The Stream Search – What is it?

“The Stream Search” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is promoted as a plugin for your web browser. It is typically shared as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to search some certain information, for instance, about sport events, make your browser much more safe, allow downloading of any kind of video clip, et cetera. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

Nonetheless, the “The Stream Search” plugin is rather useless since all such features are already built-in to your browser and/or Windows. Such advertising slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. However occasionally even experienced users are getting caught on such an attraction. In particular situations, this hijacker is distributed together with free software.

The Stream Search Search Hijacker

How harmful is The Stream Search hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, The Stream Search hijacker is also quite unsafe for browser utilization. It changes your search engine to its specific – Thestreamsearch.com, and likewise modifies your background, putting its watermark on your background image (or, sometimes, altering it to default with the mentioned sign).

In addition to visual modifications done by The Stream Search hijacker, you may discover that some of your search queries are redirecting to the unknown sites, filled with links and ads – so-called doorway sites. Such sites can include web links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting boosts if you attempt to launch Google search page forcibly.

However all these actions are much more irritating than truly dangerous. The most important danger, especially for people who have a great deal of secret information in their web browsers, is embedded in information gathering functions. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited web pages, and various other activities are easily collected by The Stream Search hijacker.

How to remove The Stream Search search hijacker?

• Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
• Open GridinSoft Anti-Malware and perform a “Standard scan“.
• “Move to quarantine” all items.
• Open “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
• Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
• Restart your computer.

Browser hijackers are generally very very easy to deal with. Most of the times, they have an independent app that can be found in the list of installed software. Because of the certain marketing tactic of The Stream Search hijacker, it can be simply tracked and deleted by hand. Nonetheless, if you got The Stream Search in the package with a free applications, your PC might be contaminated with far more dangerous malware – trojans, spyware or perhaps ransomware. That’s why I’d advise you use anti-malware tools to deal with the The Stream Search PUA and all various other malware.

You can utilize Microsoft Defender² – it is capable of recognizing and removing different malware, including mentioned hijacker. But significant malware, that may be present on your PC in the discussed situation, can disable the Windows antivirus tool by editing the Group Policies. To stay clear of such situations, it is better to use GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and delete all unwanted applications on your computer with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to use Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the malicious programs, because it checks only the most popular registry entries and folders.

You can see the detected malware sorted by their possible harm simultaneously with the scan process. But to perform any actions against the viruses, you need to hold on until the scan is finished, or to stop the scan.

To set the action for each detected virus or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malicious app. By default, all the viruses will be moved to quarantine.

Reset browser settings to original ones

To reset your browser settings, you need to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action cannot be counteracted by any malware, hence, you will surely see the result. This option can be found in the Tools tab.

After choosing the Reset Browser Settings option, the menu will be shown, where you can choose, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Deleteing The Stream Search hijacker manually

Besides using anti-malware software for browser restoration, you may choose the “Reset browser settings” function, which is usually embedded in all popular browsers.

1. Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
2. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :

1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
2. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :

After choosing this option, you will see the next message :

1. Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
3. Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
   

1. Open Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click “Advanced” option, and choose “Browser” button in the drop-down list. Scroll down, to the bottom of the settings menu. Find there “Restore settings to their original defaults” option :
2. After clicking the “Restore settings…” button, you will see the window, where all settings, which will be reset, are shown :

As an afterword, I want to say that time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of the possibility of other malware injection. This malware can be downloaded autonomously, or offered for you to download in one of the windows with advertisements, which are shown to you by the hijacker. You need to act as fast as you can.

References

1. More information about PUAs
2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender