Search.searchgst.com Redirect

What is search.searchgst.com?

Get Speed Tester is a deceptive program claiming to allow users to test their Internet performance. On initial inspection, Get Speed Tester may seem legitimate and useful, however, this program is categorized as a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program (PUP).

There are three main reasons for these negative associations: 1) installation without users' consent; 2) stealth modification of web browser settings, and; 3) tracking of Internet browsing activity.

Following successful infiltration, Get Speed Tester hijacks Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, assigning the new tab URL, homepage, and default search engine options to search.searchgst.com.

These changes may not seem significant, however, users are unable to revert them - Get Speed Tester automatically reassigns browser settings when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, users are unable to return browsers to their previous states and they are forced to visit search.searchgst.com when searching via the URL bar or opening a new browser tab.

These redirects significantly diminish the Internet browsing experience. Another downside is information tracking. Get Speed Tester continually monitors users' Internet browsing activity by gathering IP addresses, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other similar information.

This collected data might contain personal information that Get Speed Tester's developers share with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse private details to generate revenue. Thus, having an information-tracking app installed on your computer can result in serious privacy issues or even identity theft. We strongly advise you to remove Get Speed Tester from your computer immediately.

There are dozens of potentially unwanted programs identical to Get Speed Tester. The list of examples includes (but is not limited to) Download Converter Now, Live Sports Online, Weather Forecast Alerts, and Watch Online Streams. Note that all of these apps offer different features, however, they have identical behavior. By offering users various 'useful features', apps such as Get Speed Tester attempt to trick users to install.

Be aware, however, that fake search engines are designed only to generate revenue for the developers, whilst regular users receive no value. Rather than enabling the functionality promised, apps such as Get Speed Tester cause unwanted redirects and collect personal information.

How did search.searchgst.com install on my computer?

Get Speed Tester is free for anyone to download on its official website, however, users often install this application inadvertently, without their consent, since they often rush the download/installation processes and skip steps. Aware of this, developers use a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" - stealth installation of third party apps with regular software/apps.

They hide all bundled programs within the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings of these procedures. Therefore, skipping this section often leads to inadvertent installation of rogue apps.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Infiltration of potentially unwanted programs can be prevented by taking two simple steps. Firstly, never rush when downloading and installing software. Select the "Custom/Advanced" settings and closely analyze each step. Secondly, decline offers to download/install additional applications and cancel those already included. Bundled software should never be installed.

Get Speed Tester browser hijacker installer set-up:

Website promoting Get Speed Tester browser hijacker:

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Quick menu:

• What is search.searchgst.com?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Get Speed Tester application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove search.searchgst.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Get Speed Tester browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove search.searchgst.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove search.searchgst.com redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Get Speed Tester browser hijacker removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently-installed suspicious applications (for example, "Get Speed Tester"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the search.searchgst.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Get Speed Tester browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser redirects:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://search.searchgst.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.

Change your default search engine:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "Search".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the get speed tester browser hijacker, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.

Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.

In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.

Click the Reset button.

Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "Get Speed Tester", and other recently-installed suspicious add-ons, select these entries and click the trash can icon.

Change your homepage:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over hxxp://search.searchgst.com and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.

Change your default search engine:

To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "searchgst" and add or select your preferred domain.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the get speed tester browser hijacker, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon  (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions" and remove "Get Speed Tester", and all other recently-installed browser plug-ins.

Change your homepage:

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://search.searchgst.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change your default search engine:

In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "searchgst.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with get speed tester browser hijacker removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.

Select Troubleshooting Information.

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...

In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.

In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.

In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.

Change your homepage and new tab settings:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".

Change your default Internet search engine:

To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the get speed tester browser hijacker, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

• If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.

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