In fact, CometSearch is a browser hijacker that gathers all kinds of browsing data such as search queries and cookies out of your browser and alters the browser’s new tab page. The statistics gathered by CometSearch are used for advertising employment. The statistics are sold to advertising networks. Download CometBird 3.6.16 for Windows. Verison 3.6.16 2011.3.16. Old releases are available Here.
Comet Search browser hijacker removal instructions
What is Comet Search?
Comet Search is piece of dubious software, classified as a browser hijacker. It operates by making modifications to browser settings in order to promote cometsearch.info (find.cometsearch.info) - a fake search engine. Additionally, this browser hijacker adds the 'Managed by your organization' feature to Google Chrome browsers. Comet Search has data tracking abilities, which are employed to steal information relating to searched queries. This browser hijacker is deemed to be a serious privacy concern. Due to the questionable methods used to distribute Comet Search, it is considered to be a PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application).
Popular browsers with large user bases, like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer - are common targets of browser hijackers. They assign the addresses of fake web searchers as browsers' homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs. Comet Search makes these alterations to browsers as well - to promote cometsearch.info. Hence with this browser hijacker installed: every new browser tab/window opened and search query typed into the URL bar - redirect to cometsearch.info. Illegitimate search engines are rarely able to provide search results, so they redirect to (or cause redirection chains ending with) Yahoo, Bing, Google and other genuine ones. The web searcher promoted by Comet Search - cometsearch.info - is not an exception to this, it redirects to the Google (google.com) search engine. Furthermore, browser hijackers can restrict/deny access to the browser's settings and/or reset any permitted changes made. Therefore, recovering an affected browser is impossible without eliminating the browser hijacker first. As mentioned in the introduction, Comet Search can track data - specifically, typed searched queries. Browser hijackers monetize the collected data (e.g. browsing and search engine histories, IP addresses, geolocations, and even personally identifiable information) by sharing it with and/or selling it to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals). In summary, presence of functionalities. The advertised features are usually nonoperational and this is common for all PUAs. The sole purpose of unwanted software is to generate revenue for the developers; to users - they have no real value and can instead cause serious problems. PUAs are designed to hijack browsers, force-open untrustworthy or malicious websites, run intrusive advertisement campaigns and track private data.
How did Comet Search install on my computer?
PUAs are distributed via download/installation setups of other programs. This false marketing technique of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions - is termed 'bundling'. Rushed download and installation processes (e.g. ignored terms, skipped steps and sections, etc.) - increase the risk of inadvertent installation of bundled content. Some PUAs have 'official'promotional webpages, from which they can be downloaded. Intrusive advertisements proliferate these applications as well. Once clicked on, they can execute scripts to stealthy download/install PUAs.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
It is recommended to research products, prior to download/installation and/or purchase. Only official and verified download channels must be used. Since untrustworthy sources, e.g. unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders - often offer deceptive and/or bundled content. When downloading/installing, it is important to read terms, study all possible options, use the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings and opt-out from supplementary apps, tools, features, etc. Intrusive ads appear legitimate, however they redirect to various questionable sites (e.g. pornography, adult-dating, gambling, and so on). Should users encounter such adverts and/or redirects of this kind, they must check the devices and immediately remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins from them. If your computer is already infected with Comet Search, we recommend running a scan with Malwarebytes for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Comet Search browser hijacker asking for permissions:
The 'Managed by your organization' feature added to Google Chrome browsers by Comet Search browser hijacker:
Appearance of Comet Search browser hijacker (GIF):
Deceptive installer promoting Comet Search browser hijacker:
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Quick menu:
- STEP 1. Uninstall Comet Search application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove cometsearch.info redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Comet Search browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove cometsearch.info homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove cometsearch.info redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Comet Search browser hijacker removal:
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
Windows XP users:
Click Start, choose Settings and click Control Panel. Locate and click Add or Remove Programs.
Windows 10 and Windows 8 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Mac OSX users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently installed suspicious applications (for example, 'Comet Search'), select these entries and click 'Uninstall' or 'Remove'.
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the cometsearch.info website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
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Comet Search browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:
Click the 'gear' icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select 'Manage Add-ons'. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click 'Remove'.
Change your homepage: Countdown timer for obs studio on.
Click the 'gear' icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select 'Internet Options', in the opened window remove hxxp://cometsearch.info and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.
Change your default search engine:
Click the 'gear' icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select 'Manage Add-ons'. In the opened window, select 'Search Providers', set 'Google', 'Bing', or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove 'Comet Search'.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the cometsearch.info redirect, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.
Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.
In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.
Click the Reset button.
Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select 'More tools' and click 'Extensions'. Locate 'Comet Search' and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select 'Settings'. In the 'On startup' section, disable 'Comet Search' (or simply 'CometSearch' or 'Comet'), look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.cometsearch.info) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present click on the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select 'Settings', in the 'Search engine' section, click 'Manage search engines..', in the opened list look for 'cometsearch.info', when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select 'Remove from list'.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the cometsearch.info redirect, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
Comet Browser Extension
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select 'Add-ons'. Click on 'Extensions' and remove 'Comet Search', as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins.
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select 'Options', in the opened window disable 'Comet Search', remove hxxp://cometsearch.info and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click 'I'll be careful, I promise!'.
In the search filter at the top, type: 'extensionControlled'
Set both results to 'false' by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the button.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with cometsearch.info redirect removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences..
In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.
In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.
In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data..
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Comebrid
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select 'Extensions'. Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Comet Web Browser
Change your homepage and new tab settings:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select 'Settings'. In the 'On startup' section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click 'Disable'.
Change your default Internet search engine:
To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select 'Privacy and services', scroll to bottom of the page and select 'Address bar'. In the 'Search engines used in address bar' section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the 'Disable' button near it. Alternatively you can click on 'Manage search engines', in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select 'Disable'.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the cometsearch.info redirect, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Comet Browser Download
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Comet Browser Download
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free. software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.
Removal assistance:
If you are experiencing problems while trying to remove cometsearch.info redirect from your Internet browsers, please ask for assistance in our malware support forum.
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