How To Remove Search-grab.com Hijacker

Simple Steps To Uninstall Unwanted App

Search-grab.com is a program that functions in a way, which creates browsing disruptions and annoyance and affects web platforms such as Chrome, Firefox, and Explorer. Those, infected with this hijacking app complain about an unstoppable flow of ads, banners, different pop-ups, and automatic page-redirects, which this undesired software piece tends to cause every time they launch their default browser. It also hijacks main browsing app by introducing some new starting page and search engine settings without the users’ consent. These changes are in general difficult to reverse or uninstall and affect the way the compromised browser operates.

Threat Details

Name: Search-grab.com

Category: Browser hijacker

Features: Tends to make changes to default browser’ settings, redirects web searches to unfamiliar sites, shows annoying ads, etc.

Danger level: Medium

Infiltration tactics: Gets into the PC systems via bundled freeware, fake updates, misleading ads, etc.

Symptoms: Changed browser’s settings, display of annoying advertising materials, page-redirects

More Facts About Search-grab.com:

Those, who have Search-grab.com on their computer typically begin experiencing regular automatic page-redirects and disturbances of their usual virtual activity. The affected individuals have to cope with thousands of pop-up ads and promotional links, which insistently prompt them to click. As soon as the click on those ads or links, they are rerouted to sponsored websites with questionable offers and content. As a result of this doing, they won’t be able to browse the internet in peace. If you in a similar state and find it difficult to deal with this hijacker, you would like to remove Search-grab.com from your computer.

Having a hijacker like this on your PC could be a really unkind experience. Such an unwanted app could literally “hijack” your internet platform and make it flood your screen with hundreds of advertisements, promotions, and affiliated links and expose you to suspicious webpages and content. For this reason, these kinds of programs are known among the cyber circles as browser hijackers. The way browser-based threats operate is often very annoying and, therefore, many web users think of such apps as viruses or malware. However, Search-grab.com is far from being a virus but still needs to be eliminated from the system as early as possible.

Infiltration Of Hijacking Applications:

Browser hijacking typically occurs as a consequence of downloading software from deceptive sites, installing freeware apps which contain the hijacker as an additional object, interacting with misleading ads that run vicious scripts, and so on. Users often get intruded by browser-based parasites if they decide to accomplish the installation of downloaded free programs via the Quick or Recommended settings. Therefore, make sure to always pick the Advanced or Custom mode set while installing any new software. Furthermore, beware of the ads shown on third-party websites, and refrain from granting approval to those pages to send your notifications.

Frequent Asked Questions

What is the purpose of Search-grab.com?

This hijacking software piece aims to create pay-per-click and pay-per view income for the developers. For this reason, it tends to display thousands of annoying advertisements on users’ screen while they surf the web and makes them click on those ads.

Is this program a threat to my privacy?

Hijackers like this can track your virtual activities and gather information such as search queries, web history and habits. Therefore, if you’ve done online transactions or used your private data for whatever reason, it can easily be recorded and then shared with other parties who can misuse it for evil purposes.

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 Search-grab.com:

Remove the related items of Search-grab.com 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 Search-grab.com 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 (Search-grab.com) 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 Search-grab.com 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 Search-grab.com 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 Search-grab.com 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 Search-grab.com 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 Search-grab.com (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.