Remove BraveSearch.net Hijacker (Chrome/Firefox/IE)

Can’t Remove BraveSearch.net hijacker virus? This page includes detailed BraveSearch.net Removal instructions!

BraveSearch.net is not a page, you want to pop up on your screen. If it does, you’re in trouble. Consider the page’s display a bad sign. It indicates that your computer is no longer infection-free. It signals that it now harbors a browser hijacker. You best acknowledge the website as the warning it is. Do NOT ignore it. Hijackers aren’t good company. They invade via trickery. Then, once inside your PC, proceed to wreck it. It doesn’t take long, before you’re drowning in issues. Your grievances tend to begin with your browsing. All of a sudden, you can’t make a move without getting flooded with intrusions. Online interference becomes a part of your daily routine. If you so much as touch your browser, you get bombarded! The hijacker forces an entire waterfall of ads your way. Pop-up, in-text, banner. Every type of ad there is, you see on your screen. And, that’s not all of it. Not by a long shot. The infection also redirects you to third-party pages. And, all are malicious and unreliable. Of course, you see BraveSearch.net most of all. It appears when you open a new tab, search the web. No matter what you do online, you get redirected to BraveSearch.net. That doesn’t go unnoticed. The incessant interference takes its toll on your system. It begins to suffer frequent crashes. Your computer also slows down to a crawl. And, do you know what? These are the minor inconveniences. You face much worse ones as time goes by. So, do yourself a favor, and don’t extend the hijacker’s stay. Cut it as short as possible. The sooner you locate, and remove it, the better.

How did I get infected with?

BraveSearch.net pops up because of you. Well, by extension. Confused? Let’s explain. The website shows up, because the hijacker forces it on you. As for the hijacker itself, it’s on your PC, because you allowed it to be. Here’s the thing. Every hijacker has to ask if you, the user, agree to install it. Only if you do, can the tool proceed with installment. An exchange has to occur. No permission, no admission. To avoid getting rejected, the infection has come up with a plethora of ways to ask you. Ways, which make its covert invasion much easier. For example, they use freeware. Most users aren’t attentive enough during freeware installs. They rush, and don’t even bother reading thee terms and conditions. They agree to everything in blind faith. That’s a colossal mistake. One, which almost always results in getting stuck with infections. Other methods include the following. Hiding behind spam emails, or corrupted sites. Or, even, posing as a fake system or program update. There’s an array of sneaky methods, thew hijacker can turn to. It’s up to you to be vigilant enough to spot it attempting invasion. To look past its deceptions, and deny it access. You are the last line of defense. Caution helps you keep an infection-free PC. The lack thereof does the opposite. Make the right choice. Always take the time to be thorough. Due diligence goes a long way.

Why is this dangerous?

The hijacker does more than cause mere online inconvenience. It jeopardizes your privacy. That’s right. The absolute worst part, of having a hijacker, is the security issue you face because of it. The infection has programming to spy on you. And, it begins its espionage as soon as it invades. After it settles, it proceeds to keep track of your online activities. Every move you make, it knows about. And, what’s worse, ha a record of. That’s right. It doesn’t only observe, but also records your activities. Then, when it deems it has gathered enough data from you, sends it. To whom? Well, to the unknown individuals, behind it. Strangers with questionable intentions. Not the type of people, you’re wiling to trust with your private details. Don’t you agree? Once they get a hold of it, they can use it as they see fit. Are you going to give them such power over you? Or, would you rather, avoid that risk? Keep that scenario from unfolding! Don’t let your personal and financial data get stolen and exposed. Protect yourself, and your system, from the hazardous threat. Heed experts’ advice. Delete it the first chance you get.

How to Remove BraveSearch.net virus

The BraveSearch.net 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 BraveSearch.net 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 BraveSearch.net related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate BraveSearch.net startup location

STEP 3: Delete BraveSearch.net traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down BraveSearch.net 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 BraveSearch.net 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 BraveSearch.net 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 BraveSearch.net traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

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

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 BraveSearch.net, 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 BraveSearch.net 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 BraveSearch.net 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.