Search-goal.com Redirect

What is search-goal.com?

The search-goal.com website is promoted using a rogue toolbar that infiltrates browsers via small download programs employed by freeware download websites including download.com, soft32.com, softonic.com, and many others.

The developers of this potentially unwanted application employ a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling', which allows installation of additional programs together with the chosen software without users' consent. Therefore, most users refer to Search-Goal as a virus or malware.

Following successful infiltration, Search-Goal carries out dubious functions such as changing Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox) settings without users' permission.

Furthermore, Search-Goal prevents users from reverting these modified settings since it installs together with a 'help project', which 'protects' Internet browser settings from being changed.

Most current freeware download websites use small download programs (download managers) as a free service monetization tool since they offer installation of promoted (according to the developers, '100% legitimate') browser extensions together with the chosen free software.

Although Search-Goal is not technically considered to be a virus or malware, be aware that it is categorized as adware, a browser hijacker, or a potentially unwanted application since it generates numerous intrusive online advertisements, causes browser redirects, and reduces Internet browser performance.

For these reasons, you are strongly advised to eliminate Search-Goal from your Internet browsers.

There are many rogue browser add-ons similar to Search-Goal such as Enhanced-Search, Royal-Search, Babylon, and many others. None of these browser extensions add any real value for the user.

These browser add-ons are developed by the same company (Babylon Ltd) and use deceptive methods to infiltrate Internet browsers. Installation of Search-Goal, or other similar browser hijackers, can be avoided by inspecting each step of the free software download process and clicking 'Decline' if installation of any additional programs is offered.

Furthermore, if you are installing downloaded software, select the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options, rather than 'Quick' or 'Typical' - this will reveal any bundled applications listed for installation and allow you to opt out.

If you have installed Search-Goal, and experience browser redirects to random websites, follow this removal guide to eliminate this browser hijacker from your Internet browsers.

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Quick menu:

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

Search-goal.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 "Search-Goal-Client", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program (which causes browser redirects to search-goal.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Search-goal.com homepage and default Internet search engine removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser hijackers:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Remove search-goal.com related Internet Explorer add-ons:

Click the "gears" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious browser 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://www.search-goal.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch 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, then remove "search-goal".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search-goal.com virus, 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:

Remove search-goal.com related Google Chrome extensions:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click on "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious add-ons, select these entries and click the trash can icon.

Change your homepage:

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 hxxp://www.search-goal.com and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.

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" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "search-goal" and add or select your preferred Internet search engine.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search-goal.com virus, 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:

Remove search-goal.com related Mozilla Firefox add-ons:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions", in the opened window remove any recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins.

Change your 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 hxxp://search-goal.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

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

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with search-goal.com virus 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-goal.com virus, 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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