Search.protectedio.com Redirect

What is search.protectedio.com?

ProtectedIO claims to be a legitimate application helping users to prevent various computer infections - "ProtectedIO protects your computer from trojans, viruses and identity theft, without anti virus software, it already happens in the cloud - Fantastic!"

On initial inspection, this app may seem legitimate and useful, however, it is categorized as a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program (PUP). After successful infiltration, ProtectedIO modifies browser settings and tracks Internet browsing activity.

This application targets Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, assigning the default search engine, homepage, and new tab URL settings to the search.protectedio.com website. In addition, ProtectedIO installs a number of browser plug-ins and apps designed to block users from reverting these changes.

By modifying settings without permission, ProtectedIO significantly diminishes the Internet browsing experience, since users are continually redirected to search.protectedio.com without their consent. ProtectedIO is developed to gather various Internet browsing-related information.

Users may be unaware that the collected information might be personally identifiable and later shared with third parties. Thus, having ProtectedIO installed on your system can lead to various privacy issues. You are strongly advised to uninstall this browser hijacker immediately.

ProtectedIO Privacy Policy regarding information sharing:

ProtectedIO may share aggregated statistical information and profile information about users of the ProtectedIO website with third-parties, including distributors, vendors, advertisers actual and potential customers and business partners. This information is not linked to any personally identifiable information.

There are many browser hijackers with similar characteristics to ProtectedIO. All (including EasyMailLogin, search.com, and only-search.com) claim to enhance the Internet browsing experience by enabling certain features.

In fact, they merely cause unwanted browser redirects, track information, and display intrusive online advertisements to generate revenue for the developers. They provide no significant value for the user.

How did search.protectedio.com install on my computer?

ProtectedIO has an official download website, however, it is likely to be distributed using a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' (stealth installation of third party apps with the chosen software). Thus, it usually infiltrates systems without users' permission.

Many users do not express enough caution when downloading and installing software, and so hiding applications within the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings is very effective. In rushing these processes, and skipping most/all of the steps, users expose their systems to risk of infection and often unwillingly install potentially unwanted programs such as ProtectedIO.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

The key to computer safety is caution. Do not rush the download or installation processes. Follow each step to ensure that only the desired software is downloaded/installed. In addition, these processes should be performed using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' options, rather than 'Quick' or 'Typical' - this will reveal any bundled applications listed for installation and allow you to cancel them.

Screenshot of ProtectedIO application:

ProtectedIO browser hijacker installer set-up:

Website promoting ProtectedIO browser hijacker:

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Quick menu:

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

Search.protectedio.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 potentially unwanted applications (for example: "ProtectedIO version 1.1"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Search.protectedio.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.protectedio.com related Internet Explorer add-ons:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious browser extensions ("SecureWebBHO Class"), select such entries and click "Remove".

Fix Internet Explorer shortcut target:

This browser hijacker changes the "Target" field of the Internet Explorer shortcut. To fix this, locate the shortcut on your Desktop and click the right mouse button over it. In the opened menu, choose "Properties". In the opened window, locate the Target field and eliminate text (hxxp://search.protectedio.com/...), which is entered after "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe".

Change your homepage:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://search.protectedio.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 "protectedio".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.protectedio.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:

Remove search.protectedio.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.

Fix Google Chrome shortcut target:

This browser hijacker modifies the "Target" field of the Google Chrome shortcut. To fix this, locate the shortcut on your Desktop and click the right mouse button over it. In the opened menu, choose "Properties". In the opened window, locate the Target field, eliminate all the text (C:\Program Files (x86)\AFC Secure Net\amchromium…) and paste the original chrome.exe file path (usually "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe")

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://search.protectedio.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 "Search" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "protectedio" and add or select your preferred Internet search engine.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.protectedio.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:

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

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

Fix Mozilla Firefox shortcut target:

This browser hijacker changes the "Target" field of the Mozilla Firefox shortcut. To fix this, locate the shortcut on your Desktop and click the right mouse button over it. In the opened menu, choose "Properties". In the opened window, locate the Target field and eliminate all text (hxxp://search.protectedio.com/...), which is entered after "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"

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

Optional method:

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