Nation Search Virus

What is Nation Search?

The Nation Search (search.nation.com or avg.nation.com) browser hijacker installs together with free software and modifies users' Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox) settings by changing the homepage and default search engine.

This browser toolbar is developed by InfoSpace and promoted using a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling'.

Many computer users refer to Nation toolbar as a virus or malware. These negative associations are made since many Internet users feel that this browser add-on was installed on their computers without their consent. Technically, Nation toolbar is not a virus or malware, however, it is categorized as adware or a potentially unwanted application.

Recent research shows that this toolbar is bundled with AVG Free Antivirus 2014 (a legitimate antivirus program). Computer users who do not pay close enough attention to the installation steps of this free software, inadvertently install Nation toolbar, thus causing unwanted browser redirects to avg.nation.com

Note that the search.nation.com and avg.nation.com websites use an Internet search engine, which can be used to find information on the Internet; although these websites appear to return legitimate search results, the results pages are crowded with dubious sponsored results. Clicking on these can lead to installation of additional adware or even malware.

Nation Search toolbar is similar to other potentially unwanted browser add-ons distributed using free software downloads (via download clients and installers). Examples include Babylon toolbar, Delta Search Toolbar, SearchGol toolbar, and many others. This toolbar is known to cause browser redirects to search.nation.com, avg.nation.com, and isearch.nation.com

The best way to avoid installation of such potentially unwanted browser plugins (which add no significant functionality and cause redirect issues), is to pay close attention when downloading and installing free software. Internet users should be aware that, today, the majority of free software download websites use download clients and installers to monetize their free services.

Download clients offer (some in a very deceptive way) installation of additional (promoted) free browser add-ons together with the chosen freeware. If your download is managed by a download client, decline any offers to install additional browser extensions.

When installing freeware, choose the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options. This will reveal any hidden options that you may decline. To remove Nation toolbar from your system, use removal instructions provided.

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Quick menu:

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

Nation search virus 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 "Nation toolbar" (AVG Nation toolbar) select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling potentially unwanted programs (which cause browser redirects to the search.nation.com or avg.nation.com websites), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components.

To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software. Remove all entries that this program detects to ensure your PC is clean from any possible spyware and malware infections.

Search.nation.com homepage and default search engine removal from browsers:

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click on the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Manage Add-ons". Look for "Nation toolbar" (AVG Nation toolbar), select these entries and click "Remove".

Change homepage:

To change your homepage from search.nation.com (or avg.nation.com) to your preferred domain, click on the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Internet Options", in the opened window remove search.nation.com (or avg.nation.com) and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer.

Change default search engine:

Click on 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 remove "Nation Search" (AVG Nation Search).

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.nation.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 "Tools" and click on "Extensions".  Locate "Nation.com - Advanced Search", select it and click on the trash can icon.

Change homepage:

Change Google Chrome homepage from search.nation.com to you preferred domain - Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) select "Settings". In the "On startup" section click "set pages", hover your mouse over search.nation.com and click the x symbol. Now you can add your preferred website as your homepage.

Optional method:

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

Click on the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Nation toolbar".

Change homepage:

To reset your homepage, click on the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) then select "Options", in the opened window remove search.nation.com and enter your preferred domain.

Change 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: "nation"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with search.nation.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 search.nation.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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