Websearch.coolsearchs.info - help please!

tinateaspoon

Looks like this has somehow got onto my Windows 7 desktop. Have Googled websearch.coolsearchs.info & seems to be a lot of guides to removing, but as I'm not at all techy need the easiest solution - so any guidance please! Generally use Firefox browser & Microsoft security essentials is up to date.:(

GunJack

1. go into firefox settings, remove it from your search providers and reset your homepage.
2. run adwcleaner (run as admin) delete all it finds
3. run JRT (as admin)
4 run malwarebytes anti-malware (do NOT tick the free trial option on installation), quarantine all it finds.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/junkware-removal-tool/

http://filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/tech/

Save the files to desktop, mbam is the installer file, the other two are .exe

tinateaspoon

Thanks GunJack - I found I had Malwarebytes on the computer, just hadn't updated it or used it in "years". So have now done a scan a couple of times with this and finger crossed, all seems to be OK.

RebekahAmy

Hi,Websearch.coolsearchs.info is a browser hijacker that can automatically replace the default homepage and search engine without any permission. Such stubborn browser hijacker you shouldn't keep it on PC. To completely get rid of it,you need to uninstall any suspicious programs from Control Panel.
remove any related extensions, plug-ins from web browser.
delete the registry entries created by the browser hijacker.
reset your browser to default settings if necessary.
In addition, you should fix your browser shortcut.

henm2

To deal with browser hijackers on a Windows system I run Malware bytes free edition and follow this with using adwcleaner which is a specialist browser hijacker removal tool
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/ Very easy and quick to use.

John_Gray

RebekahAmy wrote: »

Hi,Websearch.coolsearchs.info is a browser hijacker that can automatically replace the default homepage and search engine without any permission. Such stubborn browser hijacker you shouldn't keep it on PC. To completely get rid of it,you need to uninstall any suspicious programs from Control Panel.
remove any related extensions, plug-ins from web browser.
delete the registry entries created by the browser hijacker.
reset your browser to default settings if necessary.
In addition, you should fix your browser shortcut.

You are suggesting that the Original Poster, who says he is "not at all techy", would be able to do this? Unrealistic, I would say.

AndyPix

RebekahAmy wrote: »

Hi,Websearch.coolsearchs.info is a browser hijacker that can automatically replace the default homepage and search engine without any permission. Such stubborn browser hijacker you shouldn't keep it on PC. To completely get rid of it,you need to uninstall any suspicious programs from Control Panel.
remove any related extensions, plug-ins from web browser.
delete the registry entries created by the browser hijacker.
reset your browser to default settings if necessary.
In addition, you should fix your browser shortcut.

In other words, he should perform the steps in Gunjacks post above ..

hans_2

Probably has by now.