Remove Searchingfast.com from Chrome/Firefox/IE

Can’t Remove Searchingfast.com hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Searchingfast.com Removal instructions!

Your computer is no longer infection-free. It harbors a browser hijacker. The Searchingfast.com website is a clear indication of the infiltration. The cyber threat managed to invade your PC undetected. Since, it stuck by unnoticed, consider the site its neon sign. The page’s popping up signals of the danger, you’re in. It’s the hijacker’s announcement. Its grand reveal. You’d do best to heed it. To ignore it would be a colossal mistake. One, you’ll cone to dread. That’s because, hijackers are notorious in the cyber threat category. And, they’ve earned their notoriety. Once the infection slithers its way in, it starts to wreak havoc. Corruption ensues, and you get flooded with issues on a daily basis. The absolute worst one, you face, concerns your privacy. The prolonged stay of the hijacker threatens your private life. You risk having your personal and financial details, stolen and exposed. That’s right. The program, using Searchingfast.com as a shield to lurk behind, targets your privacy. Are you going to let it succeed with its malicious ploy? Are you okay to hand over your private details into the hands of cyber criminals? Don’t. Don’t take such unnecessary chances, when they are so easily avoided. Delete the hijacker the first chance you get. Locate and remove it ASAP. Once you see Searchingfast.com, accept it as the sign it is. It’s a warning. A clue to urge you into action. So, act.

How did I get infected with?

Hijackers use the old but gold means of deception to invade. They’re masterful in the arts of trickery. Through slyness and finesse, they get you to allow them in. All, while keeping you oblivious. How? Well, the old but gold means of infiltration come in quite handy. The tool has its pick. There’s an entire array of methods to choose from. It can hitch a ride with freeware, or spam email attachments. It can lurk behind corrupted sites, or links. It can even pose as a fake update. Do you spot the common denominator? It’s your carelessness. Like, most cyber threats, hijackers prey on it. They rely on your distraction, naivety, and haste for their success. So, don’t grant them. Do the opposite. Be extra thorough, and vigilant. Always do your due diligence. Don’t skip reading the terms and conditions. Know what you agree to. Don’t choose chance over caution. Even a little extra attention today, can save you an avalanche of issues, tomorrow.

Why is this dangerous?

Searchingfast.com site is a nuisance, you can’t lose. You can’t seem to escape the page. It pops up, no matter what you do. And, that’s because, the hijacker forces it on, at every turn. It does not miss an opportunity to redirect you to Searchingfast.com. Open your browser, see the site. Yes, the hijacker replaces your default search engine and homepage, with Searchingfast.com. Did you ask for that? No. Were you aware of the switch? No. And, that’s a mere part of the ‘joy’ a hijacker brings. It has free rein over your system. Open a new tab, see Searchingfast.com. Type in a search, find the site among the suggested results. It’s everywhere, and it’s not alone. The hijacker also floods you with a waterfall of ads. Pop-up, in-text, banner, every type there is. These intrusions are incessant, and they do have consequences. Your system starts to suffer frequent crashes. Your computer slows down to a crawl. It’s a mess. Don’t further it by furthering the stay of the threat. Cut it as short as possible, and save yourself a ton of issues. You have nothing to gain from the tool. Only headaches and unpleasantness. Avoid all that. Acknowledge Searchingfast.com as the warning it is. Find the hijacker’s hiding spot, and delete it. Your future self will thank you for it.

How to Remove Searchingfast.com virus

The Searchingfast.com infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Searchingfast.com infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

STEP 1: Track down Searchingfast.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Searchingfast.com startup location

STEP 3: Delete Searchingfast.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Searchingfast.com related processes in the computer memory

• Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
• Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.

• Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Searchingfast.com startup location

Reveal Hidden Files

• Open any folder
• Click on “Organize” button
  
• Choose “Folder and Search Options”
• Select the “View” tab
• Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
• Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
• Click “Apply” and “OK” button

Clean Searchingfast.com virus from the windows registry

• Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

• WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

• and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

• Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.

Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection

Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host

If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:

STEP 3 : Clean Searchingfast.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Searchingfast.com by clicking on the little recycle bin
• Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

• Open Mozilla Firefox

• Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
• Disable the unwanted Extension
• Go to Help
• Then Troubleshoot information
• Click on Reset Firefox

• Open Internet Explorer

• On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
• Click on Internet options
• go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
• Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset

• Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by Searchingfast.com

This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.

Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Searchingfast.com, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.

To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.

• Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
• go to Network and Internet
• then Network and Sharing Center
• then Change Adapter Settings
• Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!

You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to

• Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.

• in the target field remove Searchingfast.com argument and then apply the changes.
• Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
• Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove Searchingfast.com Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your whole system or network and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.