Remove Surfer Search browser hijacker

Surfer Search may be advertised as an extension for enhancing the browsing experience, but it’s classified as a browser hijacker. Its installation methods and overall behavior have earned Surfer Search this classification, so if you find it installed on your device, we recommend you remove Surfer Search. It’s not a serious infection that will cause harm to your computer, but it’s also not something you should keep installed on your device, as it will make unwanted changes to your browser’s settings. Specifically, Surfer Search will set oasrchrdr.com as the homepage. It also pushes you to use a fake search engine that will redirect all your searches to either Google or Yahoo.

 

 

The only positive aspect of a browser hijacker is how easy they are to identify, allowing users to remove them quickly. Once installed, browser hijackers alter your browser settings to take control of it. In this particular case, the hijacker sets oasrchrdr.com as the homepage and new tab page and makes it the default search engine. Consequently, every time you launch your browser, oasrchrdr.com loads, and all search queries are processed through this site before reaching either Yahoo or Google.

These changes can affect major browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. It’s important to note that these modifications cannot be undone while the hijacker is still present; any adjustments made will be overridden, leaving you stuck with oasrchrdr.com loading every time you open your browser.

While browser hijackers aren’t considered serious threats, their redirects can lead you to potentially unsafe websites. The main objective of a hijacker is to redirect users to sponsored content and generate revenue. This often involves forcing users to use dubious search engines such as oasrchrdr.com, which try to insert sponsored links amid legitimate search results, often appearing irrelevant to your actual queries. It’s a good idea to avoid clicking on these links, as they could lead to sites promoting scams or hiding malware. Additionally, the irrelevant search results they provide are not helpful at all. In this particular case, the search engine on oasrchrdr.com does not work, and you’ll just be redirected to either Yahoo or Google.

Another concerning issue with browser hijackers is their intrusive data collection practices. They frequently track users’ browsing behavior, search queries, and IP addresses, with the potential to share this information with third parties. Given how unnecessary and intrusive the hijacker is, there’s no reason to keep it. The sooner you remove Surfer Search, the quicker you’ll be able to resume normal browsing.

Browser hijackers are relatively minor threats and can be eliminated either manually or with the assistance of anti-virus software, with the latter being the recommended option. We suggest using WiperSoft to automatically remove Surfer Search browser hijacker, as it simplifies the process for you.

How did a browser hijacker install on my computer?

Minor infections like adware, browser hijackers, and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) often come bundled with free software as additional offers in what’s known as software bundling. The method is quite controversial, as it often leads to the installation of unwanted programs without users’ explicit consent. The way it works is that when a program has these offers, they are set to be installed alongside the main program without requiring users’ explicit consent. Although these offers are technically optional, users must manually opt out to prevent their installation, which can be challenging since these offers are hidden in settings that users rarely check.

To avoid unwanted installations, you simply need to choose Advanced or Custom settings instead of Default when installing free programs. While the installation window may recommend Default settings, selecting them will permit any bundled offers to install automatically. On the other hand, Advanced (or Custom) settings will display all additional offers, allowing you to uncheck them easily. Free programs downloaded from unofficial websites tend to include these extra offers, so it’s a good idea to deselect everything to keep your computer clutter-free.

Browser hijackers are also commonly advertised on free software download sites as legitimate extensions that claim to be able to enhance your browsing experience. This is why it’s important to research any program before installing it. A quick search on Google or another search engine can help determine if a program is trustworthy. If the search results suggest that an extension is a PUP or similar, it’s best to steer clear of it.

How to remove Surfer Search hijacker

Browser hijackers are not complex infections, so you have the option to remove Surfer Search browser hijacker either manually or by using anti-virus software. We suggest using a tool like WiperSoft, as dealing with hijackers manually can often be quite time-consuming. Once you fully delete Surfer Search browser hijacker from your computer, you’ll be able to change your browser settings without any issues.