How To Remove StreamSearchFinder Hijacker

Proper Guide To Delete StreamSearchFinder

StreamSearchFinder is a browser hijacking application that makes changes to default browser’s settings to promote to promote streamsearchfinder.com- a fake search engine. It has been specially designed by a team of potent cyber hackers with their sole motive to boost traffic for third-party websites and make quick online revenues from novice users. And hence, once this potentially unwanted program successfully gets into the Windows computers, it conducts a series of malicious activities in the background to accomplish its purpose. It starts the execution of unethical practices with first of all assigning streamsearchfinder.com as the new home page, search engine and new tab addresses and grabbing full control over the entire browser.

Depth Analysis of StreamSearchFinder:

Search engine promoted by StreamSearchFinder redirects people to search.yahoo.com. This is because deceptive search tools are not able to generate results so they often redirect people to genuine ones like Google, Yahoo and Bing. However, the outcomes are still not as expected as they often include sponsored links right at the top. This nasty hijacker floods your system screen with thousands of annoying ads and pop-ups all over the day that makes your online surfing very complex. It displays eye-catching deals, offers, banners, discounts, coupons etc. and tries to make users click on them in order to earn income via cost-per-click mechanism.

Ads by StreamSearchFinder look very attractive but can be very risky for your PC’s security as they often contain vicious links and redirect people to highly dangerous web pages that are filled with malicious contents. At some domains, visitors are presented with fake security alerts, error messages, update notifications etc. and then tricked into installing rogue software. In order to get automatically activated with each PC reboot, this hazardous threat makes vicious entries in Windows registries and alters its default settings.

StreamSearchFinder may trigger several other pernicious issues onto the infected devices such as hard drive crash, software failure, application malfunctioning, boot errors and so on. It constantly tracks victims’ online actions such as links clicked on, pages viewed, search queries typed and so on. This perilous hijackers collects their personal and confidential information relating to credit card and banking details that could be misused by the scammers for deceptive transactions or purchases. It consumes huge amount of memory resources and slows down the overall PC performance drastically. And hence, an instant StreamSearchFinder removal is highly recommended.

Quick Glance

Name: StreamSearchFinder 

Type: Browser hijacker, Redirect virus, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Modifications to default browser’s settings, Redirects users to third-party sites, promotes sponsored products, services and programs and make online profits for the creators. 

Symptoms: Search engine, home page, new tab settings, constant appearance of intrusive adverts, fake pop-up messages, identity theft. Users are enforced to search the Internet using fake search engines, slowness of infected system’s performance.

Distribution methods: Free software installers (bundling), 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.

Ways To Spread StreamSearchFinder:

At most of the occasions, these potentially unwanted applications are spread via “bundling” tactic. These are included in a software package along with regular apps and when users download a freeware from third-party sites and then install it using the pre-set configuration settings, they often end up with installing such PUPs in their systems.

The ‘Quick’ or ‘Easy’ modes don’t reveal the components that are added to the package. And therefore, you should always select the Advanced or Custom installation options where you can opt-out all the components that look suspicious and pick only the one you require. In case your device is already infected with this hijacker, you must remove StreamSearchFinder from the computer 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 StreamSearchFinder:

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