How to remove FreeSportSearch browser plugin?

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The FreeSportSearch search hijacker is an example of a basic unwanted program; such applications are promoted massively these days. In this article you will see the detailed directions of “FreeSportSearch” hijacker removal in various tactics: using anti-malware tools and also manual removal method.
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FreeSportSearch – What is it?

“FreeSportSearch” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is spread as a plugin for your internet browser. It is typically advertised as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to search some particular details, for example, about sporting activity events, make your browser much more secure, allow downloading of any web video, and so on. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

Nevertheless, the “FreeSportSearch” plugin is fairly ineffective because all such functions are already embedded to your browser and/or Windows. Such advertising and marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, for example, pensioners or schoolchildren. But frequently even professional users are getting caught on such an appeal. In particular instances, this hijacker is distributed together with free software.

FreeSportSearch hijacker - Freesportsearch.com

FreeSportSearch Search Hijacker

Here is a summary for the FreeSportSearch hijacker
NAMEFreeSportSearch
SiteFreesportsearch.com
HostingAS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.
United States, San Francisco
Infection TypeBrowser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address172.67.190.16
SymptomsChanged search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behaviorSportssearchdirect, Safe2search, Searchhome
Fix Tool
To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is FreeSportSearch hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, FreeSportSearch hijacker is additionally considerably hazardous for web browser utilization. It modifies your search engine to its specific – Freesportsearch.com, and also changes your background, adding its watermark on your background image (or, sometimes, altering it to default with the mentioned symptom).

Apart from aesthetic changes done by FreeSportSearch hijacker, you can discover that a couple of your search queries are redirecting to the untrustworthy sites, filled with links and promotions – so-called doorway sites. Such websites can include web links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting rises if you try to start Google search page forcibly.

But all these actions are much more bothersome than truly damaging. The biggest danger, specifically for people who have a considerable amount of confidential information in their browsers, is embedded in information gathering capabilities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited sites, as well as other activities are simply collected by FreeSportSearch hijacker.

How to remove FreeSportSearch 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 typically very simple to deal with. Usually, they have a separate app that can be spotted in the list of installed software. Because of the certain marketing method of FreeSportSearch hijacker, it can be conveniently tracked and deleted manually. However, if you got FreeSportSearch in the package with a free applications, your PC may be contaminated with much more severe malwaretrojans, spyware or perhaps ransomware. That’s why I’d advise you use anti-malware programs to remove the FreeSportSearch PUA and all other malware.

You can use Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of recognizing and removing different malware, including mentioned hijacker. However, serious malware, that may exist on your computer in the specified case, can disable the Windows antimalware program by modifying the Group Policies. To keep away from such situations, it is better to use GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and remove all malicious programs on your personal computer 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 hazard till the scan process. But to choose any actions against malware, you need to hold on until the scan is finished, or to stop the scan.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware during the scan

To choose the action for each detected malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malicious program. By default, all malware will be removed 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 virus, 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 shown, where you can specify, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Reset Browser Settings options

Deleteing FreeSportSearch 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 FreeSportSearch?

Name: FreeSportSearch

Description: FreeSportSearch - 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 FreeSportSearch?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with FreeSportSearch (Freesportsearch.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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