What is ProVideoSearch browser plugin? — Fix Guide

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The ProVideoSearch search hijacker is an illustration of a basic unwanted program; such applications are distributed massively nowadays. On this page you will see the complete guidance of “ProVideoSearch” hijacker removal in various tactics: using anti-malware programs and hand-operated elimination process.
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ProVideoSearch – What is it?

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

Nonetheless, the “ProVideoSearch” plugin is quite useless since all such features are already integrated to your browser and/or Windows. Such marketing mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, such as pensioners or schoolchildren. But sometimes even qualified users are getting caught on such an attraction. In certain instances, this hijacker is dispersed along with free programs.

ProVideoSearch hijacker - Provideosearch.com

ProVideoSearch Search Hijacker

Here is a summary for the ProVideoSearch hijacker
NAMEProVideoSearch
SiteProvideosearch.com
HostingAS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.
United States, San Francisco
Infection TypeBrowser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address172.67.180.82
SymptomsChanged search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behaviorSearch, Gopdfconvertersearch, Netmoviesearch
Fix Tool
To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is ProVideoSearch hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, ProVideoSearch hijacker is likewise quite hazardous for web browser use. It transforms your search engine to its specific – Provideosearch.com, and also changes your background, adding its watermark on your background image (or, sometimes, changing it to default with the mentioned symptom).

Besides viewable adjustments done by ProVideoSearch hijacker, you may discover that some of your search queries are redirecting to the uncertain sites, filled with web links and advertisements – so-called doorway websites. Such websites can contain links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting boosts if you try to start Google search page forcibly.

But all these actions are far more frustrating than truly dangerous. The largest risk, specifically for individuals who have a huge amount of confidential information in their browsers, is installed in data gathering functionalities. Cookie files, chats, often-visited websites, and other activities are simply gathered by ProVideoSearch hijacker.

How to remove ProVideoSearch 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 easy to delete. In many cases, they have a separate app that can be spotted in the list of installed apps. Due to the specific marketing method of ProVideoSearch hijacker, it can be conveniently tracked and erased manually. Nonetheless, if you got ProVideoSearch in the bundle with a free applications, your system might be contaminated with a lot more serious malwaretrojans, spyware and even ransomware. That’s why I’d suggest you use anti-malware tools to remove the ProVideoSearch PUA and all various other malware.

You can make use of Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of detecting and removing a wide range of malware, including named hijacker. However, major malware, that might exist on your PC in the specified situation, can disable the Windows antimalware program by editing the Group Policies. To keep away from such situations, it is far better to utilize GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and eliminate all unwanted applications on your computer 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 checks only the most popular registry entries and directories.

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

You can observe the detected malware sorted by their possible harm simultaneously with the scan process. But to choose any actions against malicious apps, 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 virus. By default, all malware 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 are required 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 pressing 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 ProVideoSearch 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 ProVideoSearch?

Name: ProVideoSearch

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