Search.hprimesports.co Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is search.hprimesports.co?
search.hprimesports.co is another fake search engine that supposedly enhances the browsing experience by providing quick access to various popular websites and generating improved results.
Its appearance suggests that search.hprimesports.co is legitimate and useful, however, developers promote the site using a browser-hijacking application called Prime Sports, which often infiltrates computers without users’ permission. Furthermore, search.hprimesports.co and Prime Sports continually track browsing activity by recording various data.
As with most browser hijackers, Prime Sports targets Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Following successful infiltration, Prime Sports modifies the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options by assigning them to search.hprimesports.co.
These changes may seem insignificant, however, users are unable to revert them unless Prime Sports is uninstalled. Ultimately, users are forced to visit search.hprimesports.co when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar. This significantly diminishes the browsing experience.
In addition, search.hprimesports.co redirects users to search.yahoo.com each time they enter a search query. Therefore, users end up searching the web via Yahoo search engine, thus rendering search.hprimesports.co irrelevant and useless.
As mentioned above, users' browsing activity is also monitored, since search.hprimesports.co and Prime Sports gather information such as IP addresses, search queries, URLs visited, pages viewed, and other similar details relating to browsing activity. Personal details might also be recorded.
Furthermore, developers share this information with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who generate revenue by misusing private information. Therefore, information tracking might lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. You are strongly advised to eliminate the Prime Sports browser hijacker and never return to search.hprimesports.co.
Name | Prime Sports 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. |
search.hprimesports.co is virtually identical to search.searchipdf.com, search.htheweathercenter.org, search.htodayonlinenews.org, and many other sites. In fact, all fake search engines are very similar. By offering various "useful features", these sites attempt to give the impression of legitimacy. Websites such as search.hprimesports.co usually have just one purpose: to generate revenue for the developers.
They deliver no real value for regular users, cause unwanted redirects, and gather information, thereby diminishing the browsing experience and putting your privacy at risk.
Furthermore, some fake search engines generate misleading results and intrusive advertisements, most of which usually redirect to dubious (potentially malicious) websites. Therefore, using fake search engines can lead to high-risk computer infections.
How did Prime Sports install on my computer?
Prime Sports has an official download website, however, developers often proliferate these browser hijackers using intrusive advertising and "bundling" methods. Intrusive advertisements redirect users to malicious websites and run scripts designed to download/install malware. "Bundling" is stealth installation of third party applications.
Developers hide "bundled" apps within "Custom/Advanced" settings (or other sections) of the download/installation processes. Furthermore, many users often click various advertisements and skip steps, behavior that often leads to inadvertent installation of third party applications.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Lack of knowledge and careless behavior are the main reasons for computer infections. The key to computer safety is caution. Therefore, pay attention when browsing the internet and downloading/installing software.
Remember that intrusive advertisements usually seem legitimate, however, once clicked, redirect to dubious websites (gambling, pornography, and adult dating to name just a few). Intrusive advertisements are usually delivered by adware-type applications.
Therefore, if you encounter redirects to search.hprimesports.co, immediately remove all dubious applications and browser plug-ins. Furthermore, select "Custom/Advanced" settings and analyze each window of the download/installation processes. Opt-out of additionally-included programs and decline offers to download/install them.
Avoid using third party downloaders/installers, since they are often monetized using the "bundling" method. Software should be downloaded from official sources only, using direct download links. If your computer is already infected with Prime Sports, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Website promoting Prime Sports browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is search.hprimesports.co?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Prime Sports application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.hprimesports.co redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Prime Sports browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.hprimesports.co homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.hprimesports.co redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Prime Sports 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, "Prime Sports"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.hprimesports.co website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Prime Sports 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.hprimesports.co 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 "Prime Sports".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the prime sports 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 "Prime Sports" 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, disable "Prime Sports" look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.hprimesports.co) 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 "search.hprimesports.co", 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 prime sports 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 on "Extensions" and remove "Prime Sports" (or simply "Sports"), 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, disable "Prime Sports" (or simply "Sports") remove hxxp://search.hprimesports.co 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: "moz-extension"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with prime sports 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 prime sports 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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