How to remove Defense-Search browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of application is Defense-Search?
We have discovered the Defense-Search browser extension during our periodical research on sites that use shady advertising networks. It was found that this app changes the settings of a browser to promote defense-search.xyz - a fake search engine. Apps that promote fake search engines this way are browser hijackers.
Defense-Search in detail
Defense-Search sets defense-search.xyz as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab page. It forces users to browse the web using a fake search engine that shows results generated by Bing (redirects to bing.com). The bigger problem is that fake search engines can show misleading results and results generated by shady search engines.
It is also common for browser hijackers to be designed to keep their settings unchangeable as long as they are active/present. Thus, fake search engines cannot be removed from the settings of hijacked browsers until apps that promote them are removed.
| Name | Defense-Search |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Browser Extension(s) | Defense-Search |
| Supposed Functionality | Improved browsing safety |
| Promoted URL | defense-search.xyz |
| Serving IP Address (defense-search.xyz) | 192.64.119.206 |
| Detection Names | N/A (VirusTotal) |
| 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. |
More about browser hijackers
Browser-hijacking apps can be designed to gather various data (for example, entered search queries, visited pages, etc.). In most cases, they are promoted and distributed using questionable (often deceptive) methods. Either way, it is strongly recommended not to have any browser hijackers installed on a browser or computer.
More examples of apps like Defense-Search are Baro Search, Search-Guard, moon darker.
How did Defense-Search install on my computer?
In most cases, browser hijackers are distributed using deceptive websites, fake installers, downloaders, and installers for other programs, shady advertisements. When installers have browser hijackers in them, browsers get hijacked after installing programs without changing "Custom", "Advanced", or similar settings.
How to avoid installation of unwanted applications?
Always use official pages and direct links as sources for downloading programs and files. Avoid using other sources (such as shady pages, third-party downloaders, P2P networks, etc.). Check downloaders and installers for "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings, and deselect unwanted apps before downloading and installing software.
Also, do not click on advertisements appearing while visiting questionable web pages and do not allow such pages to show notifications. If your computer is already infected with Defense-Search, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Defense-Search.xyz redirects to bing.com (GIF):
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is Defense-Search?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Defense-Search application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Defense-Search browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove defense-search.xyz homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove defense-search.xyz redirect from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Defense-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, "Defense-Search"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the defense-search.xyz website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Defense-Search browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
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 "Defense-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 "Defense-Search", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.defense-search.xyz) 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 "defense-search.xyz", 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 defense-search.xyz 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 plugins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Defense-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 "Defense-Search", remove hxxp://defense-search.xyz 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 defense-search.xyz 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 defense-search.xyz 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the purpose of forcing users visit defense-search.xyz website?
The creators of defense-search.xyz seek to increase website traffic because their revenue depends on the count of page visitors.
Is visiting defense-search.xyz a threat to my privacy?
To a certain extent, yes. It is possible that defense-search.xyz is designed to gather various information about visitors. The same applies to browser hijackers.
How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?
Browser hijackers are distributed using social engineering tactics, such as browser notifications, intrusive advertisements, etc. Also, they often are bundled with other software (included in downloaders and installers as additional offers).
Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Defense-Search browser hijacker?
Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your computer and eliminate browser-hijacking apps. Note that manual removal may not work when multiple browser hijackers are present that can reinstall one another. All of them have to be removed at once. It can be easily achieved with an app like Combo Cleaner.
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