How to Remove Searchfortplus Hijacker

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

Searchfortplus is yet another browser hijacker. This parasite sneaks into your computer and makes a mess out of your web browser. The hijacker performs various unauthorized changes such as replacing your homepage and default search engine. It also messes with the web content your browser displays. The hijacker inserts various banners on every website you visit, turns random text into hyperlinks, and plays video commercials. It is the culprit that loads random websites in new tabs. It is also behind displays the annoying pop-ups that urge you to “Accept” browser modifications. Searchfortplus uses every opportunity to display ads. It floods your screen with pop-ups every time you so much as touch your browser. Click nothing, though. You can’t expect Searchfortplus to be safe, much less trustworthy. Its ads, pop-ups, and banners arise unwarranted expectations at best. At worst, they redirect traffic to dangerous websites. That’s the nature of the hijacker. It not only ruins your browsing experience but also threatens to lure you into online traps! Spare yourself many future headaches, act as soon as the “Brought to you by Searchfortplus” pop-ups appear. Find where the hijacker hides and delete it upon detection!

How did I get infected with?

Searchfortplus can’t “hack” your computer. The hijacker is not a virus. It is a simple app, and as such, it follows standard installation procedures. The parasite needs you, the user, to approve its access. It can’t proceed without your “Yes.” With this being said, you should not imagine a straightforward question. The hijacker is bound to seek your consent, but it does so in the sneakiest, most deceitful way possible. Searchfortplus hides in the fine print! It steals your approval when you let your guard down. Do not make that mistake. A little extra attention can prevent such infections. So, don’t be lazy. Always take the time to do your due diligence. Don’t visit questionable websites. Download software and updates from reliable sources only. And forget about the “Next-Next-Finish” setup strategy. More often than not, the apps we download off the web come bundled with bonus apps. If you rush through the installation processes, you might overlook bonuses and install parasites. Don’t rely on luck. Choose caution over carelessness! When available, use the advanced/custom setup option. Deselect the unwanted extras and go through the terms and conditions. Don’t hesitate to abort the installation if you notice anything suspicious!

Why is this dangerous?

The Searchfortplus hijacker is a menace. It sneaks into your computer and throws you into a whirlwind of “Ads by Searchfortplus.” Whether you watch a video or browse your favorite websites, the hijacker always finds a way to interrupt you. Its ads are annoying and irritating. They, however, are also your clue. If you take a close look at them, you’ll realize that you are in serious trouble. You are under surveillance! The “Powered by Searchfortplus” ads are based on the websites you visit, the links you follow, the videos you watch. Even your activities under the Incognito mode trigger ads. That’s how the hijacker operates. It doesn’t waste time with random ads but studies your browsing habits. The hijacker spies on you from day one and uses your preferences against you. And it doesn’t stop just here. The hijacker exists to generate money for its publishers. It does so through a pay-per-click mechanism, but it also takes advantage of the collected data and sells it to third parties. The hijacker shares your data with unknown individuals with questionable agendas. Do you feel comfortable knowing that your online privacy is nonexistent? What if some pieces of sold data, your search queries, for example, leak confidential details? Don’t risk it! Protect yourself and your privacy. Remove the hijacker ASAP! That’s your best course of action.

How to Remove Searchfortplus virus

The Searchfortplus 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 Searchfortplus 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 Searchfortplus related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Searchfortplus startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Searchfortplus 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 Searchfortplus

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 Searchfortplus, 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 Searchfortplus 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 Searchfortplus 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.