However, the malicious authors can sold these details to potent crooks for profit. Thus, the presence of the data tracking application can cause the dangerous privacy issues, identity theft, monetary loss and even more severe issues. To prevent all such issues from happening in future, you should immediately remove SearchConverterBox along with all associated components from the browser and the system.

Threat Summary

Name: SearchConverterBox

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 SearchConverterBox. 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 SearchConverterBox from the device

How did SearchConverterBox install on my computer?

Potentially unwanted applications are often distributed by including them into the download/ installation setups of regular software as additional offers. Usually, such offers can be declined in Custom/Advanced and similar option or by un-ticking the checkboxes appear during the installation moment. However, not all users do that. They simply rush the download and skip most of the installation section, in the process, leave all aforementioned settings and checkboxes unchecked and unchanged and lead to the inadvertent installation of unwanted applications. Sometimes users can download/ install PUAs through deceptive ads that are designed to run certain scripts after being clicked.

How to prevent PUAs installation?

Programs should be downloaded from their official websites or use direct links for that. Third party downloaders, installers, p2p networks, questionable websites and so on should never be used. Also, download/ installation setups having Custom/Advanced option or some checkboxes should always be checked during download/ installation moment for unwanted, additionally included applications. Additionally, ads appear on any questionable pages should never be clicked. Such ads often redirect to various unreliable pages or run certain scripts to cause stealth download/ installation. Since your system has already infected a potentially unwanted application, run a full system scan immediately so as to remove SearchConverterBox before any major damages caused.

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 SearchConverterBox:

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