Secure-surf.net “Virus” Removal

Can’t Remove Secure-surf.net hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Secure-surf.net Removal instructions!

To begin with, there’s nothing secure about this program. Even though it’s supposed to be a harmless search engine, Secure-surf.net is a virus. You’re stuck with one of the many browser hijackers that roam the Internet. To be fair, you could have downloaded some much more destructive type of infection such as a Trojan or ransomware. That doesn’t give you any reason to keep the parasite on board, though. Even the most harmless-looking viruses could get out of hand eventually. To prevent some serious harm, tackle the hijacker as soon as possible. It is key for your further safety to take adequate action right away. Secure-surf.net messes with your default browser settings. It alters your search engine and browser homepage behind your back. Both get replaced with the hijacker’s own malicious domain. As you could imagine, using this program to surf the Web wouldn’t be a good idea. Secure-surf.net only provides sponsored web links and some highly questionable search results. That is because hackers aren’t remotely interested in helping you surf the Internet. What they are trying to do is a lot more prosaic. You see, the hijacker forces you to use its search engine every time you surf the Web. Keep in mind that all links this program generates are sponsored. Crooks use the pay-per-click mechanism to make dubious profit. Thus, you turn into a sponsor of greedy cyber criminals by clicking their links open. You also expose your computer to more infections because sponsored links can’t be considered safe. Quite the opposite. Secure-surf.net also adds a browser extension and could install additional toolbars too. Long story short, the parasite takes over your entire online activity. Your permission and consent remain completely out of the picture. As long as the virus is present, you’re no longer in charge of your browsers. Hackers are. Remember that they take advantage of your device to gain revenue. Unless you’re willing to support the illegal business of crooks, stay away from the links Secure-surf.net displays. This nuisance might also bring along some sponsored commercials. Those must be avoided too because there are some fake ads currently on your PC screen. You can be more than positive the hijacker generates corrupted commercials that lead to dangerous websites. There might also be some safe ones. However, as you can’t tell which is which until you click, we recommend that you avoid the ads.

How did I get infected with?

The hijacker didn’t wait for you to download it. How do we know? Because malware is famous for being extremely sneaky and secretive. Know that it takes a single moment of distraction to download harmful parasites. Therefore, you have to watch out for intruders in advance. When installing software bundles, always opt for the Custom or Advanced option. Check out the bundle thoroughly to make sure there are no bonuses. Otherwise, you may have to fight a nasty, malicious bonus that landed on your machine. It goes without saying that protecting your safety in the first place is a lot better than having to delete malware. Save yourself the hassle instead of compromising your own security. Also, download verified programs only. Avoid questionable, unreliable websites as those may end up causing damage too. If you receive some random email or message, don’t rush to click it open. Instead, delete the email-attachments or messages you find untrustworthy. Last but not least, the virus might pretend to be some software update or even a torrent. Be careful what you download and keep your PC infection-free.

Why is this dangerous?

Secure-surf.net makes it impossible for you to browse the Web. This pest injects all your favorite browsers with sponsored, potentially harmful web links. Not a single search result or pop-up displayed by a hijacker is to be trusted. Clicking these links may worsen your already pretty bad situation. The virus also redirects you to unknown websites and slows down your PC speed. Using your machine is neither fun nor safe anymore. You are bombarded with sponsored links on a daily basis and you can’t find anything online. Apart from redirecting you, Secure-surf.net also steals your browsing-related data. It collects passwords, usernames, browsing history, IP addresses. All this information gets send directly into the hands of hackers. Are you feeling safe knowing your personal details are being monitored? You may fall victim to some financial scam or identity theft if you’re especially unlucky. To delete the hijacker, please follow our detailed manual removal guide down below.

How to Remove Secure-surf.net virus

The Secure-surf.net 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 Secure-surf.net 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 Secure-surf.net related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Secure-surf.net startup location

STEP 3: Delete Secure-surf.net traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Secure-surf.net 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 Secure-surf.net 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 Secure-surf.net 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 Secure-surf.net traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Secure-surf.net 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 Secure-surf.net

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 Secure-surf.net, 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 Secure-surf.net 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 Secure-surf.net 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.