Safesurfs.net Malware

This page aims to help you remove the http://safesurfs.net/ Virus. These Safesurfs.net removal instructions work for Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer, as well as every version of Windows.

http://safesurfs.net/ taking over your browser

Here’s a situation: you turn on your PC and open your browser in an attempt to browse the web and all of a sudden you realize that a barrage of rage-inducing ads has started to flood your screen – what is your first reaction? Well, many people tend to panic once they see that something’s not quite right with any aspect of their PC’s system. However, we are here to tell you that if you’re currently facing the problem we’ve just described, you probably have no reason to be worried for your machine’s well-being. If intrusive browser adverts are the most problematic issue that your PC currently has, then it’s almost certain that this is caused by browser hijacker, such as Safesurfs.net. In this article we will provide you with some more detailed information on what those programs are, what they do and how to prevent them from getting installed onto your computer in future. For those of you, who currently have http://safesurfs.net/ or other browser hijacker on their PC, we have a guide just below this article that will help you remove the unwanted piece of software.

A bit more about browser hijackers

A browser hijacker  s a specific type of browser program/browser extension that exists for the sole purpose of generating various kinds of adverts in your browser. Due to the fact that those ads tend to be heavily obstructive and may drastically decrease the quality of your browsing experience, any software that generates them (the browser hijacker) is considered a PUP (potentially unwanted program).

Why Safesurfs.net is not a virus or malware

Many people attach the words Safesurfs.net malware or virus together, however this is not really the case. It should be made clear that there’s a very distinct difference between PUP programs of the browser hijacker type (like http://safesurfs.net/) and malicious viruses. While programs that fall under the virus category, for example ransomware or Trojan Horses, are undoubtedly harmful to your system and files, software that is considered a PUP is generally considered quite harmless and non-threatening. In most cases, the main problem with unwanted programs like browser hijacker is that they obstruct your normal working process and needlessly decrease the productivity of your PC due to their resource consumption.

Does a browser hijacker contain any security hazards?

Even though Safesurfs.net and the rest of its type are considered safe and harmless on their own, we ought to inform you that browser hijacker programs might still potentially expose your machine to certain security risks. The thing you should be careful with if you have browser hijacker on your PC is the ads that it displays. We always advise our readers to avoid interaction with any of the browser hijacker-generated adverts. Sometimes, clicking on an ad may redirect your browser to an illegal and possibly harmful website. This is considered a rarity – most adverts generated by browser hijacker programs are not fake or dangerous. Still, there’s no need to risk your PC’s security by clicking on them. Besides, there’s hardly ever anything useful that you can gain by interacting with any of those annoying pop-ups, banners, box messages, etc. This is exactly why removing the intrusive program is the right course of action.

How does the browser hijacker get distributed?

Now, that we’ve figured out what browser hijacker programs such as http://safesurfs.net/ do and what you should be careful for if you’ve landed one, we need to tell you how to avoid installing such unwanted software onto your PC. To effectively keep your machine clean and protected from PUP’s you need to know how they get distributed throughout the internet. When it comes to browser hijacker, there are several most commonly used methods that you need to know about.

• The first method on the list would be the deceptive links. Those are links that are either hidden throughout sites or made in such a way so as to trick you into thinking that by clicking on them you would get something that you may want and not browser hijacker. Such links are most common for file-sharing sites. Often they are in the form of a big, bright button labeled Download that’s there to make you think this is the actual download button for a certain file you may want to download. Instead, in most cases it is a ruse that will get you a PUP, should you click on it.
• Spam e-mails are an obligatory method for distributing all sorts of unwanted programs and Safesurfs.net and browser hijacker are no exception. That is why you should always be careful when opening new e-mails. If the sender is unknown and the e-mail looks suspicious, you might delete it without opening it.
• Program-bundling is by far the most successful browser hijacker distribution method. With this method, the unwanted software is bundled with another, third-party program. If you install that program using the regular installation settings, you also get the browser hijacker. Therefore, always opt for the advanced settings when installing new programs. That way you’d be able to see what content has been added to the main install. If anything there seems suspicious or unwanted, simply uncheck it before continuing with the installation of the main thing.

SUMMARY:

Name	Safesurfs.net
Type	Browser Hijacker
Detection Tool

Remove Safesurfs.net from Chrome/Firefox

Search Marquis is a high-profile hijacker – you might want to see if you’re not infected with it as well.
You can find the removal guide here.