Remove NewPDFSearch Search redirect — Fix Guide

About NewPDFSearch hijacker origins

NewPDFSearch search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is promoted as a plugin for your internet browser. It is usually marketed as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that aids to search some special information, as an example, about sporting activity events, make your web browser a lot more secure, allow downloading of any kind of video, et cetera.

Nevertheless, the NewPDFSearch plugin is quite pointless because all such features are already built-in to your web browser and/or Windows. Such advertising and marketing slogans are targeted on low-skilled computer users, such as pensioners or schoolchildren. But occasionally even experienced users are getting caught on such a lure. In particular cases, this hijacker is distributed together with free programs.

How harmful is NewPDFSearch hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, NewPDFSearch hijacker is additionally considerably harmful for browser usage. It changes your search engine to its particular – Feed.NewPDFSearch.com, and additionally alters your background, putting its watermark on your background image (or, in some cases, altering it to default with the mentioned symbol).

Apart from viewable modifications done by NewPDFSearch hijacker, you can discover that a couple of your search queries are redirecting to the uncertain web pages, full of weblinks and promotions – so-called doorway websites. Such websites can include the links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting increases if you try to launch Google search page by force.

But all these activities are a lot more frustrating than truly damaging. The biggest risk, primarily for people who have a lot of secret information in their web browsers, is embedded in data collecting functionalities. Cookie files, chats, often-visited websites as well as various other activities are easily gathered by NewPDFSearch hijacker.

How to remove NewPDFSearch 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 rather simple to deal with. For the most part, they have an independent app that can be located in the list of installed programs. As a result of the specific marketing tactic of NewPDFSearch hijacker, it can be simply tracked and erased manually. Nevertheless, if you got NewPDFSearch in the package with a free program( s), your personal computer might be infected with a lot more harmful malware – trojans, spyware and even ransomware. That’s why I ‘d recommend you to use anti-malware programs to delete the NewPDFSearch PUA and all various other malware.

You can use Microsoft Defender² – it is capable of finding and eliminating various malware, including mentioned hijacker. But major malware, that might exist on your PC in the mentioned instance, can disable the Windows antivirus program by modifying the Group Policies. To keep away from such circumstances, it is better to utilize GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and erase all unwanted programs on your PC with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to utilize Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the malicious programs, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and folders.

You can observe the detected malware sorted by their possible harm during the scan process. But to perform any actions against malicious programs, you need to wait until the scan is over, 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 malware. By default, all the viruses will be removed to quarantine.

Reset browser settings to original ones

To reset your browser settings, you are required to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action cannot be intercepted by any malware, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be located in the Tools tab.

After choosing the Reset Browser Settings button, the menu will be shown, where you can specify, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Deleteing NewPDFSearch 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.

1. Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
2. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :

1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
2. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :

After choosing this option, you will see the next message :

1. Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
3. Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
   

1. 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 :
2. 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.

References

1. More information about PUAs
2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender