Remove Search the web Redirect — How to Fix Guide

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The Search the web search hijacker is an illustration of a basic unwanted program; such applications are promoted enormously nowadays. On this page you will see the precise guidelines of “Search the web” hijacker elimination in several methods: making use of anti-malware tools and also hand-operated removal technique.
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Search the web – What is it?

“Search the web” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is spread as a plugin for your web browser. It is usually promoted as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to search some particular details, as an example, about sporting activity events, make your web browser a lot 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 “Search the web” plugin is rather useless since all such features are currently embedded to your browser and/or system. Such advertising and marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, such as pensioners or schoolchildren. However frequently even experienced users are getting caught on such an attraction. In specific instances, this hijacker is dispersed together with free apps.

Search the web hijacker - Altagit.com

Search the web Search Hijacker

Here is a short details for the Search the web hijacker
NAMESearch the web
SiteAltagit.com
HostingAS16509 Amazon.com, Inc.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Infection TypeBrowser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address13.227.211.13
SymptomsChanged search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behaviorSocial, Instant, Mountain
Fix Tool
To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is Search the web hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, Search the web hijacker is additionally considerably hazardous for browser usage. It modifies your search engine to its particular – Altagit.com, and also changes your background, putting its watermark on your background image (or, occasionally, altering it to default with the mentioned symptom).

Besides seeable adjustments done by Search the web hijacker, you can discover that a number of your search questions are redirecting to the dubious websites, full of web links and promotions – so-called doorway sites. Such sites can have links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting boosts if you attempt to launch Google search page by force.

But all these actions are much more frustrating than truly hazardous. The major risk, primarily for individuals who have a great deal of secret information in their web browsers, is embedded in information collecting capabilities. Cookie files, chats, often-visited websites, and other activities are easily collected by Search the web hijacker.

How to remove Search the web 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 usually quite very easy to delete. For the most part, they have a separate app that can be found in the list of installed software. As a result of the particular marketing method of Search the web hijacker, it can be quickly tracked and erased by hand. Nonetheless, if you got Search the web in the bundle with a free applications, your computer may be infected with a lot more dangerous malwaretrojans, spyware or perhaps ransomware. That’s why I’d suggest you use anti-malware tools to remove the Search the web PUA and all other malware.

You can make use of Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of recognizing and eliminating different malware, including named hijacker. However, serious malware, that might exist on your PC in the discussed situation, can disable the Windows antivirus program by editing the Group Policies. To prevent such scenarios, it is better to use GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and erase all malicious programs on your personal computer with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to use Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the viruses, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and directories.

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

You can see the detected malicious apps sorted by their possible harm simultaneously with the scan process. But to choose any actions against malicious programs, 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 each detected virus or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malware. 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 reset 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 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 Search the web 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 Search the web?

Name: Search the web

Description: Search the web - 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 Search the web?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with Search the web (Altagit.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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