How to remove UpdateSearch adware

Easy methods to delete UpdateSearch browser hijacker

Cyber security researchers have discovered UpdateSearch malware and explained that it is very notorious malware and computer infection that is belongs to browser hijacker family. It is not safe program for your online privacy & System security so it is required to remove this type of infection from machine as soon as possible. For more details, you can read this article carefully. Let’s starts the discussion.

What is UpdateSearch? Is “update-search.com” a genuine search engine?

“update-search.com” is bogus search engine promoted by UpdateSearch application that is categorized as potentially unwanted application (PUA). UpdateSearch promotes this fake search engine by modifying certain browser’s settings. The main purpose of cybercriminals behind this attack is to collect information related your browsing activities and infects your machine deeply as well. In simple word, we can say that you can’t work on your System comfortably as usual like before due to its dubious behaviors. If your System has detected this malware, then you should try to remove UpdateSearch from computer immediately.

UpdateSearch modifies the default homepage, new tab URLs and search engine of your browser with “update-search.com” domain. This unwanted search engine claims that it is safe & fast search engine as compare to some popular search engine like Google, Yahoo and Bing. But it is not true. You should never trust on them at any cases. Cybercriminals behind this attack attempts to engage you on scam or third parties’ websites and tricks you into downloading/installing potentially unwanted applications in your computer. However, these unwanted applications can damage your PCs deeply so you should avoid installing any applications suggested by unknown websites.

Threat Summary

Threat Name: UpdateSearch

Threat Type: Adware, PUP, PUA

Browser infected: Google Chrome, IE, Mozilla Firefox, Edge, etc

System infected: Windows OS based machine

Description: This dubious malware injects harmful codes in your main browser as well as in your System’s settings that causes serious troubles. It adds malicious extensions or add-ons to your browser that allows the hackers to traces your online activities and steals your sensitive information as well.

Distribution methods: Free software packages (method of bundling), fake Flash Player installers or other fake software updates, malicious ads or popup messages, suspicious hyperlinks and many other tricks.

Motives of crooks: The main purpose of cybercriminals malware attack is to steal your crucial & confidential information and shares it to other hackers or third parties to generate some income. They also want to steal your money from your wallet or e-wallet.

Removal Solution: In case if your System has infected from UpdateSearch related malware, then you can scan your computer with powerful antivirus software.

What UpdateSearch does?

According to cyber security researchers, UpdateSearch or “update-search.com” browser hijacker is creation of malware programmers who wants to earn some illegal online profit and cheat with innocent users. They never do any mercy with you. It shows bogus security alert messages and notifications on your computer, and asks you to download/install third parties’ security software in your computer to improve your System performance. You should never believe on them. Its main motive is to steal your some information such as IP address, URLs search, typed words, user name & password of your various accounts, age, address, banking information and more details. They can share these collected details to other hackers or third parties to generate some income from them.

How your System gets infected from UpdateSearch browser hijacker?

The browser hijacker or potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) is generally get enters into your machine accidently from malicious ads or popup messages which are displayed on your browser by hacked websites. Malware programmers use the name & LOGO of some trustworthy companies like Amazon, Walmart, Microsoft and other popular companies in its malicious advertisements campaigns. In order to click on such scam/commercial/offer/alert advertisements or popup, you will be redirected on shady/porn/hacked/third parties’ websites that will show always misleading contents on your browser.

Precautionary measures:

• You should keep your Operating System up-to-date
• Remove all the faculty software running in your machine and update rest of genuine software
• You should scan your computer with powerful antivirus software in regular time intervals
• You should be careful while surfing online and avoid installing freeware from unknown sources
• Hover your mouse over any hyperlinks before click and check if the hyperlinks are belongs to some trustworthy websites.

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 UpdateSearch:

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