Custom Search Google Virus

Custom Search Google

If you’ve noticed a strange program called Custom Search Google in your web browser, you’re likely experiencing some frustration while browsing the internet. Custom Search Google is part of a family of software called Browser Hijackers. Its main goal is to take control of your web browser and use it to generate lots of annoying ads and send you to sponsored websites. You can easily spot Custom Search Google because it quickly changes your browser settings, like your homepage, and bombards you with intrusive ads. This can make your browser slower, consume more data, and overall disrupt your browsing experience. To fix this, you need to remove the hijacker to restore smooth browsing.

Custom Search Google Virus

The confusion around Custom Search Google comes from some users mistaking it for the Custom Search Google virus. This misunderstanding often arises because it’s challenging to undo the browser changes Custom Search Google makes. However, it’s crucial to clarify that this software is not a virus; it’s a Browser Hijacker with different intentions. Unlike viruses that harm your system files, Browser Hijackers focus on controlling your web browser. They redirect your web traffic, bombard you with unwanted ads, and display continuous pop-ups. While not traditional viruses, Browser Hijackers like the “Custom Search Google virus” can still pose significant security and privacy risks, exposing your system to harmful content and potential data breaches.

What is Custom Search Google?

To understand what Custom Search Google is all about, it’s essential to know how such intrusive programs work. Browser Hijackers often come bundled with free software downloads, hidden within software agreements. Users unwittingly agree to their installation without realizing the impending intrusion. Once inside your system, Custom Search Google, Ssj4.io or SMApps takes control of your main web browser by making unauthorized changes to your default search engine and homepage settings. It can also manipulate your search results, often directing you to dubious websites with sponsored content. All these actions aim to generate profits for the program’s creators by showing you more ads, increasing website traffic, and encouraging more clicks. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of your smooth browsing experience.

Custom Search Google Pop-ups

A constant flood of Custom Search Google pop-up ads while you’re online is a clear sign of a Browser Hijacker’s presence. These pop-ups may appear harmless at first but can be risky because they might display deceptive notifications or tempting offers. It’s wise to avoid interacting with these Custom Search Google pop-ups, as a single click could introduce unwanted software or redirect you to harmful websites. Staying cautious and refraining from engaging with content generated by the browser hijacker is a good practice to ensure your online safety.

Custom Search Google on Chrome

Google Chrome’s popularity makes it a target for Browser Hijackers like Custom Search Google. When Custom Search Google on Chrome gets installed, it takes over the browser, making unauthorized changes to its settings and behavior. This intrusive program can set its own search engine, change your homepage, clutter Chrome with unwanted extensions, and show search results that promote its own pages. The good news is you don’t have to tolerate these unwanted changes. You can use a removal guide to get rid of Custom Search Google on Chrome and reset your browser to its original state.

Google Custom Search

The Google Custom Search is an authentic search platform crafted by Google. Nevertheless, numerous browser hijackers (such as oursurfing, istartsurf, istart123) have been observed rerouting users’ search requests to cse.google.com without their authorization. It’s important to emphasize that Google Custom Search is not a browser hijacker and bears no malevolent intent. However, on occasion, malicious software may tamper with browser configurations, leading to the display of Google Custom Search. Cybercriminals leverage Google Custom Search to profit from each search query conducted by victims, aiming to generate revenue through this deceptive tactic. While the act of redirection itself may not directly harm your computer, it can disrupt your browsing experience and expose you to content you may not want to interact with, such as misleading ads and questionable links. However, there is a way to regain control. You can conduct a system scan using a reliable antivirus program and follow a detailed manual removal guide to get rid of Custom Search Google.

SUMMARY:

How to Remove Custom Search Google

To try and remove Custom Search Google quickly you can try this:

1. Go to your browser’s settings and select More Tools (or Add-ons, depending on your browser).
2. Then click on the Extensions tab.
3. Look for the Custom Search Google extension (as well as any other unfamiliar ones).
4. Remove Custom Search Google by clicking on the Trash Bin icon next to its name.
5. Confirm and get rid of Custom Search Google and any other suspicious items.

If this does not work as described please follow our more detailed Custom Search Google removal guide below.

If you have a Windows virus, continue with the guide below.

If you have a Mac virus, please use our How to remove Ads on Mac guide.

If you have an Android virus, please use our Android Malware Removal guide.

If you have an iPhone virus, please use our iPhone Virus Removal guide.

Some of the steps may require you to exit the page. Bookmark it for later reference.
Next, Reboot in Safe Mode (use this guide if you don’t know how to do it).

Uninstall the Custom Search Google app and kill its processes

The first thing you must try to do is look for any sketchy installs on your computer and uninstall anything you think may come from Custom Search Google. After that, you’ll also need to get rid of any processes that may be related to the unwanted app by searching for them in the Task Manager.

Note that sometimes an app, especially a rogue one, may ask you to install something else or keep some of its data (such as settings files) on your PC – never agree to that when trying to delete a potentially rogue software. You need to make sure that everything is removed from your PC to get rid of the malware. Also, if you aren’t allowed to go through with the uninstallation, proceed with the guide, and try again after you’ve completed everything else.

• Uninstalling the rogue app
• Killing any rogue processes

Type Apps & Features in the Start Menu, open the first result, sort the list of apps by date, and look for suspicious recently installed entries.

Click on anything you think could be linked to Custom Search Google, then select uninstall, and follow the prompts to delete the app.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, click More Details (if it’s not already clicked), and look for suspicious entries that may be linked to Custom Search Google.

If you come across a questionable process, right-click it, click Open File Location, scan the files with the free online malware scanner shown below, and then delete anything that gets flagged as a threat.

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After that, if the rogue process is still visible in the Task Manager, right-click it again and select End Process.

Undo Custom Search Google changes made to different system settings

It’s possible that Custom Search Google has affected various parts of your system, making changes to their settings. This can enable the malware to stay on the computer or automatically reinstall itself after you’ve seemingly deleted it. Therefore, you need to check the following elements by going to the Start Menu, searching for specific system elements that may have been affected, and pressing Enter to open them and see if anything has been changed there without your approval. Then you must undo any unwanted changes made to these settings in the way shown below:

• DNS
• Hosts
• Startup
• Task
  Scheduler
• Services
• Registry

Type in Start Menu: View network connections

Right-click on your primary network, go to Properties, and do this:

Type in Start Menu: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Type in the Start Menu: Startup apps

Type in the Start Menu: Task Scheduler

Type in the Start Menu: Services

Type in the Start Menu: Registry Editor

Press Ctrl + F to open the search window

Remove Custom Search Google from your browsers