How to remove LightningFastSearch browser plugin?

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The LightningFastSearch search hijacker is an illustration of a typical unwanted program; such applications are promoted massively nowadays. In this article you will see the precise information of “LightningFastSearch” hijacker removal in various methods: using anti-malware tools and hand-operated elimination method.
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LightningFastSearch – What is it?

“LightningFastSearch” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is spread as a plugin for your web browser. It is usually marketed as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to browse some certain info, as an example, about sporting activity events, make your web browser much more safe, enable downloading of any type of video clip, and so on. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

Nevertheless, the “LightningFastSearch” plugin is quite ineffective due to the fact that all such features are currently integrated to your web browser and/or system. Such advertising mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, for example, pensioners or schoolchildren. However often even experienced users are getting caught on such an attraction. In particular instances, this hijacker is distributed together with free software.

LightningFastSearch hijacker - Lightningfast-search.com

LightningFastSearch Search Hijacker

Here is a short info for the LightningFastSearch hijacker
NAMELightningFastSearch
SiteLightningfast-search.com
HostingAS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.
United States, San Francisco
Infection TypeBrowser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address172.67.213.253
SymptomsChanged search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behaviorNewz, Searchgoose, Poshukach
Fix Tool
To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is LightningFastSearch hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, LightningFastSearch hijacker is additionally rather harmful for browser use. It changes your search engine to its particular – Lightningfast-search.com, and likewise modifies your background, putting its watermark on your background image (or, in some cases, changing it to default with the mentioned sign).

Besides aesthetic alterations done by LightningFastSearch hijacker, you may see that many of your search questions are redirecting to the unfamiliar web pages, filled with links and ads – so-called doorway sites. Such sites can have links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting surges if you attempt to start Google search page by force.

However all these actions are much more annoying than truly damaging. The greatest hazard, specifically for people who have a great deal of secret information in their internet browsers, is embedded in information gathering capabilities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited web pages, as well as other activities are easily gathered by LightningFastSearch hijacker.

How to remove LightningFastSearch 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 fairly simple to remove. Usually, they have a separate application that can be spotted in the list of installed applications. Because of the specific marketing method of LightningFastSearch hijacker, it can be easily tracked and erased by hand. However, if you got LightningFastSearch in the bundle with a free program, your PC may be infected with a lot more dangerous malwaretrojans, spyware or perhaps ransomware. That’s why I’d advise you utilize anti-malware tools to delete the LightningFastSearch PUA and all various other malware.

You can use Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of detecting and clearing away various malware, including named hijacker. However, major malware, that may be present on your PC in the discussed instance, can disable the Windows antivirus tool by modifying the Group Policies. To stay clear of such situations, it is better to use GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and delete all malicious applications on your desktop with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to utilize Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the malware, because it checks only the most popular registry entries and folders.

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

You can observe the detected malware sorted by their possible hazard during the scan process. But to perform any actions against the viruses, you need to wait until the scan is finished, or to stop the scan.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware during the scan

To choose the action for every spotted malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malicious program. By default, all malware will be moved to quarantine.

List of the detected malware after the scan

Reverting browser settings to original ones

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

Tools tab in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

After pressing 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 LightningFastSearch 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 LightningFastSearch?

Name: LightningFastSearch

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

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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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