Spot-search.com Redirect

What is spot-search.com?

Spot Search (another version of Bit Search) is a deceptive application claiming to enhance the Internet browsing experience by enabling advanced search results - "Spot Search aims to provide the ultimate online search experience. Our advanced technology provides you with the best of what the web has to offer, and makes it easier than ever to find exactly what you are searching for."

These promises are simply attempts to give the impression of a legitimate and useful app - Spot Search is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and as a browser hijacker.

There are a number of reasons for these associations. Spot Search often installs on the system without users' permission, and following installation, the browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox) settings are modified, unwanted browser redirects are generated, and Internet browsing activity is tracked.

After system infiltration, Spot Search assigns the browser new tab URL, homepage and default search engine settings to the spot-search.com website. Furthermore, it installs a number of applications/browser extensions designed to block attempts to roll back these changes.

As a result, users' Internet browsing experience is significantly diminished - when new browser tabs are opened or Internet searches are performed, users are redirected to spot-search.com. Spot Search also monitors Internet browsing activity and collects various information.

According to the developers (Babylon Ltd), this browser hijacker tracks no personally identifiable details. These claims are likely to be false.

Spot Search collects Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (to determine geographic locations), language settings, language settings, used software, websites visited, search queries, pages viewed, and other similar data -  clearly, this information may contain personally identifiable details (such as bank account login/passwords).

The developers of Spot Search later share collected information with third parties - these details can be misused, thereby causing serious privacy issues or even identity theft. Spot Search is a bogus application and a threat to your privacy and Internet browsing safety. It should be uninstalled immediately.

Spot Search Privacy Policy statement regarding data collection:

We do not collect personal identification information including names, phone numbers and addresses. Users might be asked to add their email address to get information about Babylon Software and other special offers from Babylon Ltd. We do collect information necessary to enable certain features in the Toolbar Platform. We do not sell, rent or trade any personally identifiable information you provide when using the Toolbar, Search Software or the Web Sites.

Spot Search has similar behavior to other browser hijacking apps such as delta-search.com, golsearch.com, search-goal.com, tika-search.com, enhanced-search.com, and royal-search.com. All browser hijacking apps are developed to offer 'useful' features in attempts to trick users into installation.

In fact, they simply display ads, cause unwanted browser redirects, diminish browser/computer performance, and collect user information. They provide no significant value, since their purpose is to generate revenue for the developers.

How did spot-search.com install on my computer?

Spot Search is mostly distributed using 'bundling' - a deceptive software marketing method allowing installation of third party apps along with the chosen software. Research shows that many users rush the download/installation processes and skip most steps.

Bogus apps such as Spot Search are usually hidden within the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings, and by skipping these steps, users risk computer infection. The amount of generated revenue is dependent on the number of distributed applications, and thus, developers often do not properly disclose installations.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

When downloading from a freeware download website, select the direct download link, rather than using a download application. If you are forced to use a download app, closely analyze each step and ensure that only the chosen software is downloaded.

Furthermore, never rush the installation procedure and use the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' options - this will reveal any third party programs listed for installation and allow you to decline them.

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Quick menu:

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

Spot-search.com 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 "Spot Search"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the spot-search.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Spot-search.com 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 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.spot-search.com 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 "Search The Web".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the spot-search.com browser hijacker, 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 "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious plug-ins, select such 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.spot-search.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 "spot-search" and add or select your preferred domain.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the spot-search.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 plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions" and remove all 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, remove hxxp://www.spot-search.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 "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "spot-search"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with spot-search.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 spot-search.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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