Remove ConverterzSearch Browser Hijacker

Simple Steps To Delete ConverterzSearch

ConverterzSearch is a kind of notorious computer infection that falls under browser hijacker category. Once this precarious hijacker successfully infiltrates your computer, it makes several unwanted changes to browser’s default settings in order to promote a fake search engine – converterz-search.com. Similar to other malware threats of same category, it also spies on people’s browsing activities and collects sensitive data. It often uses deceptive methods to get into the Windows computers and hence, also classified as a potentially unwanted program. It can target all the most used Internet browsers including Chrome, Explorer, Firefox etc. and alter its homepage, new tab window and default search engine to the URLs of fake web searches.

Know More About ConverterzSearch:

The unexpected modifications are made by ConverterzSearch to promote converterz-search.com. And hence, the moment your PC gets infected with this nasty PUP, all the search queries you type into the URL bar and each time you open a new tab window, redirect you to converterz-search.com. This activity significantly diminishes your browsing experience. Moreover, this fake search engine usually cannot generate search results. PUPs often redirect users’ web searches to legitimate search tools. In this case, it redirects to Yahoo (search.yahoo.com). This precarious hijacker can reset any alterations your try to make to your browsers.

As we have stated earlier, ConverterzSearch has spying capabilities. It can track users’ browsing actions such as pages viewed, URLs visited, search queries typed, etc. and collect personal information extracted from it like geolocations, IP addresses, etc.). The gathered data can be highly sensitive and scammers usually sell it to third parties (potentially cyber crooks). Therefore, presence of data tracking PUA on system can lead to severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Data collected by ConverterzSearch is also used for advertising purposes. And hence, you are flooded with numerous intrusive ads all the time which disrupts your web sessions badly. These ads are specially designed in a way that they can grab users’ attention. Each click people make on them, its creators generate revenues via cost-per-click scheme. However, they may include malicious links and redirect you to unsafe sites that host Trojan or Ransomware. All these malevolent actions performed by this hijacker consume enormous amount of CPU resources which causes sluggish and odd PC behaviour. And therefore, you must perform a quick removal of ConverterzSearch from the work-station.

Summarize Information

Name: ConverterzSearch

Type: Browser Hijacker, Potentially unwanted program, Redirect virus

Description: Aims to redirect people to third-party sites, promote sponsored products, services and programs and make online revenues for the developers, Also steal users’ personal and confidential information and share them with hackers for evil purposes.

Symptoms: Modified default browser’s settings, default Internet search engine, Endless annoying ads, Fake pop-up messages, identity theft, new tab settings. Users are enforced to visit hijacker’s website and search the Internet using their search engines, slowness of infected system’s performance.

Distribution methods: Free software installers (bundling), Deceptive emails, malicious pop-ups ads, fake flash player installers.

Damage: Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites.

Removal: To get rid of this infection and other malware threats, our security researchers recommend scanning your computer with a powerful anti-malware tool.

How Does This Hijacker Enter Your System?

Some types of PUPs have “official” promotional sites. However, they are mostly downloaded and installed along with other programs that are commonly free to download. This dubious marketing technique of pre-packing regular software with unwanted or pernicious components is defined “Bundling”. Careless download/installation processes (e.g. ignored terms, skipped steps and sections, etc.) – increase the threat of unintentionally allowing bundled additions into the work-station. These hijackers are also proliferated by malicious ads. Upon being clicked, they can execute scripts to silently download/install PUAs.

Tips To Prevent PUPs Intrusion:

To prevent this, it is necessary to research software before downloading and installing them. Use only official and verified download channels. Untrustworthy download sources, like: Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, unofficial and free file-hosting domains, and other third party downloaders are highly advised against usage. While installing a program, it is vital to read terms, search all available options, use the “Custom” or “Advanced” settings and reject suspicious tools, features, and so on. You often see malevolent ads, however they take people to unreliable and malware-laden sites. And hence, you should avoid clicking on pop-ups ads that show up while browsing. But at the moment, you are strongly recommended to remove ConverterzSearch from the machine quickly.

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 ConverterzSearch:

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