How to remove GetMovieSearch browser hijacker

GetMovieSearch is a browser hijacker that promotes a questionable searchlee.com search engine. The hijacker will set portal.getmoviesearch.com as the homepage and searchlee.com as the default search engine without explicit permission, and try to redirect to sponsored websites. It’s not a particularly serious infection but you should still deal with it sooner rather than later because it can redirect to potentially dangerous websites.

 

 

GetMovieSearch is advertised as an extension that’s supposed to help find movies easier. However, in reality, it’s a browser hijacker that promotes a questionable search engine. This hijacker is essentially identical to VIPSportSearch, DigitalPDFConverterSearch, ProStreamSearch with only the name and the address being different. Overall, it’s a very generic browser hijacker with no features or characteristics that would make it unique.

The good thing about browser hijackers is that it’s very obvious when one is present on a computer. GetMovieSearch makes a very obvious change to your browser’s settings, and that’s setting portal.getmoviesearch.com as your homepage and searchlee.com as your default search engine. These kinds of changes are typical for browser hijackers. These changes will affect all popular browsers, including Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. And you’ll quickly notice that you are not able to undo these changes while the hijacker is still present because it will just keep changing the settings. Until you remove GetMovieSearch, you’re stuck with the questionable site set as your homepage and the weird search engine. The site has shortcuts to a PDF converter, a cryptocurrency/currency converter, and a calculator. But the main thing the site wants you to use is the search box. searchlee.com is a very questionable search engine that may insert sponsored content among legitimate search results. Since the site is set as your default search engine, searches you perform via your browser’s address bar will also show searchlee.com results. Browser hijackers aim to redirect to sponsored websites and they do that by altering search results to include certain sites.

It’s worth mentioning that a browser hijacker isn’t a dangerous computer infection because it does not directly harm the computer. Nonetheless, because they redirect to sponsored websites, the sooner you deal with them, the better. Some hijackers can redirect to potentially dangerous websites, including ones that have malware or promote scams. And even if the results are harmless, they would have nothing to do with the initial search so there is no reason to interact with them.

Another thing about GetMovieSearch that’s worth mentioning is its data collection practices. Like every other browser hijacker, GetMovieSearch tracks your browsing. It collects information including sites you visit, what you search for, what kind of content you interact with, your IP address, etc. It doesn’t collect personal information but it’s still intrusive enough to warrant removal. Additionally, the data can be shared with unknown third parties. There’s no reason to put up with the invasive data collection when you get nothing in return.

You can remove GetMovieSearch both manually and using an anti-virus program like WiperSoft because it’s not a particularly dangerous infection. However, using anti-virus would be easier because the program would do everything. Once the hijacker is gone, you will be able to change your browser’s settings as you want.

Browser hijacker distribution methods

Since this hijacker is promoted as a legitimate extension that supposedly makes it easier to search for movies, it’s possible for users to download it intentionally. If that is what happened in your case, we must caution you that you need to research programs and extensions before installing them in the future. A search with Google would provide many results that advise against installing GetMovieSearch. If you’re not careful about the program you install, your computer will quickly fill up with all kinds of junk.

Browser hijackers, adware, and a lot of potentially unwanted programs install via free software bundling, a rather sneaky installation method that essentially allows programs to install without needing explicit permission from users. The method is often used by unwanted program developers because it essentially tricks users into installing their unwanted items. The way software bundling works is adware and similar infections come attached to free software as extra offers. The offers are permitted to install alongside automatically without you needing to approve the installation. However, they are optional. It is possible to deselect the offers but because they are initially hidden, many users do not deselect the offers, thus accidentally allowing their installation.

To prevent these unwanted installations, you need to pay attention when installing free programs because the offers are optional and you can easily deselect them. During freeware installation, make sure to opt for Advanced (Custom) settings instead of Default. Default settings will hide all offers and allow their automatic installation. Advanced settings, on the other hand, will allow you to review everything that has been added, and you will be able to deselect whatever you do not want. All you need to do is uncheck the boxes. You may notice that some of those offers seem useful at first sight but we discourage you from allowing their installations. No program that uses software bundling to essentially bypass your permission should be allowed to install on your device.

Keep in mind that the majority of free programs you download from unofficial websites will have added offers. So unless you want to fill your computer with junk that can be difficult to get rid of, pay attention to what programs you install and how you do it.

GetMovieSearch removal

Browser hijackers aren’t particularly dangerous infections so you should be able to delete GetMovieSearch manually without too much difficulty. You will be able to change your browser’s settings however you want when the hijacker is fully gone. For users who don’t have a lot of experience with uninstalling programs, particularly persistent ones like browser hijackers, it’s recommended to use anti-virus software to remove GetMovieSearch. A program like WiperSoft would remove GetMovieSearch and undo all browser setting changes without users needing to do anything.