Srchsafe.com Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is srchsafe.com?
srchsafe.com is a fake Internet search engine that falsely claims to enhance the web browsing experience by generating improved results and enhancing browser protection.
This website is promoted via a deceptive application called SrchSafe. The app usually infiltrates systems without permission, stealthily modifies web browsers, and continually records various user-system information. For these reasons, SrchSafe is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and a browser hijacker.
Following infiltration, SrchSafe hijacks Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, stealthily assigning the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options to srchsafe.com. These changes may seem insignificant, however, users are unable to revert them.
The SrchSafe add-on reassigns browser settings when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, returning browsers to their previous states becomes impossible and users continually encounter unwanted redirects to srchsafe.com, significantly diminishing the web browsing experience.
Furthermore, after entering a search query on srchsafe.com, users are redirected to search.yahoo.com. Users who browse via Mozilla Firefox are first redirected to services.searchtabnew.com, and only then, to search.yahoo.com. Another downside is information tracking.
SrchSafe and srchsafe.com continually record various user-system information that might contain personal details. The collected data (IP addresses, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, etc.) is later shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who generate revenue by misusing personal information.
Therefore, data tracking can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. You are strongly advised to uninstall the SrchSafe browser hijacker and never return to srchsafe.com.
The Internet is full of browser-hijacking applications virtually identical to SrchSafe. All claim to enhance the browsing experience by providing 'useful functionality', however, apps such as SrchSafe are designed only to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than providing any value for regular users, PUPs cause unwanted redirects and record various user-system information.
How did srchsafe.com install on my computer?
SrchSafe has an official promotion/download website, however, developers also proliferate this PUP by employing a deceptive marketing method called "bundling". Therefore, users often install SrchSafe inadvertently, without their consent. Developers are aware that users often rush the download/installation processes and skip steps.
Therefore, they hide bundled apps within the "Custom/Advanced" settings. By skipping this section, users expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent system infiltration by PUPs, be cautious when downloading and installing software. Carefully analyze each step using the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings and decline offers to download/install additional applications.
Website promoting SrchSafe browser hijacker:
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Quick menu:
- What is srchsafe.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall SrchSafe application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove srchsafe.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove SrchSafe browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove srchsafe.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove srchsafe.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
SrchSafe 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, "SrchSafe"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs (which cause browser redirects to the srchsafe.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
SrchSafe 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://srchsafe.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 "srchsafe.com".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the srchsafe 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 "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "Search Safe for Chrome" and other recently-installed suspicious browser 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, look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.srchsafe.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present click on the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.
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 engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list look for "hxxp://www.srchsafe.com" when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Remove from list".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the srchsafe 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 "Default Yahoo Search", and 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://srchsafe.com and hxxp://services.searchtabnew.com 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: "srchsafe.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with srchsafe 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 srchsafe 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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