Remove Nav-search.com Hijacker from Chrome/Firefox/IE

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

Nav-search.com falls into the browser hijackers category. It is developed to infiltrate your browser and manipulate its settings. Usually what happens is that the user’s preferred search provider and homepage get changed with Nav-search.com. The effects of this PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application) are intrusive advertisements, altered search results and browser settings, etc. This malicious software is known to be invented by a French developer called Coinup Ltd. The main goal for them is to profit by controlling the browsing habits of the user and tricking them into a pay-per-click scheme.

How did I get infected with?

This infection often happens when the victim installs this hijacker bundled with other free software unknowingly. Which is why the user is often surprised to see it shown on their browser without their consent. It is also known for this malware to be distributed across the internet from using false download managers. When you download software from the internet, you should always review the installation process and make sure to opt-out all additional programs from third-parties. The user is advised to stay clear of installing proposed applications from pop-ups as well. It is highly likely that they are created to give the impression of legitimacy when in truth they can redirect to suspicious and even more dangerous websites.

Why is this dangerous?

The danger from this browser hijacker is not as high as other computer viruses, but the user should not treat it lightly. Immediate actions are strongly advised because this hijacker can lead to suspicious third-party websites that hold other malware infections. Another negative outcome from this Potentially Unwanted Application may be for the virus to collect the victim’s IP addresses, search inquiries, as well as the date and time of those searches, etc. To avoid such infection, the user should always view the terms of agreement during the installation process and not click on the Install button too fast without getting familiar with all the additional software that can be hidden from them.

How to Remove Nav-search.com virus

The Nav-search.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 Nav-search.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 Nav-search.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Nav-search.com startup location

STEP 3: Delete Nav-search.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Nav-search.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 Nav-search.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 Nav-search.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 Nav-search.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Nav-search.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 Nav-search.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 Nav-search.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 Nav-search.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 Nav-search.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.