Comet Search - How to remove

Does the address “Cometsearch.info” appear in your browser’s address bar? This is a symptom of your browser being taken over by Comet Search, a search hijacker.

Comet Search infects computers and then collects data about the browsing habits of its victims. It also manipulates how they search the web by making search queries go through Cometsearch.info.

It’s recommended to remove Comet Search and any other unwanted extensions that may be installed.

About Cometsearch.info:

Classification	Browser hijacker, adware.
How Cometsearch.info works	It may change the look of your new tab page, it collects data about its users, it sends search terms to Yahoo.com.
How Comet Search spreads	Installed by free apps and programs, downloaded in adware bundles.
How to remove Comet Search	Remove malware from your computer (Spyhunter for PC, Combo Cleaner for Mac, others), uninstall Comet Search and other unwanted extensions.

Problems with Comet Search

Comet Search provides no useful features at all. It collects data about you, it may change your default search engine, and it can cause more ads to show up on your screen. At least it’s not immediately dangerous. Still, it needs to be removed.

Mint Search, Custom Search, Storm Search, etc. are cousins of Comet Search. Each of these extensions has thousands of users/victims. It puts into perspective how unfortunately popular hijackers like Comet Search are.

Installed without the user’s consent

So, after glancing at Comet Search’s reviews, it’s obvious that people don’t want this thing on their browsers. But Comet Search has a vice-like grip on them, making it impossible to remove normally.

You may see a note in your browser saying that it’s “managed by an organization”. Chrome browsers offer a way to force extensions through an organization or administrator policy. Comet Search abuses that method to keep itself from being uninstalled.

This happens when Comet Search gets installed in an unusual way. It comes in adware bundled or embedded in installers of unrelated free programs. Such installers can be downloaded on disreputable freeware download sites, from malicious ads, etc. The installers are specially made to create a fake enterprise policy to keep Comet Search in. It can be deleted, but the process is a little complicated.

Cometsearch.info is a search hijacker

Cometsearch.info is a website. All it does is redirect searches. If you go to Find.cometsearch.info, it just looks like a minimalist new tab page with a pretty background picture and a search box. The search box leads to Yahoo.

Comet Search is a browser extension. If you install Comet Search, it changes your default search engine to Cometsearch.info.

The default search engine is the website that your browser opens when you type something into your address bar. When CometSearch is installed, it makes your queries go to Cometsearch.info, which notes them down, then sends them off to whatever site it wants, which then displays your search results – or an advertisement.

It’s a bit convoluted, but this is how a lot of browser extensions behave. They intercept searches and find a way to make money by referring users.

It collects data about its users

At the same time, Comet Search collects a lot of data about each of its users:

• IP, geographical location, and installed software.
• What they searched for and when.
• Which search results they clicked on.
• A unique identifier.

All this data is valuable for lots of companies, especially advertising companies. And the privacy policy of Comet Search does say that user data may be used to help advertisers. So, that’s another way it can make money.

How to remove Cometsearch.info

In general, it’s a good idea to scan your device with an antivirus program, such as Spyhunter for Windows, Combo Cleaner for macOS, and others.

Cometsearch.info can be stopped by removing the Comet Search browser extension. You can do this manually, as shown in the instructions in the following section.

But Comet Search may refuse to go away. It might not even have a working Remove button. If so, you may need to refer to the post “Installed by enterprise policy” (fake) and to undo the changes to your settings that allow Comet Search to become irremovable.

There’s also the uninstaller provided by Cometsearch.info, however, I’m not sure if it’s safe because it is detected by a few antivirus programs.

Finally, if sync is bringing Comet Search back for you, you may need to manage what’s saved in the cloud and delete some of that information.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove Comet Search

TopRemoving Comet Search 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 Comet Search. Click on the trash bin icon next to Comet Search 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 Comet Search, 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 Comet Search 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 Comet Search. Click on the "Remove" icon next to Comet Search 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 Comet Search 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 Comet Search 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 Comet Search, 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.