How to Remove Softsearches.com (Chrome/Firefox/IE)

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

Your default search engine and homepage got switched to Softsearches.com. You have no memory of approving the change. And, yet, it’s fact even without your authorization. You see the page in place of your preferred settings. In fact, you see the page everywhere. You cannot seem to escape it. Open a new tab, it’s there. Search the web, it’s among the suggested results. It’s your shadow. There’s a reason for its constant presence. And, that reason goes by the name of ‘browser hijacker.’ That’s right. Your computer is no longer infection-free. Think of the page’s popping up as a neon sign. It signals there’s a cyber threat, lurking somewhere in the corners of your computer. And, do you know what? You best get rid of it ASAP. The longer the tool remains, the worse your predicament becomes. Once the infection’s programming kicks in, and it starts wreaking havoc, it doesn’t stop. It only makes a bigger and bigger mess. Don’t put up with its meddling. It evolves. Your situation escalates, from having to suffer online invasions, to much worse. Once the redirects and the pop-up ads take over your screen, act. The commencement of the online disruptions, are there to urge you into action. So, act! Locate the hijacker’s hiding place, and get rid of it as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

How did I get infected with?

Softsearches.com shows up on your screen after a hijacker invades. So, that explains why the page pops up. It’s because a hijacker forces it on you. But how does the infection itself appear on your PC? Well, you agreed to install it. Yes, you may not remember it, but an exchange did take place. The tool did ask you if you consent to allow it into your system. And, you did. If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be in this mess. Even though, you did agree to install an infection, don’t be too hard on yourself. At the time it happened, you had no idea what you were doing. After all, the hijacker doesn’t outright show up to ask approval on admission. If that were the case, you’d deny it. And, it can’t risk rejection. So, instead, it turns to slyness and subtlety. It uses the old but gold means of infiltration to gain access to your PC. Freeware, fake updates, spam email attachments, corrupted links. It has its pick. But, do you know what? All methods have a common trait. They rely on your carelessness to work. If you don’t rush and throw caution to the wind, who knows? You might catch the hijacker in the act, and prevent its entry. Due diligence certainly increases your chances at keeping an infection-free PC. Don’t discard its importance. Always choose caution over carelessness.

Why is this dangerous?

The hijacker, using Softsearches.com as a face, is an ad-supported tool. If it’s to continue its existence, it has to make money. Its entire survival rests on your clicks. The hijacker has to generate web traffic, and pay-per-click revenue. If it fails, it gets taken down. It shouldn’t surprise you that the infection does its best to produce profits. That’s why you suffer so many redirects, and floods of ads. And, don’t think anything you see is random. Oh, no. The program doesn’t bombard you with disruptions, and hope for the best. It does its homework on you. The cyber threat studies you before it begins its meddling. It makes sure to know what appeals to you. Once it invades, it spies on your online activities. It tracks your every move, so it can understand what sparks your interest. Then, once it gets a better grasp of you, the intrusions begin. The ads, the links, all you see got chosen for you, and you alone. Needless to say, it’s all unreliable. Everything, the hijacker throws at you does not deserve your trust. So, click nothing. No matter the appeal, ignore everything, the tool displays. But the targeted ads and redirects are, by far, not a major concern. Yes, they’re immensely annoying and intrusive. But, they’re far outshined, by the biggest threat, you face. The security risk. The hijacker doesn’t stop at only spying on you. It doesn’t only keep track of your browsing. It keeps a record of it, as well. And, when the tool determines it has gathered enough data, it sends it. Yes, it hands it over to the unknown third parties behind it. Cyber criminals with agendas. Those are the people that get a hold of your personal and financial details. Don’t allow that to happen! Protect your privacy, as well as your system’s well-being. As soon as you discover there’s a hijacker on your PC, act towards its removal! The sooner you locate its hiding place, and delete it, the better. Delays only lead to troubles, headaches, and regrets. So, act fast, and act now. The appearance of the Softsearches.com page is your clue. It’s your sign of action. Heed it.

How to Remove Softsearches.com virus

The Softsearches.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 Softsearches.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.

WARNING! Stopping the wrong file or deleting the wrong registry key may damage your system irreversibly.
If you are feeling not technical enough just use Spyhunter Professional Malware Removal Tool to deal with the problem!
>>Download SpyHunter – a Professional Remover.

Please, keep in mind that SpyHunter’s scanner tool is free. To remove the Softsearches.com infection, you need to purchase its full version.

STEP 1: Track down Softsearches.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Softsearches.com startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

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

• Open Google Chrome

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