Discretesearch.com virus - How to remove

No matter how fancy Discretesearch.com domain loads up to be, its thick mustache, a bowler hat and hipster glasses should not be taken as a cool & hip feature. Come to think of it, the logo of this search network looks like a modern-day Charlie Chaplin if he had dared to have a longer facial hair. It is not a significant question whether the creators of the Discretesearch.com virus intended to make this cultural reference because it won’t save this network from being contemned.

Users should disdain it even though the word “discrete” may sound quite alluring in today’s world, where privacy has all but disappeared. Nowadays, cyber world exposes individuals to all sorts of fraud and jeopardy. In times like these, staying away from dangerous businesses is essential if one wishes to keep their online security – but Discretesearch.com is not a safe or trustworthy search provider.

The Discretesearch.com virus takes advantage of people who are feeling anxious about their personal information and browsing histories. But Discrete Search, a browser extension that can literally “Read and change all your data on the websites that you visit” is not the answer.

This privacy search extension is basically the same as encryptedsearch.org (that one is often bundled with various browser hijackers and gets installed without permission, so it’s not great). Both these search providers claim that they will encrypt your search queries between your computer and the search engine, which is good, but also unimpressive. After all, mainstream search engines already do that and more – Google’s been encrypting all search since 2013 (marketers were not happy).

So, Discretesearch.com doesn’t really offer much to the user. It’s ad-supported, like most search engines, and it might appear on your browser from nowhere thanks to shady marketing, but there’s no use in keeping it:

Symptoms	Being redirected to Discretesearch.com when you attempt to use another search engine “Discrete Search” extension installed in your browser or on your computer
Problems	Discrete Searches is redundant The extension takes too more control over the browser than is needed to fulfill its functions Some methods of distribution are dishonest
Distribution	Manually downloaded and installed Installed by following misleading ads Downloaded in freeware bundles Installed with other browser hijackers
Removal	Scan for adware and other malware using antivirus tools (Combo Cleaner for Mac, SpyHunter for PC) Manually uninstall Discrete Searches and related browser extensions

About Discretesearch.com virus

Despite taking pride in its more confidential approach to browsing, the Discretesearch.com virus is still indicated to belong to one of the milder malware categories (more specifically, hijackware). As it is explained in the FAQ section, Discretesearch.com encrypts search terms on the browser before sending them to the search site. In its Privacy Policy, the site goes on enumerating all of the advantages of choosing it. Discretesearch.com stresses that your online behavior and other details won’t be exploited for the purpose of individualizing advertisements, though the site concedes that it’s ad-supported.

So, in the Terms and Conditions section, the platform opts to present ads or promotional material on or through the website. This content is going to be supplied by partners of Discretesearch.com and no direct or indirect damage from the interactions with external links can be blamed on the search network itself. The fact that the browser hijacker won’t be responsible for the content it demonstrates to its user community allows it to be reckless. While choosing from the potential ad-suppliers, Discretesearch.com virus can come into contact with advertisers that create misleading, offensive or even malware-laden ads.

That seems hyperbolic to say, but who knows what to expect from a website that’s related to browser hijackers like CinematicFanatic which are distributed by adware viruses. The creators of Discretesearch.com partnering with sites like Bigclicker.me does not inspire confidence, to say the least.

Another important feature that allows us to refer to this search network as a browser hijacker is that it can come into devices without being properly introduced. This means that some people can catch the Discretesearch.com virus without even realizing they are downloading this application. Do not tremble before the infection being analyzed as it does not seem to be as vicious as the rest of its gang. Nevertheless, its presence can be aggravating. I mean, constantly being redirected to Discretesearch.com when I try to use other search providers is infuriating. Therefore, it’s advisable to remove this extension and use a search engine that does not interfere with your browser as much as Discrete Search does.

Distribution Methods of Discretesearch.com virus

Discretesearch.com virus can exploit secretive techniques for its transmission. This browser extension application can be delivered to users after they wrongfully conclude installation processes of free programs. For these procedures, it is wiser to select advanced or custom modes, whichever option is indicated to be available in Setup Wizards. By opting to install a program in a more advanced mode, you are enabling yourself to see the various unwanted “optional offers” that might be hitching a ride in the installer. That way, you can choose whether you want to allow each of those offers to get installed (I advise that you just refuse all of them). And if the program is granting itself more control than you would like or being suspicious somehow, cancel the installation process completely.

Getting redirected to the Discretesearch.com virus and its subordinates? No worries! It’s not very difficult at all to remove this browser hijacker manually by following our step-by-step guidelines. On the other hand, you can simply go and proceed with an automatic removal which helps catch various malicious programs, like adware viruses. The latter option has to be carried out with a reliable anti-malware tool, like Spyhunter for PC, Malwarebytes, or Combo Cleaner for Mac.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Manual removal of Discretesearch.com virus

How to remove Discretesearch.com virus using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like Discretesearch.com virus install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to Discretesearch.com virus . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make Discretesearch.com virus easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.

How to remove Discretesearch.com virus from macOS

Delete Discretesearch.com virus from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the Discretesearch.com virus app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

TopHow To remove Discretesearch.com virus from Google Chrome:

• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select More Tools→Extensions
  
• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.
  
• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select Settings
  
• Select Manage Search engines
  
• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list
  
• Go back to settings. On Startup choose Open blank page (you can remove undesired pages from the set pages link too).
• If your homepage was changed, click on Chrome menu on the top right corner, select Settings. Select Open a specific page or set of pages and click on Set pages.
  
• Delete malicious search websites at a new Startup pages window by clicking “X” next to them.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Discretesearch.com virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on a Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on theReset browser settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How To remove Discretesearch.com virus from Firefox:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything Discretesearch.com virus related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Options → General. Enter a preferable URL to the homepage field and click Restore to Default.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Discretesearch.com virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
  
• ChooseTroubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on theReset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.

How to remove Discretesearch.com virus from Microsoft Edge:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Microsoft Edge window. Select “Extensions”.

• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.

• Click on the three-dot menu on the browser toolbar and Select Settings

• Select Privacy and Services and scroll down. Press on Address bar.

• Choose Manage search engines.

• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list: open the three-dot menu and choose Remove.

• Go back to Settings. Open On start-up.
• Delete malicious search websites at Open specific page or pages by opening the three-dot menu and clicking Delete.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Discretesearch.com virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings

• Click on Edge's menu button and select Settings. Click on the Reset Settings button on the left.
• Press the Restore settings to their default values option.

• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How to remove Discretesearch.com virus from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall Discretesearch.com virus and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to Discretesearch.com virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.