The Games Search search hijacker is an illustration of a standard unwanted program; such programs are spread massively these days. In this article you will see the detailed instructions of “Games Search” hijacker removal in different tactics: using anti-malware tools and hand-operated elimination method.
Games Search – What is it?
“Games Search” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is spread as a plugin for your internet browser. It is usually shared as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that aids to browse some specific details, as an example, about sporting activity events, make your browser much more safe, allow downloading of any kind of video, et cetera.
However, the “Games Search” plugin is pretty ineffective because all such functions are already embedded to your web browser and/or Windows. Such advertising and marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. However occasionally even expert users are getting caught on such an attraction. In particular instances, this hijacker is spread together with free software.
Here is a summary for the Games Search hijacker
Site | Games-search.com |
Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. United States, San Francisco |
Infection Type | Browser Hijacker, Unwanted Application |
IP Address | 104.21.59.27 |
Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. San Francisco, United States |
Symptoms | Changed search engine; search queries redirection |
Similar behavior | Search, Quick, Hao123/ |
Fix Tool | To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC |
How harmful is Games Search hijacker?
Besides its impracticality, Games Search hijacker is likewise considerably harmful for browser utilization. It transforms your search engine to its specific – Games-search.com, and also transforms your background, adding its watermark on your wallpaper (or, occasionally, altering it to default with the specified symbol).
In addition to seeable modifications done by Games Search hijacker, you might notice that some of your search questions are redirecting to the uncertain web pages, filled with links and advertisements – so-called doorway sites. Such sites can have links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting rises if you try to open Google search page forcibly.
But all these actions are far more frustrating than truly dangerous. The most important risk, particularly for people who have a great deal of secret information in their browsers, is embedded in information collecting functions. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited sites, and other activities are easily collected by Games Search hijacker.
How to remove Games Search 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 pretty easy to delete. In many cases, they have an independent app that can be found in the list of installed apps. As a result of the certain distribution method of Games Search hijacker, it can be simply tracked and removed by hand. Nonetheless, if you got Games Search in the package with a free applications, your system might be contaminated with a lot more major malware – trojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I’d suggest you make use of anti-malware programs to remove the Games Search PUA and all other malware.
You can make use of Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of finding and removing a wide range of malware, including named hijacker. Nevertheless, significant malware, that might exist on your PC in the discussed situation, can disable the Windows antivirus tool by modifying the Group Policies. To avoid such scenarios, it is far better to make use of GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
To detect and delete all malicious programs on your PC with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to use Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the malware, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and directories.
You can observe the detected malicious apps sorted by their possible hazard during the scan process. But to perform any actions against malicious programs, you need to hold on until the scan is finished, or to stop the scan.
To set the action for every detected malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected virus. By default, all the viruses will be removed to quarantine.
Reset browser settings to original ones
To revert your browser settings, you are required to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action is not able to be counteracted by any malware, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be found in the Tools tab.
After choosing the Reset Browser Settings option, the menu will be displayed, where you can choose, which settings will be reverted to the original.
Deleteing Games Search 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 :
- Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
- 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 :
- Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
- In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :
After choosing this option, you will see the next message :
If you use Google Chrome
- Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
- In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
- 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
- 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 :
- 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 WoodhamHow to Remove Games Search?
Name: Games Search
Description: Games Search - 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 Games Search?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with Games Search (Games-search.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
User Review
( votes)References
- More information about PUAs
- Detailed review of Microsoft Defender