Eliminate browser redirects to splendidsearch.com

What is splendidsearch.com?

splendidsearch.com is a deceptive website that supposedly enhances the browsing experience by providing quick access to popular websites and generating improved search results.

Judging on appearance alone, splendidsearch.com may seem legitimate and useful, however, criminals promote it using browser-hijacking applications, which infiltrate computers without consent. In addition, there is a high probability that splendidsearch.com will record user-system information relating to browsing activity.

As mentioned, splendidsearch.com is promoted by a number of browser hijacking applications (e.g., Music Kingdom), all of which use different subdomains such as music.splendidsearch.com, video.splendidsearch.com, and so on (note that Mozilla Firefox users are redirected to gettheresult.net).

In any case, the hijacker assigns a specific URL as the homepage, default search engine, and homepage options. Each browser hijacker is delivered with an additional extension called Flash Media Start.

Although these changes may seem insignificant, users are unable to revert them, since the browser hijacker extension (in this example, Music Kingdom) together with Flash Media Start reassigns options (or simply prevents access) when attempts are made to change them.

Therefore, users are encouraged to visit splendidsearch.com when they open a new browser tab/window or search via the URL bar. This significantly diminishes the browsing experience. Furthermore, splendidsearch.com (and gettheresult.net) is a useless search engine - it simply redirects to search.yahoo.com.

Therefore, users end up searching the web via Yahoo (a legitimate search engine) and splendidsearch.com becomes redundant (since it generates no unique search results). Another significant downside is data tracking.

Browser-hijacking applications and fake search engines record information such as IP addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other similar information relating to browsing activity. The data is likely to contain personal details that developers share with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

These people generate revenue by misusing private data. Therefore, data tracking might lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. We strongly recommend that you eliminate all browser hijacking applications and never visit splendidsearch.com

Threat Summary:

Name	splendidsearch.com redirect
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Browser Extension(s)	The list includes Flash Media Start, Music Kingdom, and a number of others.
Serving IP Address	104.27.176.208
Affected Browser Settings	Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine
Symptoms	Manipulated Internet browser settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). Users are forced to visit the 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 browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

splendidsearch.com shares many similarities with dozens of other fake search engines, such as searchinggood.com, easyziptab.com, and gosearchsafely.com. Most claim to generate improved search results and provide other "useful features" (e.g., quick access to popular websites, local weather forecasts, currency exchange rates, etc.).

Websites such as splendidsearch.com have just one purpose: to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than giving any value, fake search engines cause unwanted redirects and gather sensitive data. The same applies to browser-hijacking applications.

How did browser hijackers install on my computer?

As mentioned above, splendidsearch.com is promoted using various browser-hijacking applications. Developers typically distribute them using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" and intrusive advertisements. "Bundling" is essentially stealth installation of third party applications with regular (typically free) software.

Developers hide "bundled" programs behind "Custom/Advanced" options (or other sections) of the download/installation processes. Intrusive advertisements redirect users to dubious websites and execute scripts that download/install unwanted applications. Furthermore, many users rush download/installation processes and skip steps.

In doing so, they expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

To prevent this situation, be very cautious when browsing the Internet and downloading/installing software. Study each step of the download/installation processes using the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings. Opt-out of all additionally-included programs and decline offers to download/install them.

We recommend that you avoid using third party downloaders/installers, since most are monetized using the "bundling" method (developers promote PUAs). You should download software from official sources only, using direct download links.

Intrusive advertisements typically seem legitimate, since developers invest many resources into intrusive ad design, however, they usually redirect to dubious websites, such as gambling, adult dating, pornography, and similar.

These ads are commonly delivered by adware-type applications, and thus we strongly advise you to uninstall all dubious applications and browser plug-ins, especially if you encounter these ads/redirects.

The key to computer safety is caution. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Appearance of splendidsearch.com website (GIF):

Website used promote Flash Media Start browser hijacker:

Flash Media Start browser hijacker in Google Chrome Web Store:

Website used promote Music Kingdom browser hijacker:

Music Kingdom browser hijacker in Google Chrome Web Store:

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▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

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

splendidsearch.com 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, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

splendidsearch.com 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://splendidsearch.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 "splendidsearch.com".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the splendidsearch.com redirect, 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 "Flash Media Start", "Music Kingdom" and/or 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 "Flash Media Start" or "Music Kingdom" (or any other extension), look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.splendidsearch.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, disable "Flash Media Start" or "Music Kingdom" (or any other extension), look for "splendidsearch.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 splendidsearch.com redirect, 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 "Flash Media Start", "Music Kingdom", 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://splendidsearch.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: "moz-extension"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with splendidsearch.com redirect 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 splendidsearch.com redirect, 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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