Do you know what Search.gg is?
Have you been convinced that Search.gg is a reliable search tool that can display the most relevant and useful search results? Or was this search tool installed without your permission when you were installing something else? In either case, this search tool is a browser hijacker that you should remove from your browser immediately. According to our research team, it is compatible with Google Chrome, and you are most likely to acquire it when installing Chrome extensions. Although the hijacker looks like a normal tool, in reality, it does not even work as a search engine. Instead, it is a redirector that reroutes all search queries to a different browser hijacker. Furthermore, this infection can showcase unpredictable advertisements prepared by unknown advertisers, and it can collect information. Due to these reasons, it is best to delete Search.gg as soon as possible.
It took one glance for our research team to realize that Search.gg is a clone of Search.hr, as well as many other hijackers that were reviewed on Spyware-Techie.com. These hijackers are set up by Search Engage Ltd., and they always redirect searches to plusnetwork.com. The results shown via this search engine include advertisements, which you can see at the top, at the bottom, and even on the side. Even reliable and reputable search engines show ads from time to time, but that does not mean that you should compare plusnetwork.com or Search.gg with them. This hijacker is likely to support unreliable parties, who might use ads to boost traffic to unreliable sites and expose unsuspecting users to devious scams. Note that even if you do not interact with the ads shown by the hijacker, data-trackers – which include cookies, pixels, tags, beacons, etc. – will continue spying on you, and so you have to remove the hijacker.
Search.gg screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
One more thing we have to discuss before we talk about the removal of Search.gg is the distribution of this threat. As we have already mentioned, this hijacker is likely to slither in along with extensions that are compatible with Google Chrome. Our analysts have found at least one add-on called “Iloveplay Search” that is known for spreading the infection. Luckily, this extension is no longer spread via the Chrome web store, but it is likely that other add-ons are set up to do the same thing. So, if you are installing extensions, make sure that they are not changing your homepage settings because that is how hijackers slip in unnoticed. There is also a possibility that the hijacker was installed along with malicious infections. If that is the case, you can ignore them. If you do not know if malware exists, install a trusted malware scanner. Once you know which malicious threats are active, you can figure out how to delete them successfully.
If you are worried about the removal of Search.gg, we can reassure you that that is not very hard to do. The hardest part is to figure out whether or not this hijacker is associated with malware. If it is, you might have to eliminate the related infections first. Whether or not you can erase them manually is up to you, but we suggest employing an automated anti-malware program. If you do not want to take this route, hopefully, the instructions below will help you get rid of the hijacker. Note that if you have questions about the threat or its removal, you can always start a conversation in the comments section.
Delete Search.gg from Google Chrome
- Simultaneously tap Win+E keys to launch Windows Explorer.
- Enter %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\ into the bar at the top. Windows XP users need to enter %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\.
- Open your {unique name} Chrome profile folder or, if profiles do not exist, the Default folder.
- Open the file named Preferences using a text reader.
- Replace the hijacker’s URL with the desired URL and then save the file.
- Open the files called Secure Preferences and Web Data and modify them as shown in step 5.
In non-techie terms:
There is no denying that Search.gg looks completely normal at first sight. Unfortunately, it is not a search tool, and once you enter keywords, you will be redirected to a different search engine. This hijacker is also known for showcasing advertisements via the search results that it shows, and that is why it is not reliable. On top of that, it can collect private information about your virtual activity. If you want to get rid of this intrusive hijacker, we suggest installing anti-malware software; especially if other infections are running amok, and you need to delete them as well. If you choose to stick with manual removal, we suggest following the instructions that you can find above.