Search.searchlef.com Hijacker Removal

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

Search.searchlef.com is a hijacker-related website. Consider its appearance on your screen, a sign. Once it pops up, there’s no doubt about it. Your system is no longer infection-free. There’s a browser hijacker, calling it home. And, that’s NOT a program, you want as a companion. They’re dangerous, malicious, and a hazard. Not only to your system’s well-being, but to yourself, as well. The worst part, of having such a tool on your computer, is the security issue. Hijackers don’t stop at wreaking havoc on your system, alone. They take aim at your privacy, too. They follow instructions to spy on you from the moment they invade. So, once they slither in, their espionage begins. The one, lurking behind Search.searchlef.com, has the same programming. The infection keeps track of your browsing activities, and records everything you do. Let that sink in for a second. The infection has a record of your every online move. After it determines it has gathered enough information, it proceeds to expose it. Oh, yes! It exposes the stolen information to the cyber criminals behind it. The unknown individuals that published it. Do you think that ends well? Are you willing to trust these people? Are you okay with giving them access to your personal and financial details? Or, would you rather, keep your privacy private? Do yourself a favor, and pick the latter. Don’t extend the hijacker’s stay by even a moment after detection. As soon as you become aware of its existence, act against it. Locate where t lurks. And, delete it. The sooner you get rid of it, the better. Don’t delay. Delays lead to regrets.

How did I get infected with?

Hijackers are sneaky. They’re masterful in the art of deceit. Not only do they get you to approve their installment, but keep you oblivious, as well. It may seem like an impossible feat, but it’s pretty simple. Let’s elaborate. Hijackers have to ask you, the user, for permission on their installment. Only if you grant it, can they proceed. So, they make sure they get it. But, here’s the thing. If the tool outright pops up to seek your consent, you’d deny it, wouldn’t you? So, it doesn’t ask you outright. To avoid the risk of rejection, the infection turns to trickery. It still seeks your approval, but it does so in the sneakiest way possible. The old but gold means of infiltration assist its sneakiness. Freeware, fake updates, corrupted links, spam emails. It sure has its pick of possible methods. But regardless of which one it chooses, it needs a key ingredient to succeed. Your carelessness. It’s crucial for the hijacker’s covert infiltration. If you give into gullibility, and distraction. If you rush, and skip the terms and conditions. If you rely on luck, instead of due diligence. You ease the infection’s infiltration. So, don’t! Choose caution over carelessness. It helps to keep your computer infection-free.

Why is this dangerous?

The Search.searchlef.com site becomes the bane of your browsing. The infection forces it on you, non-stop. No matter what you do online, you can’t seem to escape the sight of it. There’s a reason for that. The hijacker’s existence rests on clicks. If it’s to proceed with its operations, it has to generate web traffic, and pay-per-click revenue. That’s why, it forces the Search.searchlef.com page on you so much. That explains, the incessant flood of advertisements that comes your way, too. The infection throws you into a whirl of suspicious-looking sites, and ads. You get flooded! Banner, pop-up, in-text ads. And, a full-on myriad of unreliable sites, with the Search.searchlef.com one at the helm. You see that site most of all. It appears even in place of your preferred homepage, and search engine. How come? Well, because the hijacker put it there. No, it didn’t seek your permission on the reshuffle. No, it didn’t bother to clue you into its intentions. The tool decides to make the switch, and so it did. You got left to discover the change, and deal with it. It’s hardly a pleasant surprise to uncover. But that’s how hijackers work. They take full control of your PC, and wreak utter havoc. They mess with your browsing, settings, everything. And, as stated, they take aim at your privacy. Keep your personal and financial information out of their grasp. Get rid of the nasty infection as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Don’t leave it to wreak havoc, and mess everything up. Heed the display of Search.searchlef.com as the clue it is. Acknowledge the hijacker’s existence, and take immediate action. Locate and delete the dreadful cyber threat. Protect your system’s well-being. Keep your privacy private. Remove the hijacker ASAP.

How to Remove Search.searchlef.com virus

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

STEP 2: Locate Search.searchlef.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

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