Search.search-el.com Hijacker Removal

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

Search.search-el.com is a hijacker-related site. If it pops up, there’s a hijacker on your system. There’s no doubt about it. You best accept the page’s display as a warning. It’s a clue that announces the infection’s presence. Acknowledge that, and take immediate action. Once you heed the sign the page gives off, don’t delay. The sooner you get rid of the cyber threat, the better. Delays lead to consequences of the unpleasant variety. The longer the hijacker remains on your computer, the worse your predicament gets. That’s why, it’s best to find its exact hiding place as soon as the opportunity presents itself. And, when you do, to delete it. Your future self will thank you for it. Its prompt removal ensures your system’s well-being. Not to mention, protects your privacy. Yes, that’s another issue, you face when stuck with the hijacker. Do yourself a favor. Get rid of it ASAP. It has no place on your PC.

How did I get infected with?

Search.search-el.com appears, because of the hijacker, behind it. It makes sure to redirect you, at every turn. That explains the page’s display. But what about the hijacker itself? How did it end up on your PC? These tools don’t appear out of thin air. They need to ask you, the user, for permission on their admission. And, can proceed with installment, only is you allow it. They need you to give them the green light. Do you recall doing that? Do you remember saying YES to a hijacker? The appearance of Search.search-el.com proves that you did. Don’t be too hard on yourself, though. Yes, there was an exchange. The hijacker did inquire for your consent on its entry. But it did so in the most covert way possible. It turned to the old but gold means of invasion, and preyed on your carelessness. Yes, your carelessness is the final ingredient that ensures its sneaky success. Without it, its chances diminish. The infection needs you to give into naivety, and rush. Your lack of due diligence eases its invasion. So, don’t choose carelessness over caution. Do the opposite. Be extra thorough. Take the time to be vigilant. It goes a long way, and can save you a ton of troubles. Remember that, caution helps to keep an infection-free PC. The lack thereof, floods your screen with sites, like Search.search-el.com.

Why is this dangerous?

After the hijacker invades, be wary. Issues follow not long after it settles. At first, you notice its touch with your browsing. Every time, you attempt to go online, it intrudes. The infection floods you with an ever-flowing waterfall of interference. It bombards your screen with ads. Pop-up, in-text, banner. And, each ad “Powered by Search.search-el.com.” What’s more, you best get ready to see the site, non-stop. It shows up at every turn. The hijacker makes sure of it. Open a new tab? Search.search-el.com is there. Type a search? Search.search-el.com is among the results. It even takes over for your default homepage and search engine. And, that’s despite you not giving your permission for the reshuffle. That’s how hijackers operate. They can force changes on you. But, the absolute worst part of having a hijacker, is the security hazard. As mentioned, the infection jeopardizes your privacy. It aims to steal your personal and financial details. So, it can then expose them to the cyber criminals, behind it. Don’t let that happen! Protect yourself, and your PC, from the nasty infection. As soon as it reveals itself to you, act against it. Search.search-el.com is your sign. Heed it. Find the threat, and remove it. The sooner, the better.

How to Remove Search.search-el.com virus

The Search.search-el.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.search-el.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.search-el.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Search.search-el.com startup location

STEP 3: Delete Search.search-el.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Search.search-el.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.search-el.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.search-el.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.search-el.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.search-el.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.