How to remove the TV Search browser hijacker

What is TV Search?

TV Search is a browser hijacker endorsed as a tool supposedly capable of providing access to various free TV and movie streaming services. This software modifies browser settings to promote services.gettvsearch-svc.org (a fake search engine). Furthermore, it monitors users' browsing activity.

Due to the dubious methods used to proliferate the TV Search browser hijacker, it is also classed as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).

Popular browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer are common targets of browsers hijackers. Following successful infiltration, they assign the addresses of their bogus search engines as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab/window URLs.

These alterations may seem insignificant, yet they significantly diminish the browsing experience. To elaborate, with TV Search installed each search made through the URL bar and each new browser tab/window opened redirects to services.gettvsearch-svc.org.

Fake search engines typically cannot provide unique results, and so they tend to redirect (or cause redirection chains ending with) legitimate sites. This is the case with services.gettvsearch-svc.org, which redirects to search.yahoo.com. All fake search engines are useless.

Furthermore, the modifications made are not easy to undo, as any changes users attempt to make are automatically reset (if access is allowed at all). Therefore, the browser hijacker must be eliminated to restore the hijacked browser. TV Search also has data tracking capabilities, which are employed to monitor and gather browsing-related information.

Data of interest includes URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, IP addresses, geolocations and users' personal information. This sensitive information is often shared with third parties, seeking to misuse it for financial gain, potentially, by putting it to criminal use.

In summary, the presence of data tracking software can lead to serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. To protect device and user safety, you are advised to immediately remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins.

Threat Summary:

Name	TV Search
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab.
Browser Extension(s)	TV Search
Supposed Functionality	Easy access to TV and film-related content.
Promoted URL	services.gettvsearch-svc.org
Serving IP Address (services.gettvsearch-svc.org)	104.28.12.108
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.

Speed Test Guide, PDF Opener, and World Events Today are some examples of other browser hijackers. PUAs often seem legitimate and useful, and people are tempted into downloading/installing them due to the various functions they offer, however, the features promised rarely work as advertised and, in most cases, are nonoperational.

The only purpose of these unwanted applications is to generate revenue for the developers. PUAs hijack browsers, cause redirects to untrusted and malicious web pages, deliver intrusive advertisements (pop-ups, banners, coupons, etc.) and track private data.

How did TV Search install on my computer?

TV Search has an "official" promotional site, from which it can be downloaded, however, the most common way that PUAs proliferate is via the download/installation set-ups of other software. This deceptive marketing technique of packing regular products with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".

When downloading/installing, skimming or ignoring terms, skipping steps, using pre-set options, etc. endangers devices with potential infiltration and infections originating from bundled content. Intrusive ads can also infiltrate these applications into systems. Once clicked, they can execute scripts to stealthily download/install PUAs.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

All products should be researched to verify their legitimacy, prior to download/installation. You are advised to use official and trustworthy download channels.

Sources such as unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule, etc.) and other third party downloaders can offer deceptive or bundled content and should thus be avoided. Treat download and installation processes with caution.

Read the terms, explore all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features and so on. Intrusive ads often seem normal and innocuous, however, they redirect to dubious web pages (e.g. pornography, adult-daring, gambling and others).

If you encounter these advertisements/redirects, check the system and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with TV Search, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

TV Search browser hijacker asking for permissions on Google Chrome:

TV Search browser hijacker asking for permissions on Mozilla Firefox:

Website promoting TV Search browser hijacker:

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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 TV Search?
• STEP 1. Uninstall TV Search application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove services.gettvsearch-svc.org redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove TV Search browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove services.gettvsearch-svc.org homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove services.gettvsearch-svc.org redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

TV Search 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, "TV Search"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the services.gettvsearch-svc.org website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

TV Search 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://services.gettvsearch-svc.org 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 "TV Search".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the services.gettvsearch-svc.org 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 "TV Search" 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 "TV Search", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.services.gettvsearch-svc.org) 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 "services.gettvsearch-svc.org", 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 services.gettvsearch-svc.org 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 "TV Search", 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 "TV Search", remove hxxp://services.gettvsearch-svc.org 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: "extensionControlled"
Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the button.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with services.gettvsearch-svc.org 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 services.gettvsearch-svc.org 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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