Remove Oxsearches.com from Chrome/Firefox/IE

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

A hijacker has taken residence on your computer. The Oxsearches.com website is proof of that. Its display indicates your system is no longer infection-free. But, in fact, a dangerous cyber threat managed to slither its way in, undetected. And, it’s now calling your PC ‘home.’ You can thank the hijacker for the display of Oxsearches.com. You better get used to seeing the site. The hijacker forces it on you, non-stop. It intercepts your every online move to redirect you to Oxsearches.com. So much so, that the site becomes your online shadow. It appears when you open a new tab, type in a search. It doesn’t matter what you do, the page shows up. You cannot escape its sight. But it gets worse. It’s not only redirects, you suffer. The infection also floods your screen with pop-up ads. Imagine what your browsing becomes. A never-ending display of pop-up, in-text, and banner ads, and Oxsearches.com. In other words, a nightmarish mess. And, it gets worse still. Your computer’s performance slows down, due to the incessant intrusions. Your system starts to suffer frequent crashes, as well. But do you know what? That’s a walk in the park, compared to the biggest threat, the hijacker forces on you. These programs jeopardize your privacy. The program, behind Oxsearches.com, does the same. The question is, will you let it? Or, would you do something to protect yourself, and your system? Go with the latter. Acknowledge the appearance of Oxsearches.com as the warning it is, and act on it. Do your best to locate the hijacker’s hiding place. And, delete it on discovery. The sooner you remove it, the better.

How did I get infected with?

Oxsearches.com shows up, because a hijacker made it so. If it weren’t for the infection, there wouldn’t be Oxsearches.com. With that in mind, do you remember how the hijacker came to be on your PC? Do you recall its installment process? Do you remember giving consent to its admission? Odds are, you don’t. But, that doesn’t change the fact, you did. Yes, you gave the green light of admission to the hijacker. All such programs must ask the user’s approval before accessing the system. No approval, no access. So, to make sure they get it, they turn to trickery. They still seek your consent. But, they do it in the most covert manner possible. Lurk behind corrupted links, freeware, or spam emails. Pose as fake updates. The possibilities of deceit are plentiful. But they all share a certain characteristic. A common necessity, if you will. Each method needs your carelessness to be successful. Think about it. If you’re attentive when installing freeware, you’ll spot the culprit in its attempt. You’ll catch the hijacker trying to sneak in. The odds are, certainly, in your favor!  But, if you’re not, it slips right by you. The infection preys on your distraction, naivety, and haste. So, don’t grant them. Every time, you allow something into your computer, apply vigilance! A tool, an update, anything off the web. Perceive it with caution. Take the time to do your due diligence. Read the terms and conditions. Double-check everything. That extra attention goes a long way. It helps to keep an infection-free PC.

Why is this dangerous?

The worst part, of harboring a hijacker, is the security threat. These infections follow specific instructions. They are to start prying on you as soon as they invade. The tool, behind Oxsearches.com, is bound by the same programming. It begins its espionage as soon as it settles in your system. The hijacker keeps track of your online activities, and catalogs everything. That’s right. The cyber threat has a record of every online move you make. That includes your personal and financial data. Are you willing to trust it with that information? What’s more, the hijacker doesn’t stop there. Once it deems it has gathered enough data from you, it sends it. Yes, it hands it over to the people behind it. The cyber criminals, who published it, to be precise. Do you think that bodes well for you? Don’t fool yourself. To grant access, to your private life to strangers with agendas, is a mistake. A colossal mistake, you’ll regret. Keep your private details away from malicious individuals with questionable intentions. Keep the hijacker from forcing your system’s well-being into disarray. Do yourself a favor, and get rid of it the first chance you get. Take action as soon as the opportunity presents itself. The display, of the Oxsearches.com site, is your clue. Once you spot it, act! Do your best to discover the hijacker’s hiding place. Then, delete it. Remember! It’s a dangerous cyber threat that has no place on your PC.

How to Remove Oxsearches.com virus

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

STEP 2: Locate Oxsearches.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

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