Remove Search Secretly and Searchsecretly.net Redirect

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

Searchsecretly.net is a website that is a bad sign for your system. Think of it as a harbinger of trouble. Why? Well, its display indicates the presence of a cyber threat. If the page appears, you have a hijacker on your hands. A browser hijacker lurks somewhere on your computer. The site is the first clue you get. Think of it as a warning. That’s exactly what it is. You best act on it as soon as it comes your way. Once a hijacker sneaks into your system, it doesn’t take long for it to act up. Its programming kicks in shortly after infiltration. You start to suffer from endless online intrusions. Your system starts to crash all the time. Your computer slows down. You encounter weird system reshuffles, you didn’t agree to, or were even aware of. And, you best get used to that feeling of surprise. With a hijacker present, it’s likely, you’ll experience it often. How come? Well, these infections can perform changes throughout your system. They don’t have to bother informing you, or ask permission. They can just do what they want, and you’re stuck dealing with it. That’s a major part of why hijackers are so dangerous. What if the tool, you’re stuck with, chooses to flood your PC with malware? It can certainly do that. What if your system reaches its breaking point? What if it gets so overwhelmed with threats that it gives up? What if, one day, you come face to face with The Blue Screen of Death? Yes, that is a possibility, albeit a pretty minute one. But, last time we checked, ‘minute’ did not equal ‘non-existent.’ So, as insignificant as that outcome may be, are you willing to take the risk? What do you hope to gain by keeping the hijacker on your PC? Expect nothing positive to follow the threat. It’s a malicious cyber plague Get rid of it the first chance you get.

How did I get infected with?

Search Secretly turns to the usual antics to gain access to your system. Understand this. Hijackers have to ask you whether you agree to install them. And, can only go through with the installment process after you approve it. No approval, no admittance. It seems pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? The tool seeks access, you deny it, and your computer remains infection-free. Right? Well, it’s not as simple as it seems. These infections don’t outright pop up to ask permission. The odds of rejection are too grand, so they don’t risk it. Instead, they’ve found a loophole. They still ask you, but they do it in the sneakiest way they can. If you’re not attentive enough to spot them in their sneaky attempts, they succeed. They invade your system undetected. And, you’re left to deal with the consequences of your carelessness. You have to realize how important vigilance is. Even a little extra attention can save you a ton of troubles. Imagine the following. You’re installing freeware, and you’re in a rush. You don’t bother to read the terms and conditions, but agree to everything, and hope for the best. That’s one of the easiest ways to get stuck with malware. Ask yourself, if the infection doesn’t leave its fate to chance, why do you? Spam email attachments, fake, updates, corrupted links. The list of potential methods of invasion is extensive. Avoid trouble by being extra thorough and careful. Don’t give into naivety, and don’t rush. Choose caution. It prevents cyber invasions, while carelessness invites them in.

Why is this dangerous?

The Search Secretly tool is meddling and an immense bother altogether. Not long after the tool slithers into your PC, you start to notice its influences. Every time you search the web, Searchsecretly.net shows up among the results. Open a new tab, the page pops up. It also replaces your preferred search engine and homepage. It intrudes on your browsing incessantly. But the hijacker doesn’t stop at only redirects. It also floods you with an ever-flowing stream of ads. Pop-up, in-text, banner, all kinds of ads. And, don’t think you only suffer annoyance. Oh, no. The tool does far worse than only mess up your browsing. It presents you with a myriad of unpleasantness. And, the issue that towers over all other, has to do with your privacy. The hijacker follows instructions to steal and expose your private information. If it remains on your system long enough, it WILL succeed. That’s why it’s imperative you act against it as soon as you discover its existence. The sooner you delete it, the better. To extend its stay, is to jeopardize your privacy, and your system’s well-being. Avoid those unnecessary risks. Do yourself a favor, and get rid of the Search Secretly infection ASAP.

How to Remove Search Secretly virus

The Search Secretly 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 Search Secretly 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.

WARNING! Stopping the wrong file or deleting the wrong registry key may damage your system irreversibly.
If you are feeling not technical enough just use Spyhunter Professional Malware Removal Tool to deal with the problem!
>>Download SpyHunter – a Professional Remover.

Please, keep in mind that SpyHunter’s scanner tool is free. To remove the Search Secretly infection, you need to purchase its full version.

STEP 1: Track down Search Secretly related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Search Secretly startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Search Secretly 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 Search Secretly

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 Search Secretly, 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 Search Secretly 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 Search Secretly 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.