How To Remove WebPDFSearch Hijacker

Complete Guideline To Delete WebPDFSearch

WebPDFSearch is a browser hijacking application which tends to silently infiltrate the Windows computers without users’ approval and then make changes to browser settings. This potentially unwanted program sets webpdfsearch.com as the new search engine, home page and new tab addresses replacing the previous one and grabs complete control over the entire browser. It also installs multiple extensions, plug-ins, toolbars etc. on the browser to prevent victims from restoring the settings back to its original form. These add-ons help the PUP to monitor users’ online activities and collect important data which is then utilized for the advertisement campaign.

Know More About WebPDFSearch:

WebPDFSearch bombards your system screen with thousands of annoying ads and pop-ups all over the day that makes your web sessions very complex. While using webpdfsearch.com as the default search engine, you are rerouted to search.yahoo.com since fraudulent search tools are not able to generate results. But the outcomes you get are still not organic as they often include commercial content and sponsored links right at the top. This perilous hijacker redirects people to affiliates web pages where several third-party products and services are promoted. With each redirection it makes commission for the developers.

Ads by WebPDFSearch look very attractive but can be very risky for the compromised systems’ security as they often contain spiteful links and redirect users to various scam, phishing and even malware-laden sites. Due to visiting on such infectious domains, you may end up with getting more notorious parasites in the machine. So, avoid interacting with these adverts no matter how eye-catching or useful they look. As stated before, this hazardous PUP can monitor your web activities and thus, it can also steal your personal and confidential information relating to credit card and banking details and expose them to hackers for bad intentions.

WebPDFSearch makes vicious entries in boot section and changes its default settings in order to get automatically activated with each Windows startup. It might lead to many other notorious issues onto the infected PCs such as application malfunctioning, frequent system crash, hard drive failure, boot errors and so on. This perilous hijacker can be also responsible for the intrusion of many other online parasites in your work-station since it is able to deactivate all the running security measures and open backdoors for them. And hence, a quick WebPDFSearch removal is what users require to perform as soon as they detect its presence.

Threat Specification

Name: WebPDFSearch

Type: Browser hijacker, Redirect virus, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Alterations 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 WebPDFSearch:

According to cyber security experts, browser hijackers and other types of PUPs can be downloaded via their original download sites. However, most of the times they get installed into the targeted PCs due to users’ lack of attentiveness. They give consent to such infections to get into their PCs accidentally. People often tend to download software from unreliable sites like soft32.com, softonic.com, download.com etc. and then install it using the “Quick” or “Recommended” settings. This activity often leads to the intrusion of unwanted threats in their systems. Such illusive marketing technique is known as ‘bundling’.

Tips To Avoid PUP Intrusion:

To prevent this, you should always select Advanced/Custom configuration settings and de-select the components that give a concerning look or you don’t want to have in your work-station. Moreover, choosing only reliable sources to download software will help to stay away from unwanted programs. But at the moment, you must remove WebPDFSearch from the device as early as possible.

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 WebPDFSearch:

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