Search.searchwmtn.com Hijacker Removal

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

Search.searchwmtn.com is a bad sign. If the page appears on your screen, you’re in for a dreadful experience. The site is clear indication of an invasion. It screams ‘Hijacker!’ Yes, if you spot the page, know that your PC harbors a cyber threat. The dangerous infection managed to slither into your system unnoticed. Consider, Search.searchwmtn.com its grand reveal. The page is its way of announcing its existence on your system. And, you best heed its warning. Acknowledge the danger, you’re in. Hijackers are dangerous! So is the one, lurking behind Search.searchwmtn.com. Don’t underestimate it. It can cause you a plethora of grievances. And, make no mistake. Given enough time, it WILL. The hijacker throws you into a whirlwind of headaches and issues. Avoid the unpleasantness. Do NOT put up with this malicious program and its meddling! Keep your system safe from the clutches of the infection. The best course of action, you can take, is to immediately delete it. A hijacker has no place on your PC. Remove the one, forcing Search.searchwmtn.com on you ASAP.

How did I get infected with?

Search.searchwmtn.com shows up on screen, courtesy of a hijacker. But what about the hijacker itself? How did it come to be on your computer? Do you remember agreeing to install it? Well, odds are, you don’t. But, in reality, you did. It may seem confusing, but it’s rather simple. No hijacker can enter a system without user’s consent. The tool has to ask whether you approve its admission. Only if you do, can it proceed. So, you see? No permission, no admission. With that in mind, you must realize that an exchange did take place. Only, it wasn’t as straightforward as you might imagine. Think about it. Say, a hijacker outright sought your consent on its install. What are the odds you’ll say YES? Slim to none, right? Well, the infection doesn’t take that chance. It avoids the risk of rejection. Instead of choosing the overt approach, it goes the opposite direction. The application still does seek your permission. But it does it in the most covert way it can. It hides behind freeware, or spam emails. It uses corrupted links or sites. It can even pretend to be a fake system or program update. It’s up to you to catch it in the act of its deception, and prevent it. Due diligence is crucial! Don’t throw caution to the wind, or rush. Don’t give into gullibility, but be extra thorough. Vigilance goes a long way. It can save you a ton of troubles.

Why is this dangerous?

The Search.searchwmtn.com page is quite the nuisance. It appears to trump your every move. Each time, you attempt to go online, it appears to interrupt you. Open a new tab? It’s there. Type in a search? It lurks among the suggested results. Search.searchwmtn.com is everywhere. It even takes over for your default search engine and homepage. Did you put it there? Did you agree to the switch? Were you even aware of the implementation? No, not until you came across it. That’s how hijackers work. They invade your system, and waste no time. Corruption ensues, following infiltration. They spread out their nastiness, and affect every aspect of your system. You discover changes, you didn’t authorize. Browsing the web turns into a nightmarish experience. One, riddled with interference. You suffer constant redirects to Search.searchwmtn.com. As well as, to other suspicious-looking sites. You get bombarded with advertisements of every type. Banner, in-text, pop-up. They take over your screen. Your computer’s performance slows down to a crawl. Your system crashes all the time. It’s an utter mess. And, do you know what? That’s not even the worst of it. That title goes to the security threat, you face, courtesy of the hijacker. It aims to steal your personal and financial details. And, then, expose what it stole, to the people behind it. If you allow it to stay on your PC long enough, it WILL succeed. So, the question is, will you? Or, would you rather, not take such chances? Do yourself a favor, and pick the latter. Delete the hijacker as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

How to Remove Search.searchwmtn.com virus

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

STEP 2: Locate Search.searchwmtn.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

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