Srcbar.com Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is srcbar.com?
srcbar.com is a fake web search engine identical to srch.bar By falsely claiming to generate improved results, srcbar.com often tricks users into believing that it is legitimate and useful, however, developers promote this website using a browser-hijacking app called Search Manager.
Furthermore, srcbar.com and Search Manager are designed to record information relating to users' Internet browsing activity.
Search Manager targets Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Following infiltration, Search Manager assigns the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options to srcbar.com. Furthermore, although these changes may seem insignificant, users are unable to revert them.
Research shows that Search Manager continues to reassign browser options when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, unless Search Manager is uninstalled, returning browsers to their previous states is impossible and users are encouraged to visit srcbar.com when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar.
This significantly diminishes the web browsing experience. Another important downside is data tracking. Once a query is entered, users are redirected to search.yahoo.com and end up searching via the Yahoo search engine. This makes srcbar.com useless and irrelevant - it simply causes redirects. Another issue is information tracking.
Search Manager and srcbar.com continually gather data such as IP addresses, search queries, URLs visited, pages viewed, and so on.
Collected data often includes personal details that developers share with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals). These people misuse private data to generate revenue - behavior that can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. If you encounter redirects to srcbar.com, immediately eliminate the Search Manager browser hijacker and never return to this site.
Name | Search Manager browser hijacker |
Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser(s) settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). User's are forced to visit hijacker's website and search the Internet using their search engines. |
Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers. |
Damage | Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites. |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
srcbar.com shares many similarities with go.deepteep.com, myfirsttab.com, searchfortplus.com, and dozens of other browser-hijacking websites.
All claim to enhance the browsing experience and generate improved results (and sometimes other 'useful features', such as shortcuts to popular websites, weather forecasts, etc.), however, these are merely attempts to give the impression of legitimacy. These websites give no value for regular users. Fake search engines are designed only to generate revenue for the developers.
Rather than enabling the functions promised, websites such as srcbar.com cause unwanted redirects and gather sensitive information. Some even generate misleading search results and intrusive advertisements (leading to potentially malicious websites). Therefore, using fake search engines often leads to system infection.
How did Search Manager install on my computer?
Although Search Manager has an official download/promotion website, it typically infiltrates systems without permission, since developers promote this potentially unwanted program (PUP) using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" and intrusive advertisements. Essentially, "bundling" is stealth installation of unwanted programs together with regular software.
Developers do not disclose this information properly - they hide "bundled" PUPs within "Custom/Advanced" settings or other sections of the download/installation processes, whilst intrusive ads redirect to malicious sites and execute scripts that stealthily download and install malware/PUPs.
Many users rush download/installation processes and skip steps. Furthermore, they click various advertisements without understanding the possible consequences. This behavior often leads to inadvertent installation of various PUPs, such as Search Manager.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent PUP infiltration, be very cautious when downloading/installing software and browsing the Internet in general. Select "Custom/Advanced" settings and closely analyze each step of the download/installation processes. Decline offers to download/install additional programs and opt-out of those already included.
In addition, avoid using third party download/installation tools, since developers monetize them by promoting PUPs. Software should be downloaded from official sites only using direct links.
Intrusive ads typically seem legitimate, but once clicked, redirect to untrustworthy sites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, etc.) Most are delivered by adware-type programs. If you encounter them, immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser plug-ins. The key to computer safety is caution.
Appearance of srcbar.com website:
Website promoting Search Manager browser hijacker:
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Quick menu:
- What is srcbar.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Search Manager application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove srcbar.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Search Manager browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove srcbar.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove srcbar.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Search Manager 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, "Search Manager"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the srcbar.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Search Manager 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://srcbar.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 "srcbar".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search manager 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 Manager" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
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.srcbar.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click 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 "srcbar.com", and 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 search manager 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 "Search Manager", as well as 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://srcbar.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: "srcbar"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with search manager 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 search manager 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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