Remove "PieSearch.com" Malware From Your Computer
Since long I am facing an issue with all my browsers (Mozilla, IE, Chrome). An unwanted search engine was installed and i don't know how. I tried many ways of uninstalling it, but every time it appeared back. When you open you browser, your homepage will be replaced by this piesearch.com page. It was very irritating. Every time i use to change my homepage but was getting replaced by Piesearch.com. Later after googling i was shocked to find that its not what it claims.
What is PieSearch?
PieSearch.com is not a search engine but is is a browser hijacker that infiltrates into computers without users' consent and disturbs their work on the Internet. This application is compatible with all your favorite browsers, including Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. The moment it enters your computer, the intruder changes your home page and default search engine without permission. While the presented search tool might look trustworthy, it is certainly not the case and you should not use it. You will be presented with suspicious search results and multiple annoying ads which if clicked, can cause you a lot of troubles.
Instead of using the provided search engine, you should employ a legitimate anti-spyware and scan your system.
Browser hijackers like Piesearch replace default search engine and homepage with a custom search engine used for advertising and promotion. Such rogue search engines inject irrelevant promoted links and advertising in your web browsers. While this process is not related to virus infection, cyber criminals can still use altered and rogue versions for malicious activities. It is better to uninstall Piesearch.com and remove bundled adware from your computer unless you value its features and ready to assume risks.
Another reason to terminate piesearch.com immediately is the tracking it performs. From the very begging of its stay in your computer, this hijacker will collect your data and use the acquired knowledge to make the ads more appealing in order to induce you to click them. This is called personalization and it makes it harder for users to avoid choosing the ads. Your search queries, browsing history, clicks, preferred pages, IP address, geographical location, etc. are recorded and used by this software. Moreover, the hijacker also sells this information to the third parties which, as we already established, are unknown and thus untrustworthy. You should not suffer such an uncontrollable spread of your data. The only way to change the unfortunate situation is to remove piesearch.com.
How it got installed in my PC?
I am pretty sure you have no idea on how it got installed when you have not downloaded and installed it. Then what might be the reason for this? It's very simple. One small mistake that every user does while downloading and installing any software from internet.
When you are in need of some software, you search it on internet and you want it for free. So you search, you get the result and found one site that provides this software for free. Without second thought, you download it and start the installation process. If asks you to which method to use, Default or Customize. This is where we do the mistake. We select Default and this way the PC or the browser is flooded with adware and malicious applications. Always use Customize and uncheck the unwanted options that are provided with the setup. This way you can surely keep your pc safe.
After googling i found plenty of ways to remove it. In some we need to perform more than 1 method if the first one doesn't works. Let go through it one by one:
Uninstall from Control Panel:
This might be a bit tricky. When i opened my Control Panel, i was not able to locate this file for removal. If you are not getting the PieSearch.com uninstall option then reboot your pc in Safe Mode and then go to Control Panel and then try uninstalling it.
If both the above process is not working, then proceed to next method.
Uninstall using Virus removal tool:
You will many find hundreds of free tools online. Don't just install malware removal tool. Go for the genuine one. I will prefer to install tools like, SpyHunter, Malwarebytes or Stopzilla. I install the Malwarebytes and it worked for me.
But using this process it will not be removed from the browser. But if anything related to PieSearch was installed and is available in system file, only that will be detected and removed.
So to remove it from the browser go to next step:
Remove of Shortcut Links Infected with Piesearch.com Redirect:
Piesearch.com can infect links to web browsers placed on your desktop, in Quick Start Menu (bar at the bottom of a desktop), and standard Windows menu. This trick makes Piesearch.com difficult to remove. It just won’t go away before you fix these infected links. For this you need to remove trailing attachments placed after links to your browser’s executable file. Otherwise, web browser is started with an attribute that redirects it to Piesearch.com.
You need to remove Piesearch.com extension, add-on, or BHO (browser helper object) from your web browser if you want to remove Piesearch.com Toolbar. Below is a list of instructions that will help to finish uninstall quickly. Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox are mostly used web browsers, and so, they are frequently infected. Browser reset will remove all extensions and fix malicious settings that are responsible for redirecting your search engine and homepage to unwanted web address.
Reset Google Chrome
Remove PieSearch.com from Autorun Task:
Remove PieSearch from Services:
I have tried to cover almost all methods that can be used to remove the piesearch.com. If i miss some please let me know and also let me know were you able to remove it. Comment below if any assistance is needed.
Cheers!!!
What is PieSearch?
PieSearch.com is not a search engine but is is a browser hijacker that infiltrates into computers without users' consent and disturbs their work on the Internet. This application is compatible with all your favorite browsers, including Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. The moment it enters your computer, the intruder changes your home page and default search engine without permission. While the presented search tool might look trustworthy, it is certainly not the case and you should not use it. You will be presented with suspicious search results and multiple annoying ads which if clicked, can cause you a lot of troubles.
Instead of using the provided search engine, you should employ a legitimate anti-spyware and scan your system.
Never use any suspicious Search Engine if you are not aware of it. No matter what it claims, you should never use it.What it does?
Browser hijackers like Piesearch replace default search engine and homepage with a custom search engine used for advertising and promotion. Such rogue search engines inject irrelevant promoted links and advertising in your web browsers. While this process is not related to virus infection, cyber criminals can still use altered and rogue versions for malicious activities. It is better to uninstall Piesearch.com and remove bundled adware from your computer unless you value its features and ready to assume risks.
Another reason to terminate piesearch.com immediately is the tracking it performs. From the very begging of its stay in your computer, this hijacker will collect your data and use the acquired knowledge to make the ads more appealing in order to induce you to click them. This is called personalization and it makes it harder for users to avoid choosing the ads. Your search queries, browsing history, clicks, preferred pages, IP address, geographical location, etc. are recorded and used by this software. Moreover, the hijacker also sells this information to the third parties which, as we already established, are unknown and thus untrustworthy. You should not suffer such an uncontrollable spread of your data. The only way to change the unfortunate situation is to remove piesearch.com.
How it got installed in my PC?
I am pretty sure you have no idea on how it got installed when you have not downloaded and installed it. Then what might be the reason for this? It's very simple. One small mistake that every user does while downloading and installing any software from internet.
When you are in need of some software, you search it on internet and you want it for free. So you search, you get the result and found one site that provides this software for free. Without second thought, you download it and start the installation process. If asks you to which method to use, Default or Customize. This is where we do the mistake. We select Default and this way the PC or the browser is flooded with adware and malicious applications. Always use Customize and uncheck the unwanted options that are provided with the setup. This way you can surely keep your pc safe.
Never install any free application on PC with Default setting, Customize it and un-check the unwanted options.How to Remove it?
After googling i found plenty of ways to remove it. In some we need to perform more than 1 method if the first one doesn't works. Let go through it one by one:
Uninstall from Control Panel:
This might be a bit tricky. When i opened my Control Panel, i was not able to locate this file for removal. If you are not getting the PieSearch.com uninstall option then reboot your pc in Safe Mode and then go to Control Panel and then try uninstalling it.
If both the above process is not working, then proceed to next method.
Uninstall using Virus removal tool:
You will many find hundreds of free tools online. Don't just install malware removal tool. Go for the genuine one. I will prefer to install tools like, SpyHunter, Malwarebytes or Stopzilla. I install the Malwarebytes and it worked for me.
But using this process it will not be removed from the browser. But if anything related to PieSearch was installed and is available in system file, only that will be detected and removed.
So to remove it from the browser go to next step:
Remove of Shortcut Links Infected with Piesearch.com Redirect:
Piesearch.com can infect links to web browsers placed on your desktop, in Quick Start Menu (bar at the bottom of a desktop), and standard Windows menu. This trick makes Piesearch.com difficult to remove. It just won’t go away before you fix these infected links. For this you need to remove trailing attachments placed after links to your browser’s executable file. Otherwise, web browser is started with an attribute that redirects it to Piesearch.com.
- Go to shortcut links icon of browsers that are placed on the desktop.
- Right click on the icon and select Properties.
- In the Shortcut tab, go to Target field and edit it:
- It will be displayed as: ""C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" http://www.piesearch.com/?uid=20f8ab97-247e-455c-97eb-ed0c3cdb6b68"
- It should be: "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
- Do similar for all other browser that are affected.
You need to remove Piesearch.com extension, add-on, or BHO (browser helper object) from your web browser if you want to remove Piesearch.com Toolbar. Below is a list of instructions that will help to finish uninstall quickly. Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox are mostly used web browsers, and so, they are frequently infected. Browser reset will remove all extensions and fix malicious settings that are responsible for redirecting your search engine and homepage to unwanted web address.
Reset Google Chrome
- Start Google Chrome
- Click on the browser "Menu button" (three bars in the right top corner)
- Select "Settings" menu option
- Find a link "Show advanced settings" and click it
- Scroll all the way down and click "Reset browser settings" button
- Click on "Reset" to confirm the operation
- Start Internet Explorer
- Click on "Settings" ("wrench" icon) in the right top corner
- Click on "Internet Options"
- Click on tab "Advanced"
- Find "Reset" button and click it
- Enable the option "Delete personal Settings"
- Click on "Reset" button
- Restart your browser
- Start Mozilla Firefox
- Click on "Menu" (tree bars in in the right top corner)
- Select "Help" and click "Troubleshooting information"
- Click on "Reset Firefox"
- Click on "Reset Firefox" to confirm the operation
- Click on "Finish" to restart Firefox
Remove PieSearch.com from Autorun Task:
- Click on the Start Menu and then do the right click on Computer and select manage.
- Click on the Task Scheduler from ride side pane and the click on the Task Scheduler Library.
- Now from the right pane remove all the task which have Piesearch.com in it.
- Press the Windows key (Win + R) and enter MSCONFIG in the run box and click on Ok.
- Go to Startup tab and uncheck all the entries which has PieSearch in it.
- Also uncheck all the entries whose manufacture is displayed as Unknown. But make sure you go through it first.
Remove PieSearch from Services:
- Press the Windows key (Win + R) and enter MSCONFIG in the run box and click on Ok.
- Go to Services tab and check the box for Hide Windows Services.
- Now check for any service which has manufacture as Unknown and any thing that is related to PieSearch.com
- Uncheck them all.
- Press the Windows key (Win + R) and enter RegEdit in the run box and click on Ok.
- Press Cntrl + F and enter Piesearch and click enter.
- Remove all the entries that have piesearch in it.
- But make sure to delete only the piesearch path only. Don't delete the complete value data.
- Keep pressing F3 for Next and delete all the entries as said above.
I have tried to cover almost all methods that can be used to remove the piesearch.com. If i miss some please let me know and also let me know were you able to remove it. Comment below if any assistance is needed.
Cheers!!!
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