Search.pollicare.com Hijacker Removal

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

There’s a hijacker, calling your PC home. You may have noticed some unusual interference with your browsing. And, that’s the first sign of trouble. These programs are quite malicious, and make a colossal mess. But, above all, they’re meddling. So, as soon as you spot peculiarities of any type, occurring when you browse, take note. For example, if the Search.pollicare.com page begins to take over your screen, it’s a clue. The site is a sign that your computer is no longer infection-free. But, is home to a dreadful browser hijacker. And, every time, you so much as attempt to go online, the tool makes its presence known. How? Well, it redirects you to Search.pollicare.com at every turn. It bombards you with advertisements – in-text, banner, pop-up. Understand this. It takes advantage of every opportunity to meddle. Open a new tab? Search.pollicare.com shows up to greet you. Type in a search? The same page lurks among the suggested results. It even takes the place of your default homepage and search engine. Did you okay he switch? Did you have a single clue of its implementation prior to discovering it? No. That’s what a hijacker does. It slithers into your system undetected. Then, takes over. It spreads its nasty influence throughout, and corruption ensues. Don’t allow that! Protect your system, and yourself. Don’t allow the hijacker to stay even a moment longer after detection. Delete it as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Search.pollicare.com is your sign of action. Heed it. And, act fast. The sooner you remove the infection, the better. On the other hand, the more you delay, the worse your predicament gets. So, do what’s best for you. Act ASAP.

How did I get infected with?

Search.pollicare.com pops up, courtesy of a hijacker. That explains the page’s appearance on your PC. But what about the hijacker? How did it end up there? Well, you put it there. Confused? Let’s elaborate. Hijackers cannot access a PC without user’s permission. They have to ask you if you agree to install them. Only if you do, can they proceed. It seems simple enough, doesn’t it/ No permission, no admission? Well, not quite. Yes, these programs must ask for your approval. But they don’t have to do it straightforward. There are no rules, stating they must seek entry outright. So, they don’t. Instead, they choose to be covert. They turn to slyness and subtlety. The old but gold means of invasion are quite useful in their sneaky attempts, as well. Freeware is the most common method of all. It provides possibly the easiest way into your system. That’s because, users aren’t as attentive as they should be during installs. Instead of being extra thorough, they give into distraction and naivety. They rush, and rely on luck, and NOT due diligence. That’s a colossal mistake. Don’t rush. Don’t skip the terms and conditions, and head straight for the YES. Read them! Know what you agree to allow into your system. Don’t discard the importance of vigilance. It’s crucial, if you wish to keep your PC free of infections.

Why is this dangerous?

The hijacker, calling your PC home, places you in grave danger. It’s not only online interference, you get stuck with. Your experience doesn’t end with annoyance and headaches, courtesy of redirects and ads. It’s much worse than that. The tool, using Search.pollicare.com as a face, spies on you. It tracks your browsing, and catalogs your every move. The infection records your online activities. Then, when it deems it has gathered enough information, sends it. To whom? Well, to the unknown third parties, responsible for its release. Cyber criminals with agendas. That’s right. Unknown individuals with questionable intentions get access to your private life. Can you think of a single scenario that ends well for you? Don’t be naive. Handing over your personal and financial details to strangers is hardly desirable. Protect yourself. Don’t allow the cyber threat to steal your information. Only to, then, expose it to malicious people. Keep your privacy private. Remove the hijacker at once.

How to Remove Search.pollicare.com virus

The Search.pollicare.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 Search.pollicare.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 Search.pollicare.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Search.pollicare.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

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