SearchSpace search hijacker is an illustration of a typical unwanted program; such programs are spread enormously these days. In this page you will see the detailed guidance of SearchSpace hijacker elimination in various ways: using anti-malware tools and also manual removal process.
About SearchSpace hijacker origins
SearchSpace installation pop-up
SearchSpace search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is promoted as a plugin for your web browser. It is usually promoted as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that aids to browse some certain details, for example, about sporting activity events, make your web browser far more secure, allow downloading of any type of web video, et cetera.
Nevertheless, the SearchSpace plugin is quite ineffective since all such features are already embedded to your web browser and/or Windows. Such advertising and marketing mottos are targeted on low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. But sometimes even qualified users are getting caught on such an attraction. In specific scenarios, this hijacker is dispersed along with free apps.
Here is a summary for the SearchSpace hijacker
| Site | search-space.net |
| Hosting | AS12876 ONLINE S.A.S. France, Paris |
| Infection Type | Browser Hijacker, Unwanted Application |
| IP Address | 51.158.27.206 |
| Symptoms | Changed search engine; search queries redirection |
| Similar behavior | Safeplex Search, VideosSearches, PDFConverterSearch4free |
| Fix Tool | To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC |
How harmful is SearchSpace hijacker?
Besides its impracticality, SearchSpace hijacker is likewise fairly harmful for web browser usage. It modifies your search engine to its specific – search-space.net, and also transforms your background, putting its watermark on your background image (or, in some cases, altering it to default with the mentioned symptom).
In addition to aesthetic adjustments done by SearchSpace hijacker, you can observe that several of your search queries are redirecting to the unknown websites, filled with web links and ads – so-called doorway websites. Such sites can include the links for malware downloading. The chance of redirecting rises if you attempt to open Google search page forcibly.
SearchSpace hijacked the search engine
However all these actions are much more frustrating than truly harmful. The most important threat, specifically for people who have a great deal of secret information in their web browsers, is installed in data gathering functionalities. Cookie files, chats, often-visited sites and various other activities are easily collected by SearchSpace hijacker.
How to remove SearchSpace 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 fairly easy to remove. Usually, they have an independent app that can be spotted in the list of installed software. Due to the specific distribution method of SearchSpace hijacker, it can be simply tracked and removed manually. Nevertheless, if you got SearchSpace in the package with a free program( s), your system might be infected with far more dangerous malware – trojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I ‘d recommend you to use anti-malware tools to remove the SearchSpace PUA and all various other malware.
You can utilize Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of finding and removing different malware, including mentioned hijacker. However, serious malware, that might exist on your computer in the specified case, can disable the Windows antimalware tool by modifying the Group Policies. To avoid such situations, it is far better to make use of GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
To detect and erase all malicious applications 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 malicious programs, because it checks only the most popular registry entries and folders.
You can observe the detected malware sorted by their possible hazard during the scan process. But to choose any actions against the viruses, you need to wait until the scan is finished, or to stop the scan.
To set the action for every spotted malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of detected malicious app. By default, all the viruses will be moved to quarantine.
Reverting 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 virus, hence, you will surely see the result. This option can be found in the Tools tab.
After pressing the Reset Browser Settings option, the menu will be shown, where you can specify, which settings will be reverted to original.
Deleteing SearchSpace 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 the time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of 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 most large 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 SearchSpace?
Name: SearchSpace
Description: SearchSpace - 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 SearchSpace?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with SearchSpace (Search-space.net), 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
