Remove Social Search New Tab Redirects

Can’t Remove Social Search New Tab hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Social Search New Tab Removal instructions!

Social Search New Tab is not an app you should keep. This browser extension is categorized as a hijacker. Following a successful installation, the hijacker takes control of your browser and turns it into a surveillance tool, as well as into an ad-displaying platform. The parasite monitors your browsing related data and uses the collected information as a base for ad-targeting. Thus, if you enter “sneakers” into a search engine, the hijacker will display ads for sports shoes. But, do not imagine an ad or two. No, the parasite drowns its victims in a sea of coupons and discounts. Every website you open displays dozens of blinking adverts. The hijacker injects these ads. It also redirects your browser to sponsored pages. You might think that these adverts are useful. Well, they are more likely to be misleading or false than legitimate. The hijacker has no security mechanisms. It does not verify the ads. Neither does it check the advertisers behind them. Numerous crooks take advantage of the parasite. They use it and its resources to target potential victims. Bear this in mind the next time you see an irresistible online offer. If it looks too good to be true, it probably isn’t. An unverified advert may redirect you to scam and potentially infected websites. Don’t play with your luck. Remove the Social Search New Tab hijacker before it lures into some online scam!

How did I get infected with?

The Social Search New Tab hijacker is advertised as a useful app. A few online platforms provide free download of the app. Do you remember downloading it? If you cannot recall doing so, how did it manage to enter your OS? We have bad news. It was you the one who allowed this parasite on board. No, this is not a joke! This parasite cannot install itself, it must have your permission to do so. What it doesn’t need is to be straightforward. It lurks behind software bundles. If you are not careful, you might install it unintentionally. Many free apps come bundled with extras. These extras, more often than not are malicious programs. To prevent them from installing, you should pay close attention to the fine print. Be very careful with all installation processes. Do not rush! If you are offered an Advanced/Custom/Manual installation option, by all means, select it. Under it, you will be presented with a list of all extras that are about to be installed. Deselect them. If you truly needed such apps, you would have downloaded them by yourself. This is your computer, don’t let others decide how you should use it. Install only the programs you need. Other adware distribution methods you should be aware of are the good old spam emails, torrents, and fake updates. Your caution can prevent these methods from succeeding. So, always take your time to do your due diligence!

Why is this dangerous?

The Social Search New Tab hijacker is extremely intrusive. It interferes with your daily web browsing. You cannot get any work done with this intruder on board. Every time you as much as touch your browser, numerous pop-ups cover your screen. Your browser gets redirected to questionable websites, even your videos get paused for commercial breaks. The situation is very unpleasant. The lack of comfort, however, should not be in the focus of your attention. What happens behind your back is far more worrisome. The Social Search New Tab parasite spies on you and threatens to reveal the collected data to crooks. Anyone willing to pay can access this information. The hijacker knows your every online step. What websites you visit, what search inquiries you make, what links you follow. Even the Incognito mode of your browser cannot hide you. This data is not harmless. A capable advertiser needs very little to successfully target you with customized ads. What if this advertiser has bad intentions? You may get redirected to scam websites and infected pages. The crooks know how to trick you into revealing sensitive information. They may use the hijacker to terrorize and blackmail you. Do put up with this intruder. Remove it now so you don’t regret it later! The sooner this parasite is gone, the better!

How to Remove Social Search New Tab virus

The Social Search New Tab 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 Social Search New Tab 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 Social Search New Tab related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Social Search New Tab startup location

STEP 3: Delete Social Search New Tab traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Social Search New Tab 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 Social Search New Tab 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 Social Search New Tab 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 Social Search New Tab traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Social Search New Tab 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 Social Search New Tab

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 Social Search New Tab, 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 Social Search New Tab 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 Social Search New Tab 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.