Anonymous Search Redirect Removal

Can’t Remove Anonymous Search hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Anonymous Search Removal instructions!

Anonymous Search is a malicious browser extension. It brings nothing but trouble your way. There’s a browser hijacker, lurking on your PC. And, that hijacker is responsible for the extension. For its sudden, unrequested, unexpected appearance. One day, you can’t seem to do anything, without it present on screen. It claims to be of use, but it’s not. The hijacker tries to sell it as helpful and reliable, but it’s neither. Anonymous Search claims that it “reduces the search engine’s ability to collect information on your web experience.” And, in today’s age, with Alexa, Google Home, and Facebook, spying on you, that seems great. It does appear to be a useful feature. Who wouldn’t want to know that their browsing will remain private. And, not get used by Google, for example, to “improve targeted ads.” But it’s all smoke and mirrors. Look past the sugary layer of marketing, and that becomes quite apparent. Anonymous Search does nothing of what it promises. The extension delivers nothing. It’s all for show. All, you can expect from it, is an array of grievances. Do yourself a favor, and don’t extend its stay beyond the point of discovery. Once you become aware of its existence, take action. Accept that there is a hijacker, hiding on your PC. Find where, and delete it as soon as you do. It’s the best thing you can do, so do it fast. Time is of the essence.

How did I get infected with?

Hijackers don’t appear out of thin air. Neither did the one, responsible for Anonymous Search. The tool got you to permit its install. All, while keeping you oblivious. Yes, you agree to allow it into your system, and haven’t a clue that you did. It may seem like quite the impossible feat. But it’s rather simple. Let’s explain. Hijackers have to ask you, the user, for permission on their admission. Only if you give it, can they proceed. No approval, no entry. So, they make sure to ask the right way. A way, which will result in your consent and not denial. To avoid rejection, they resort to an array of trickery. The old but gold invasive methods come in rather handy. Freeware, fake updates, spam email, corrupted links. But neither method can prove successful without a key ingredient. One, which only you supply. Carelessness. The infection needs your carelessness, if it’s to slither in undetected. Think about it. If you’re thorough, you can catch the tool in the act, and deny it. But if not, you end up with the nasty Anonymous Search extension. The hijacker needs your distraction and gullibility to sneak in, unnoticed. Don’t provide them. Don’t rush, but take your time. Don’t skip doing due diligence, but be extra vigilant. Even a little extra attention goes a long way. Don’t forget that.

Why is this dangerous?

The more time Anonymous Search spends on your PC, the worse your situation gets. Hijackers throw you into a whirl of troubles and headaches. They wreak utter havoc from the moment, they invade, until you get rid of them. And, the issues, you face, evolve with time. They grow. What begins as a browsing interference, turns into a security risk. Yes, given enough time on your PC, the hijacker jeopardizes your privacy. So, don’t give it that time! Do yourself a favor, and get rid of the nasty threat ASAP. Don’t grant it the opportunity to steal your personal and financial details. Only to, then, expose it. And, to cyber criminals with malicious intentions, no less. To the strangers that published the Anonymous Search extension, to be precise. Not people you should trust with such sensitive data. Don’t let them have it. Delete the malicious hijacker at once. Protect your private information. Not to mention, keep the threat from affecting your system’s well-being. Its prompt removal saves you countless problems. If you ignore the tool’s existence, you face incessant online interference. Your system crashes all the time. Your computer slows down. There’s a plethora of grievances that await down the line, if you don’t take action against the tool. So, take action against the tool NOW! Find and delete it the first chance you get.

How to Remove Anonymous Search virus

The Anonymous Search 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 Anonymous Search 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 Anonymous Search related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Anonymous Search startup location

STEP 3: Delete Anonymous Search traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Anonymous Search 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 Anonymous Search 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 Anonymous Search 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 Anonymous Search traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Anonymous Search 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 Anonymous Search

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 Anonymous Search, 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 Anonymous Search 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 Anonymous Search 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.