How to remove Epic browser plugin?

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The Epic search hijacker is an illustration of a standard unwanted program; such applications are promoted massively nowadays. On this page you will see the precise directions of “Epic” hijacker removal in several ways: making use of anti-malware programs and hand-operated removal procedure.
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Epic – What is it?

“Epic” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is distributed as a plugin for your web browser. It is typically marketed as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to browse some particular information, for example, about sport events, make your web browser a lot more secure, enable downloading of any video clip, et cetera. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

However, the “Epic” plugin is rather useless because all such features are currently embedded to your browser and/or system. Such marketing mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, for example, pensioners or schoolchildren. But occasionally even skilled users are getting caught on such a lure. In specific instances, this hijacker is dispersed along with free apps.

Epic hijacker - Epicsearches.com

Epic Search Hijacker

Here is a short info for the Epic hijacker
NAMEEpic
SiteEpicsearches.com
HostingAS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.
United States, San Francisco
Infection TypeBrowser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address104.21.33.34
SymptomsChanged search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behaviorGoodbyesearch, Websafetycheck, Seekforsearch
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To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is Epic hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, Epic hijacker is likewise pretty unsafe for web browser utilization. It transforms your search engine to its specific – Epicsearches.com, and additionally changes your background, putting its watermark on your wallpaper (or, in some cases, altering it to default with the specified symptom).

Apart from visual changes done by Epic hijacker, you can observe that several of your search inquiries are redirecting to the suspicious sites, full of links and ads – so-called doorway sites. Such websites can have web links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting increases if you attempt to launch Google search page forcibly.

But all these activities are far more bothersome than really harmful. The greatest threat, primarily for people who have a great deal of confidential information in their web browsers, is embedded in information gathering functions. Cookie files, chats, often-visited web pages, as well as other activities are simply gathered by Epic hijacker.

How to remove Epic search hijacker?

  • Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
  • Open GridinSoft Anti-Malware and perform a “Standard scan“.
  • “Move to quarantine” all items.
  • Open “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
  • Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
  • Restart your computer.

Browser hijackers are often very very easy to deal with. In most cases, they have a separate app that can be spotted in the list of installed software. As a result of the specific marketing way of Epic hijacker, it can be easily tracked and erased by hand. Nevertheless, if you got Epic in the package with a free applications, your system can be infected with far more serious malwaretrojans, spyware and even ransomware. That’s why I’d suggest you use anti-malware programs to deal with the Epic PUA and all various other malware.

You can make use of Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of recognizing and eliminating various malware, including named hijacker. Nevertheless, serious malware, that may exist on your personal computer in the specified situation, can disable the Windows antimalware tool by modifying the Group Policies. To avoid such circumstances, it is better to make use of GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and eliminate all unwanted applications on your PC with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to utilize Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the viruses, because it checks only the most popular registry entries and directories.

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

You can observe the detected malicious programs sorted by their possible harm simultaneously with the scan process. But to choose any actions against the viruses, you need to hold on until the scan is finished, or to stop the scan.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware during the scan

To set the action for each spotted virus or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malicious program. By default, all the viruses will be moved to quarantine.

List of the detected malware after the scan

Reset browser settings to original ones

To revert your browser settings, you need to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action cannot be counteracted by any malicious program, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be found in the Tools tab.

Tools tab in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

After choosing the Reset Browser Settings button, the menu will be displayed, where you can specify, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Reset Browser Settings options

Deleteing Epic hijacker manually

Besides using anti-malware software for browser restoration, you may choose the “Reset browser settings” function, which is usually embedded in all popular browsers.

To reset Edge, do the following steps :
  1. Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
  2. Reseting the Edge browser

  3. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :
For Mozilla Firefox, do the next actions :
  1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
  2. The first step to revert Mozilla Firefox

  3. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :
  4. The second step of Firefox restoration
    After choosing this option, you will see the next message :
    The last step for Firefox

If you use Google Chrome
  1. Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
  2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
  3. Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
Opera can be reset in the next way
  1. Open Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click “Advanced” option, and choose “Browser” button in the drop-down list. Scroll down, to the bottom of the settings menu. Find there “Restore settings to their original defaults” option :
  2. After clicking the “Restore settings…” button, you will see the window, where all settings, which will be reset, are shown :

As an afterword, I want to say that time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of the possibility of other malware injection. This malware can be downloaded autonomously, or offered for you to download in one of the windows with advertisements, which are shown to you by the hijacker. You need to act as fast as you can.

I need your help to share this guide.

Browser hijackers are among the largest and also disruptive kinds of malware. I published this article to help you, so I wish you will help me to make the computer world completely clean of malware. Please, share this article in the social networks you use – Twitter, Reddit, Facebook – wherever.
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Wilbur Woodham
How to Remove Epic?

Name: Epic

Description: Epic - a lot of users became a victim of browser hijacker. I have a lot of friends who literally bombed me with the questions like “how to remove Epic?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with Epic (Epicsearches.com), which may corrupt your browser’s correct performance, and create a lot of troubles while you are working.

Operating System: Windows

Application Category: Browser Hijacker

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References

  1. More information about PUAs
  2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender

About the author

Wilbur Woodham

I was a technical writer from early in my career, and consider IT Security one of my foundational skills. I’m sharing my experience here, and I hope you find it useful.

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