Search Encrypt virus removal for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, IE

Learn how to get rid of annoying browser redirects to searchencrypt.com caused by the Search Encrypt extension that may appear on a PC out of the blue.

Search Encrypt is a browser helper object whose logic is to enhance the privacy of one’s web surfing routine. Its official web page states that, as opposed to most search engines out there, it does not pry on users’ fingerprintable information that’s generated during day-to-day online activity. The reassurance regarding this statement boils down to the alleged practice of encrypting a person’s search terms so that no one can get hold of them. That’s the official facet of the app, though. The real state of things isn’t as serene. A lot of users report issues with this solution, where it forcibly takes over their search preferences and reroutes the traffic to a landing page of its own. The page with query results, by the way, is filled with sponsored items that sure don’t contribute to improving the victim’s impressions.

The makers of Search Encrypt didn’t reinvent the wheel as far as the distribution of their product goes. One of the channels is ethical enough to conduct promotion via web stores of popular browsers – this way, people who actually know what this add-on does and want to get it can install it. For example, Google Chrome provides such an option. The propagation campaign also has a flip side, though. Some users discover this extension on board their systems after installing something unrelated, such as a free vide converter, media player or file downloader. That’s because common types of free apps can make the rounds on a bundling basis. Here’s how it works: a user finds freeware they’d like to install, downloads the stub installer and executes it, only to realize that it’s a setup client. While there is nothing malicious about these clients per se, they are a great way to conceal additional items under the same hood, such as the Search Encrypt app.

The tactic following the sneaky infiltration resembles a garden-variety adware attack. The adverse effect of Search Encrypt spans all web browsers running on the host computer. It embeds the above-mentioned rogue extension to each, with the excessively broad permissions having been granted on the previous bundling phase of the infection chain. These privileges allow the culprit to redirect the victim’s web searches from the original service over to searchencrypt.com, stating that it protects user privacy this way. Well, the infected person never asked for this “protection” in the first place. Furthermore, the offending app simply takes the prerogative of choosing a search engine away from the user. That’s a wakeup call that should incentivize a plagued person to eliminate the troublemaking add-on without delay and thus get the browsers working like they should. Follow the steps listed in the next part of this tutorial to fix the Search Encrypt issue for good.

Automated removal of Search Encrypt virus

Owing to an up-to-date database of malware signatures and intelligent behavioral detection, the recommended software can quickly locate the infection, eradicate it and remediate all harmful changes. So go ahead and do the following:

1. Download and install the antimalware tool. Open the solution and have it check your PC for PUPs and other types of malicious software by clicking the Start Computer Scan button

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2. Rest assured the scan report will list all items that may harm your operating system. Select the detected entries and click Fix Threats to get the troubleshooting completed.

Use Control Panel to get rid of Search Encrypt PUP

• Open up the Control Panel from your Start menu in Windows and select Uninstall a program

• To facilitate the process of locating the threat, sort the programs list by date to get the latest ones displayed at the very top. Find an unfamiliar, suspicious entry under the Name column, click Uninstall and follow further directions to get the removal done.

Restore web browser settings to their original defaults

In the circumstances of a complex browser hijack like this, executing a reset makes the most sense despite a few obvious downsides. Customizations such as saved passwords, bookmarked pages etc. will be gone, but so will all the changes made by the potentially unwanted program. The instructions below address the workflow for the web browsers most targeted by searchencrypt.com virus.

Reset Google Chrome

• Open Chrome, expand the Customize and control Google Chrome menu and choose Settings

• Scroll down the settings screen and click Advanced down at the bottom

• Move on to the Reset and clean up sub-section and select the option that says Restore settings to their original defaults

• Finally, confirm the restoration by clicking Reset settings on the warning message

• Restart Chrome.

Reset Mozilla Firefox

• Open Firefox, type about:support in the URL area and press Enter. Alternatively, you can click on the Open menu icon in the top right-hand part of the browser window, then select the Help option and proceed to Troubleshooting Information

• On the Troubleshooting Information screen, spot the Refresh Firefox button and click on it

• Follow subsequent directions to reset Firefox to its original settings

• Restart the browser.

Reset Internet Explorer

• Select Internet options under IE’s Tools (Alt+X)

• Proceed by clicking on Advanced tab, then select Reset

• To confirm the intended changes, click Reset on the Reset Internet Explorer Settings screen after ascertaining that the Delete personal settings checkbox is enabled

• Reboot the machine to fully implement the fix.

Reset Safari

• Go to the Safari menu and select Preferences

• When on the Preferences screen, select the Privacy tab and hit the Remove All Website Data button if you are up to erasing all website data stored on your Mac. Otherwise, you can use a site-specific removal option described below

• A dialog will appear, asking you to validate your choice. Click the Remove Now button if you are sure. Be advised this will log you out of online services and undo personalized web browser settings such as saved passwords, etc.

• Safari also allows deleting data for specific sites rather than all sites in general. To use this option, click the Details button under Privacy tab

• Select the websites for which you would like to erase data and click the Remove button

• Click the Done button to confirm and exit. You can also select the Remove All option to remove all data stored by the listed websites.

Revise your security status

Post-factum assessment of the accuracy component in malware removal scenarios is a great habit that prevents the comeback of harmful code or replication of its unattended fractions. Make sure you are good to go by running an additional safety checkup.

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