Remove Utilitool Search Redirects

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

Utilitool Search is a malicious search engine. It claims to be trustworthy and reliable, but it’s neither. It’s far from legitimate. Fact of the matter is, it’s connected to a hijacker. A browser hijacker invaded your PC via slyness and finesse. And, once it did, it began to force Utilitool Search on you, non-stop. You get redirected at every turn. You also get flooded with a plethora of advertisements. In-text, banner, pop-up, every type of ad there is, you see on your screen. And, they appear non-stop. That continuous interference doesn’t go unnoticed. It takes its toll on your system as it begins to suffer frequent crashes. Your computer’s performance slows down to a crawl. Going online turns into an utter nightmare. But that’s not the worst part of having a hijacker. These are the minor inconveniences. You face much worse ones down the line. The more time you allow the threat to remain, the worse your predicament gets. Don’t allow that escalation. Protect yourself, and your system, from the hazardous hijacker. As soon as you become aware of its existence, act against it. Find where it lurks. Then, delete it. Do it ASAP.

How did I get infected with?

The hijacker duped you. It got you to approve its installment. And, it did so, while keeping you oblivious to it. How? Well, simple. It preyed on your carelessness. Let’s explain. No hijacker can enter your PC without your consent. It has to ask whether you approve its admission, or not. Only if you, can it continue. So, it makes sure to get your YES. And, it does so by using the old but gold means of infiltration. It lurks behind freeware, spam emails, corrupted links. It can even pretend to be a bogus system or program update. Like, Adobe Flash Player or Java. The infection can use a myriad of methods to attempt invasion. It’s up to you to catch it in the act, and prevent it from doing so. Always take the time to do your due diligence. Don’t discard the importance of vigilance. It helps to keep an infection-free PC. Carelessness, on the other hand, leads to threats like Utilitool Search. Choose caution.

Why is this dangerous?

Utilitool Search is quite the malicious threat. After it invades, it wastes no time, and begins to spread its corruption. It manifests with your browsing first. But, as stated, that’s only the beginning of your grievances. As time goes by, you encounter far worse issues. The one that towers over all others, concerns your privacy. Yes, the hijacker jeopardizes your personal and financial information. It follows programming to spy on you. And, its espionage begins once it invades. The tool starts to keep track of every single move you make. When it determines it has gathered enough information, it sends it. It hands over the stolen data to the unknown individuals behind it. The cyber criminals that published it. These are not the type of people, you want to get access to your private life. Don’t you agree? Don’t let them get their hands on your sensitive data. Do your best to get rid of the nasty threat the first chance you get. It’s the best course of action you can take. And, it will save you a plethora of problems.

How to Remove Utilitool Search virus

The Utilitool Search 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 Utilitool Search 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 Utilitool Search related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Utilitool Search startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

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

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 Utilitool Search, 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 Utilitool Search 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 Utilitool Search 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.