A potentially unwanted program (PUP) called Search WebHelp poses as a reliable browser plugin. This malware, which falls under the category of a browser hijacker, is well known for altering browser settings in order to advertise its own search engine at Searchwebhelp.com. At browser startup and when a user conducts an online search, the home page, new tab, and search tool will all use the aforementioned URL.
In addition to the hijacking that Searchwebhelp.com causes, the severe ads that result from its functioning can literally impede a user’s online activity by flooding the browser. Computer security experts also labeled the main program, Search WebHelp as adware or ad-supported software for this extremely obtrusive revenue-generating activity.
Sources of Search WebHelp infection
Freeware, nefarious advertisements, phony software upgrades, and direct downloads are common sources of Search WebHelp adware. But the software bundling scheme is so far the most effective and probably the favorite method of adware makers in deploying their products. Users of computers are not required to participate in or approve of this strategy. Once the setup file is run on the computer, Search WebHelp is activated. As Search WebHelp and the host software are being installed simultaneously, adware is being installed behind the scenes.
Those behind Search WebHelp are funding an underground ad network to advertise the host application or direct users to its location as support for this software bundling technique. This is the reason why users of problematic websites that are engaged in illicit media streaming, cracked software, online gaming, and adult-oriented websites frequently see pop-ups and redirects pushing harmful programs. Risky advertisements can be found on these websites. By clicking on them, the browser would be directed to a partner website where a drive-by download method could be used to automate the installation of Search WebHelp.
Avoiding the Searchwebhelp.com hijacker
There is little question that having Search WebHelp enabled on the browser will only cause issues. Pop-ups should not appear by blocking access to its URL Searchwebhelp.com from internet programs. This page contains a detailed removal method for the adware known as Search WebHelp. To guarantee that the threat is completely eliminated, make sure to adhere to the instructions below.
Searchwebhelp.com Removal Procedure
Below is a systematic instruction that is very useful in getting rid of the potentially unwanted program (PUP) from compromised Windows computer. Aside from removing the malicious browser extension, this guide is also helpful in deleting browser hijacker and pop-ups.
In order to totally eliminate the threat, it is vital to follow the process in exact manner.
Quick Fix - Scan the PC with Combo Cleaner for Windows
Combo Cleaner is a trusted PC security and optimization tool equipped with powerful virus and malware detection engine. This program can get rid of browser hijacker like Searchwebhelp.com through this procedure.
1. Download the application from the following page:
2. Save the file to your preferred location.
3. Double-click the downloaded file CCSetup.exe and install with the default settings.
4. At the end of the setup process, click Finish to run Combo Cleaner.
5. The tool will update the signature file, please wait for this process to complete.
6. To begin checking for threats like Searchwebhelp.com, click on the Start Scan button. Wait for this scan to finish.
7. At the end of the scan process, click on Remove all threats to delete Searchwebhelp.com hijacker including all malicious objects from the computer.
Free features of Combo Cleaner for Windows includes Disk Cleaner, Big Files finder, Duplicate files finder, and Uninstaller. To use antivirus, privacy scanner, and to delete identified threats, users have to upgrade to a premium version.
Please continue with the succeeding removal procedures if your are comfortable to manually get rid of the threat and malicious items linked with it.
Step 1 : Delete Searchwebhelp.com Browser Extension
Most adware and unwanted programs are using a program called browser extension to be able to take over the settings of internet applications. Therefore, we highly recommend to check and remove the extension that is closely related to Searchwebhelp.com.
Remove Searchwebhelp.com Extension from Google Chrome
1. Open Google Chrome browser.
2. Type chrome://extensions/ in the address bar and press Enter on keyboard.
3. Find Searchwebhelp.com or relevant entry and remove it from Google Chrome browser.
Uninstall Searchwebhelp.com Extension from Mozilla Firefox
1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:addons in the address bar and press Enter on keyboard.
3. Choose Extensions on sidebar menu.
4. Look for object that is pertaining to Searchwebhelp.com and remove it from the browser.
After deleting the malicious browser extension, it is expected that Searchwebhelp.com is also gone from the homepage.
Remove Searchwebhelp.com Add-ons from Internet Explorer and Edge Browser
1. Open Internet Explorer program.
2. Go to top Menu and click Tools. Then, select Manage Add-ons from the drop-down list.
3. Look for and Remove or Disable entries of Searchwebhelp.com from Toolbars and Extension. Additionally, delete unwanted entry from Search Providers section.
4. Close the window and restart Internet Explorer.
If Searchwebhelp.com is still present on the IE browser and there are still unwanted homepage and pop-ups, another option is to remove the adware from Windows Control Panel.
5. Press Windows Key + R and then, type appwiz.cpl command.
6. Program and Features window will open. Arrange the list in chronological manner with recently installed applications on top. To do this, click on 'Installed On' column.
7. Select Searchwebhelp.com or recently installed unwanted entry. Then, click on Uninstall to remove it from Windows system.
Step 2 : Scan the computer with Sophos Antivirus
To remove Searchwebhelp.com automatically, scanning the computer with this powerful anti-virus tool is recommended. This scanner does not just uncover known threats like viruses or malware, it is also effective in discovering browser hijacker like Searchwebhelp.com that slows down online browsing activities.
1. Download Sophos Virus Removal Tool from the link below. Save the file on your computer where you can easily access it.
2. Once the download completes, browse the location of the file. Double-click to run the program and begin the install process.
3. On first windows of installation wizard, click Next to continue. Then, it will display the program’s License Agreement. You need to Accept the terms in order to proceed. If Windows prompts for User Account Control, please click Yes to proceed.
4. On succeeding windows, click Next or Continue to carry on with the installation. After completing the installation process, Launch Sophos Virus Removal Tool.
5. Internet connection is required when running this scanner in order to download important updates. Make sure that everything is up-to-date to effectively remove malicious program like Searchwebhelp.com.
6. Click the button to carry out the Scan. This will check the system for presence of malicious objects, malware, and viruses. The tool reveals items that were found linked to Searchwebhelp.com and other suspicious entities. Be sure to remove all identified threats.
The above procedures should have totally eliminated the Searchwebhelp.com browser hijacker. However, if you found that there are still remnants of the threat, please proceed to manual removal of associated objects as outlined below.
Step 3 : Scan and Delete Adware with AdwCleaner
In addition to the procedure, we suggest scanning the computer with AdwCleaner tool. Possibly, there are some traces of Searchwebhelp.com on the browser that was not deleted during the preceding steps. This tool will scan the computer and check for presence of malicious applications as well as invalid browser entries that produces hijacking, redirects, and pop-ups.
1. Follow the link below to download the tool called AdwCleaner.
2. When the download has completed, please close all running programs on the computer especially browsers affected by Searchwebhelp.com.
3. Browse the location of the downloaded file and double-click on adwcleaner_Ver.exe to start running the tool. Then, click on Scan button.
4. AdwCleaner searches the computer for malicious programs, extensions, plug-ins, adware, and any items that may be associated to Searchwebhelp.com. It will also check for suspicious entries on browser settings that is associated with the hijacker.
5. Clean or Remove all suspicious and harmful items identified after the thorough scan.
6. After the cleanup procedure, rebooting the computer is required to finalize the removal of detected threats.
Check if your internet browser application is no longer being bothered by Searchwebhelp.com. If the browser hijacker still persists, please continue with the steps below to reset internet programs to default settings.
Optional : Reset Internet Browser Program
Cleaning your internet browser from clutter and unwanted add-on/extension is a must when dealing with Searchwebhelp.com. The procedure below discuss on resetting various browsers to its default state.
Restore Google Chrome to Default Settings
Resetting Google Chrome to default settings is helpful in deleting hard-to-remove extension such as from Searchwebhelp.com. This method is highly advisable to perform if you have difficulty in removing unwanted extension.
1. Open Google Chrome Internet browser.
2. On the address bar, type chrome://settings/reset and press Enter key.
3. Under Reset and clean up section, choose Restore settings to their original defaults.
4. Click Reset settings button to clear all entries of Searchwebhelp.com.
5. Close the existing tab and restart Google Chrome. That should have removed Searchwebhelp.com extension and associated objects.
Reset Mozilla Firefox to Default
This section describes how to remove unwanted extension from Firefox that may be related to Searchwebhelp.com. This process can fix many browser issues by restoring Firefox to factory settings without affecting your essential information (bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, and Internet cookies) on the browser. If you desire to remove only specific extension, please see manual removal of add-on from Firefox.
1. Input the string about:support on Firefox web address and press Enter on keyboard.
2. You will now see the Troubleshooting Information page of Mozilla Firefox.
3. You will notice a section on upper-right corner of the screen stating Give Firefox a tune up. Click the Refresh Firefox button.
4. If confirmation window appears, click Refresh Firefox to continue.
5. Firefox browser will close and start the resetting process. When done, it will display a list of restored data. Searchwebhelp.com should be gone by now. Click Finish to open a fresh version of Firefox.
Restore Internet Explorer to Default Settings
1. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to top menu. Click Tools, and then Internet Options.
2. Select Advanced tab on Internet Options window.
3. On lower part of the window, under Reset Internet Explorer Settings area, click the Reset button. Please see image for reference.
Your data like favorites, bookmark, and history will remain in the browser. However, this process may delete add-ons by Searchwebhelp.com and other unknown objects. If you prefer to carry out the procedure manually, please add-on removal from Internet Explorer.
