Remove Searchnet.com Redirects

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

Searchnet.com is a page that appears as a sign of trouble. To see it, is to know there’s an infection on your PC. A browser hijacker managed to slither its way into your system. It uses slyness and finesse, and invades undetected. Then, it uses the website as a way to clue you into its stay. That’s why, its sudden display is something you shouldn’t ignore. Acknowledge the page as a clear indication of the hijacker’s presence. Then, do your best to find where it’s hiding. And, delete it as soon as you do. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for a horrendous ordeal. These types of threats are an utter plague on your system. They intrude on your every move, and the one, behind Searchnet.com, is no different. As soon as it settles, it starts to redirect you to the page, non-stop. No matter what you do, it finds a way to force it on your screen. It even replaces your default homepage and search engine with Searchnet.com. No, you neither asked for the switch, nor did you approve it. Yet, it’s fact nonetheless. You get redirected to Searchnet.com, every time you open a new tab. It shows up among results, after you type a search. Also, you get bombarded with a myriad of ads ‘Powered by Searchnet.com,‘ non-stop. These continuous intrusions don’t go unnoticed. They cause your system to crash all the time. As well as, lead to frequent screen freezes, and constant lagging. Dealing with a hijacker, is hardly desirable. Don’t put up with the infection’s influences, but do your best to get rid of it ASAP. The sooner you locate and remove it, the more issues you avoid. Do yourself a favor, and act against the threat as soon as you get the chance. Your future self will thank you for it.

How did I get infected with?

Searchnet.com appears, because of a hijacker. The nasty tool slithers its way into your PC, then forces the site on you. But how do you suppose the tool manages that? How does it manage to invade, when you consider, it needs your consent? Oh, yes. The hijacker has to seek your permission on its admission. And, only if you give it, can it proceed with entry. No approval, no access. That’s why, infections like it, resort to trickery, when it comes to getting it. Yes, they do ask for your YES, but they do it in the most covert way possible. They resort to slyness and subtlety, and employ every known trick in the book. For example, they can use freeware and spam emails as a way in. Or, they can lurk behind corrupted sites, links and torrents. And, they can also pretend to e a fake update. As you can see, hijackers have their pick of tricks. However, they all need your carelessness to prove successful. The tool relies on you to rush, and give into gullibility. To throw caution to the wind, and leave your fate to chance. It needs you to be too careless to notice it, trying to invade. Don’t oblige. Take the time to be thorough, and always do your due diligence. Be attentive enough to catch infections in the act of attempting invasion. And, be sure to keep them out. Choose caution over the lack thereof. It’s for the best.

Why is this dangerous?

The tool, behind Searchnet.com, spies on you. Yes, apart from everything else it puts you through, there’s also a privacy risk. The infection begins to monitor your activities, after it invades. It tracks every single move you make, while browsing. That includes, data you input, sites you visit, and all you click on. But the tool doesn’t only observe what you do, but records it, as well. It keeps a thorough record of all that sensitive information. Then, what do you suppose it does with it? Well, once it deems it has collected enough, t sends it. That’s right. It exposes the information, it stole from you. To whom? Well, to cyber criminals with malicious intentions. Don’t allow that! Keep your privacy private, and your system safe. Don’t put up with the hijacker, but take immediate action against it. As soon as you spot Searchnet.com, acknowledge its presence on your PC. Locate its exact hiding place, and delete it. There aren’t enough ways to stress the importance of haste. Delays have repercussions, and lead to regrets. Don’t delay.

How to Remove Searchnet.com virus

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

STEP 2: Locate Searchnet.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

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