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In this article we are going to try and help you remove Secure Surf Virus. Our instructions cover all Windows versions as well as most browsers – Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer etc.
If you are seeking information regarding Secure Surf Virus – an unwanted program that has recently gotten into your Chrome, Firefox or IE browser and filled it with new toolbars and search engines, changed its homepage or that suddenly redirects you to sites you don’t want to visit, look no further, for your search is over. Here, you can find all the info that you may need in order to successfully deal with the pesky software and also ensure that no similar programs get into your machine in the future.
A typical Browser Hijacker
The internet is filled with intrusive and invasive programs similar to Secure Surf Virus and most of them share similar traits and characteristics. Usually, when referring to such applications, the term Browser Hijackers is used due to their tendency to mess with the user’s browser and implement various unwanted changes to it. Most of the time, the purpose of those changes is online advertising, which is the main reason why Hijackers are created in the first place. The object of promotion could be anything – a website, an online service, another piece of software or something else. What’s more important is the way those are advertised. As you can probably already see this for yourself, the marketing methods employed by the program are annoying to say the least, though a more fitting adjective would be aggressive. This is also the main reason why most users would prefer to uninstall and remove the nagging piece of software ASAP.
But is it a virus?
For those of you concerned about your PC’s safety, we can generally say that Browser Hijackers like Secure Surf Virus are not all that threatening. Though they might sometimes look like some malicious Trojan horse or a Ransomware virus, they usually do not try to actually cause any harm to your system. Unlike the aforementioned types of malware, Hijackers do not focus on damaging your system like a typical Trojan would or locking your personal data – something that Ransomware viruses are known to do when they get on your PC. Another important difference between harmful malware and Browser Hijackers is that oftentimes programs like Secure Surf Virus can actually be legal. The same surely cannot be said with regards to actual PC viruses. Finally, keep in mind that Browser Hijackers are always making sure that they get noticed – after all, this is how advertising works. On the other hand, most malware threats are always trying to remain below the radar and execute their malicious task without being detected by either the user or the antivirus program that’s on the PC.
Common problems with Browser Hijackers
Having a new toolbar and search engine added to your browser is not the only potential issue that you might have with Secure Surf Virus. Apart from that, here are a number of other frequently encountered problems coming from Hijacker programs.
- One very common complaint from programs the likes of Secure Surf Virus is that they tend to flood the browser with banners, pop-ups and box messages that don’t go away no matter what you do and the only way to get rid of them is to eliminate what’s causing them, namely, the Browser Hijacker.
- In order to make your browsers more vulnerable to unwanted advertising, some Hijackers go as far as to modify your system’s registry. Though on its own this should not cause much harm, it could potentially leave your machine exposed to more serious threats.
- Another very unpleasant trait that many Hijackers possess is their ability to gather marketing info directly from your browser. They look through your history and recent search queries in order to figure out what you like and what your personal interests are. Later, this info is utilized within the Hijacker’s ads, making them seem more appealing to you.
How to fend them off
A lot of money is earned through the exploitation of unwanted programs like Secure Surf Virus. This means that they are likely to continue existing for quite some time, which is why users must learn how to keep their machines protected against such programs. The next several rules we are about to give you will help you with that.
- Do not visit sites with a shady reputation or ones that are filled with a lot of intrusive and suspicious banners, ads and pop-ups because those can oftentimes land you some piece of unwanted and maybe even dangerous software.
- Be extremely cautious when checking your email. Do not open any letters that are from unknown senders and that look like they might be spam. The same thing applies for any fishy Facebook/Skype messages that contain links or file attachments.
- Don’t install programs unless you are one hundred percent sure that they do not have any potentially unwanted programs bundled with them. In order to check this, take a careful look throughout the installer wizard (if there is an advanced setup option go for it). If you see that there are any added installs, look them up in order to determine whether or not they are unwanted and if they are, uncheck them before you go on to install the program.
Secure Surf Virus Removal
Many types of malware will restrict your access to their core files. It is highly recommended that you reboot your PC in safe mode before attempting to use this guide.
- To enable Safe Mode reboot you PC, then hit F8 repeatedly. When the corresponding menu opens please select Safe Mode with Networking.
WARNING! If you are using Windows 8,0 or later and/or your operating system is installed on a fast SSD drive this may fail to work. In this case click here to see how to start your PC in Safe Mode.
#1: Uninstall the malicious program from your control panel
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Enter control panel to look for any suspicious programs, which may have installed on your PC. To do that:
- Navigate to your Desktop
- Press simultaneously the Win button together with the R button (Win+R)
- In the Run window that just opened type appwiz.cpl
- Go through the list of programs and find Secure Surf Virus or anything else that may seem suspicious. Right-click on it and choose the uninstallation option
WARNING! Carefully read any confirmation messages that may be created in the process. Sometimes you may get offers to download more Adware applications and this can be linked to either the Yes or the No answer depending on the wording!
- Optional:
Go through the list of programs again and check online for any potentially unwanted programs. We have an article that covers this awesome free software that makes sure that your computer is free from bloatware and programs that you don’t need.
#2: Remove Secure Surf Virus From Chrome
Now we’ll remove the extensions that the malware has attached to your browser.
- Open your Google Chrome browser.
- Type chrome://extensions/ in the URL address bar and press Enter.
- Click on “Developer Mode” on the top right and look for the extension installed by Secure Surf Virus and anything that might be related to it. Copy their IDs (the string of letters), then remove them by clicking on the trash bin icon.
- Type Regedit in the Windows Start Menu and press Enter. Go in : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions and delete the entries corresponding to the suspicious IDs you recorded.
#3: Remove Secure Surf Virus From Firefox
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser.
- Type “about:support” in the URL address bar and press Enter.
- Click on the “Refresh Firefox” button on the right and confirm.
#4 Remove Secure Surf Virus From Internet Explorer
- Open your Internet Explorer internet browser.
- Click on the Gear icon on the up right, then on manage add-ons.
- Go through the list disable any suspicious extensions.
#5 Remove any leftover parasitic processes
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From the task manager:
- Use Ctrl + Shift + Esc and open the Task manager, then click on the Processes
- Go through the list of processes and look for unknown or otherwise suspicious entries.
- If you see anything suspicious right click on the process and shoes Open File Location, then terminate the process and delete any files you find in the directory.
WARNING! If the directory you open from this menu has no files inside of it it’s probably because the malware has hidden them. You need to reveal hidden files and folders in order to be able to see them. Click here if you don’t know how to do that.
From the start menu:
- Press simultaneously the Win button together with the R button (Win+R)
- In the Run window that just opened type msconfig
- Click on the Startup tab.
This menu controls which programs are loaded when windows starts after a reboot. Disable anything that seems suspicious. Optionally you can also disable any program that you don’t need and also has a high impact on your startup time.
Feel free to write to us in the comment section with any questions that you may have. Also if we have been helpful to you please share this article to help us reach more people like you.