How to Remove Protectedsearches.com Hijacker

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

A hijacker has taken residence on your PC. The Protectedsearches.com page is proof if it. Consider it a clear sign that screams ‘Danger!’ That’s what you can expect when stuck with such a tool. They’re malicious, meddling and an utter menace. The program throws you into a whirl of troubles. Once it acts up, brace yourself. You’re in for quite the mess. At first, it’s your browsing that suffers. That’s the initial place, where you notice its touch. All of a sudden, you can’t make a single move, without interference. You get redirected to Protectedsearches.com, all the time. As well as, to other suspicious sites. You get bombarded with pop-up, in-text, and banner ads. Each one, ‘Powered by Protectedsearches.com.’ The website appears everywhere. The hijacker doesn’t miss an opportunity to force it on you. And, that doesn’t go unnoticed for long. Your system starts to suffer frequent crashes. Your computer’s performance slows down to a crawl. It’s quite the mess. Don’t put up with it. Get rid of the intrusive infection. As soon as it announces its existence, act against it. Find its exact lurking place, and delete it. The sooner, the better. Its extended stay brings nothing but problems your way. Its prompt removal ensures your system’s well-being. And, earns you the gratitude of your future self.

How did I get infected with?

Protectedsearches.com pops up, because of you. Yes, you’re the culprit behind the page’s display. It takes over your screen, courtesy of the hijacker behind it. And, said hijacker is on your PC, because of you. It’s there, because you allowed it to be. It may seem a bit perplexing. But it’s rather simple. Let’s explain. Hijackers need permission to enter. No such tool can access your system without your explicit permission. It has to ask if you approve its installment. And, only if you do, can it continue. So, you see, no permission, no admission. T avoid getting rejected, hijackers get pretty creative with their inquiries. Yes, they do seek your consent on their entry. Only, they do it in the most covert ways possible. So covert, that if you’re not attentive enough, you say YES without even realizing it. And, that’;s what they count on. These infections prey on your carelessness. They need you to give into naivety, and rush. To throw caution to the wind. To skip doing die diligence. That allows them to slip by you, unnoticed, while still following the rules to ask for your okay. Don’t make it easier for them! Always take the time to be thorough. Do your due diligence. Know what you say YES to. Read the fine print. Double-check everything. Even a little extra vigilance goes a long way. Freeware, fake updates, spam emails, corrupted links. Regardless the method, the hijacker uses, be thorough! Choose caution over carelessness.

Why is this dangerous?

The tool, behind Protectedsearches.com, doesn’t only mess with your system. Yes, it puts you through a whirlwind of announce and issues. But it’s not only frustration, you face, because of it. The application also threatens your privacy. It has instructions to spy on you. And, it begins doing so as soon as it invades. The tool keeps track of your browsing habits. It monitors every single move you make. And, records it. That’s right. It records your activities. After it deems it has gathered enough data, it sends it. It exposes the stolen information to the people behind it. Let that sink in. Cyber criminals get access to your sensitive details. Your personal and financial information falls into the hands of strangers with agendas. Whichever way you look at it, that won’t end well. So, don’t allow it to occur! Keep the scenario from unfolding. Protect your PC, and yourself. Locate the hijacker’s exact hiding place. And, delete it on discovery.

How to Remove Protectedsearches.com virus

The Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Protectedsearches.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.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 Protectedsearches.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.