GameSearchClub Hijacker - How to remove

GameSearchClub is a malicious browser extension that causes search redirects to Yahoo.com. It also logs search and browsing data of each user of the extension. On top of all that, GameSearchClub lacks any useful features and may get installed accidentally, without users realizing what they’re doing.

About GameSearchClub:

Threat type	Browser hijacker, adware.
How GameSearchClub works	It changes the search behavior of the browser, it reads user data, it shows pop-up ads.
How it gets installed	Falsely advertised online, included in adware bundles.
How to remove GameSearchClub	Uninstall all unwanted extensions, remove malware manually or with an antivirus tool (Spyhunter for PC, Combo Cleaner for Mac, others), block notifications from sites that abuse them.

How GameSearchClub works

It changes browser settings

GameSearchClub is a browser add-on. It changes a few settings in your browser:

• It sets Feed.gamesearchclub.com as the default search engine.
• It reads user data, such as their search queries and search history.
• It can display ads and open and close browser tabs.

When GameSearchClub is installed, it makes it so internet searches go to Yahoo.com. That seems to be the most obvious change.

If you were wondering whether GameSearchClub has any features that relate to gaming or even any useful features at all – no, it does not. it’s just a search hijacker. The hijackers in this adware family seem to use random meaningless names, like TinyChill, SearchStreams, StreamBeeSearch, and other Linkury hijackers.

You might not even know about GameSearchClub’s data collection – you need to go and read its privacy policy for that. But how is one supposed to know to do that if they did not even install GameSearchClub knowingly?

It sneaks into the browser

GameSearchClub can be installed on Gamesearchclub.com, however, you have to have a specific link to get to the installation page. These links are used by advertisements online. Ads for GameSearchClub show up on file download sites and on movie streaming sites.

The ads for GameSearchClub are usually made to look like links to download or install something. It’s not obvious what that something is unless you read the tiny script presented. It seems like GameSearchClub’s ads are meant to confuse people.

For example, if a file hosting site showed a pop-up ad like the one below (one of the advertising formats used by GameSearchClub), how are you supposed to know that this is an ad and not the download link for a file?

Another way that GameSearchClub may get downloaded is by being included in an adware bundle or embedded in the installer of another program. In this case, you just need to download an infected file (as many cracking tools and other pirated programs are) to have a hijacker added to your browser.

How to remove GameSearchClub

Remove suspicious browser extensions

Uninstall unwanted browser extensions. Not just GameSearchClub. Go to your browser’s settings, open the extensions section, and review all the extensions that are installed on your browser:

• Do you remember installing them? Did you install them intentionally?
• Do their permissions match their described features? You can check extension permissions by examining the Details section of each extension.
• Who is the developer behind each extension? Is it a user like you, a commercial company? Or maybe it’s an advertising company or even a completely unknown actor?

Remove the extensions that are suspicious.

There are so many free browser extensions, and yet, many of them are also commercial products, which means that they still make money. Some methods are ethical, but others include ad injection, search hijacking, and spying on users with the goal of selling their data.

Find and remove malware

If GameSearchClub came bundled with other adware, then it is very important to scan your computer and remove that additional malware.

Check if there’s malware on your computer. Look at your most recently installed programs. Scan your device with an antivirus program like Spyhunter for Windows, Combo Cleaner for macOS, and others.

If you find some programs or files that are malicious or even just potentially unwanted, remove them (unless you have a good reason not to).

Block notifications

Even after you have removed GameSearchClub, it might still send you notifications labeled as coming from “Gamesearchclub.com” (as well as Install.notify-service.com, Install.stream-all.com, and other sites). If this is happening, you can stop it by changing your notification settings:

• Chrome – type “chrome://settings/content/notifications” in the address box.
• Edge (Chromium) – type “edge://settings/content/notifications” in the address box.
• Firefox – open Settings, Privacy & Security, scroll down to Permissions, and click on Settings next to Notifications.
• Safari – in the Safari menu, choose Preferences, Websites, Notifications.

Or you can catch a GameSearchClub ad, click the gear icon, and block the ads right there.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove unwanted browser extensions

TopRemoving GameSearchClub Hijacker from Chrome

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Google Chrome window. Select “Settings”.
  
• Click “Extensions” on the left menu bar.
• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to GameSearchClub Hijacker. Click on the trash bin icon next to GameSearchClub Hijacker or other add-ons you want to remove.
  
• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.
  
• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.
  
• Restart Chrome.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to GameSearchClub Hijacker, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
  
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on the Reset 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 GameSearchClub Hijacker from Microsoft Edge:Top

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

• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to GameSearchClub Hijacker. Click on the "Remove" icon next to GameSearchClub Hijacker or other add-ons you want to remove.

• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.

• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.

• Restart Microsoft Edge.

TopRemoving GameSearchClub Hijacker from Firefox

• 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 GameSearchClub Hijacker 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.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to GameSearchClub Hijacker, 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.
  
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

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