How to get rid of software causing redirects to search-mood.com

What is search-mood.com?

Search-mood.com is the address of a fake search engine. These sites cannot generate search results. However, this website is different, but its results are inaccurate and may include deceptive/harmful content.

Typically, illegitimate search engines are promoted (via redirects) by browser hijackers. These sites and the software endorsing them often have data-tracking functionalities.

How do browser hijackers promote search-mood.com?

Browser hijackers assigned the addresses of promoted websites as browsers' default search engines, homepages, and new tab/window URLs. With one endorsing search-mood.com installed: Web searches performed through the URL bar and new browser tabs/windows opened – would result in redirects to this website.

It is noteworthy that browser-hijacking software commonly employs persistence-ensuring techniques to prevent users from recovering their browsers.

Fake search engines usually cannot provide search results, so they redirect to Bing, Yahoo, Google, or other legitimate ones. Search-mood.com is an exception; however, the results it generates are inaccurate and include irrelevant, sponsored, untrustworthy, and potentially malicious content.

As previously mentioned, browser-hijacking software and illegitimate search engines usually collect sensitive user data. Targeted information may include: searched queries, visited URLs, viewed webpages, IP addresses, Internet cookies, personally identifiable details, account log-in credentials, finance-related data, etc. The gathered information can be shared with or sold to third-parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

To summarize, the presence of a browser hijacker on a device can result in system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	search-mood.com browser hijacker
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Affected Browser Settings	Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine
Detection Names	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	52.85.247.34
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).
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.

Fake search engine and browser hijacker examples

We have analyzed thousands of browser hijackers and fake search engines; Daily Jokes, Tennis Start, Infinity Search – are merely a couple examples of the former, and flashcleaner.xyz, resultstec.com, topwebanswers.com – of the latter.

This content usually appears legitimate and useful. However, it rarely operates as advertised. Note that even if a piece of software or a website works as indicated by its promotional material – that is not proof of either legitimacy or safety.

How did search-mood.com promoting software install on my computer?

"Bundling" – packing ordinary program installers with unwanted/malicious supplements – is used to proliferate browser hijackers. Download from dubious channels (e.g., freeware and third-party websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc.) and rushed installations (e.g., used "Quick/Easy" settings, etc.) – increase the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the device.

Intrusive advertisements are used to spread browser-hijacking software as well. Once clicked on, some of the adverts can execute scripts to perform stealthy downloads/installations.

Additionally, browser hijackers can have "official" promotional webpages, and they are endorsed on scam sites. Users primarily enter these pages via redirects caused by mistyped URLs, websites using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive ads, or installed adware.

How to avoid installation of browser hijackers?

We highly recommend researching software prior to download or purchase. Furthermore, all downloads must be performed from official and verified sources. Installation must be treated with caution, e.g., by reading terms, exploring possible options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting out of all supplementary apps, extensions, etc.

Another recommendation is to be vigilant while browsing since fraudulent and malicious content usually appears legitimate. For example, intrusive advertisements may look harmless yet redirect to unreliable/questionable websites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult dating, etc.).

In case of encounters with ads/redirects of this kind, check the device and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Appearance of a search-mood.com redirect (GIF):

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

Search-mood.com redirect 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, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Search-mood.com redirect 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 all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable the malicious extension (if present), look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search-mood.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 look for "search-mood.com", when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Delete".

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search-mood.com 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 plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Settings", in the opened window disable malicious extension (if present), remove hxxp://search-mood.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 "Accept the Risk and Continue".

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 search-mood.com 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-mood.com 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of forcing users to visit search-mood.com website?

Cyber criminals (i.e., developers of browser hijackers and fake search engines) generate revenue through redirects to sites like search-mood.com.

Is visiting search-mood.com a threat to my privacy?

Most likely, yes. Websites like search-mood.com typically collect (and sell) information about their visitors.

How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?

The most widely used distribution methods include: bundled installation setups, deceptive promotional webpages, dubious download channels (e.g., freeware and free file-hosting websites, P2P sharing networks, etc.), online scams, spam browser notifications, and intrusive advertisements.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove browser hijackers?

Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your computer and eliminate all the browser-hijacking applications installed. Keep in mind that manual removal (unaided by security software) might be ineffective, particularly in cases where multiple browser hijackers are present. Since after one is removed – the others may simply reinstall it. What is more, browser-hijacking software may be capable of denying access to removal-related settings. Therefore, it is crucial to eliminate browser hijackers thoroughly and all at once.

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