Encryptedsearch.org Redirect - How to remove

Encryptedsearch.org is a privacy-conscious search engine. It’s usually spread by a browser extension called Encrypted Search. It’s extremely similar to but separate from searchencrypt.com, another privacy search engine. Some people find that when they attempt to use Google, DDG, Bing, or another search engine, they’re always redirected to Encryptedsearch.org. That’s because a potentially unwanted browser extension was added to their browser.

This privacy search engine offers to encrypt search queries before they’re sent from your computer to the search engine, which prevents outsiders from seeing what exactly you’re searching for. This might sound useful, however, it’s just some tricky advertising.

Encrypted Search is an ordinary search addon that doesn’t do much for the user and, in fact, can be annoying when it keeps redirecting you to its website even when you try to use other websites, especially when some users didn’t even install it voluntarily.

Encryptedsearch.org memo:

Encryptedsearch.org classification	Potentially unwanted program (PUP)
Issues	Redundant encryption feature. Unimpressive a privacy engine. Gets installed without proper disclosure. Interferes with web browsing.
Similar sites/extensions	Searchencrypt.com Searchprivacyplus.com Incognito Searches
Remove Encryptedsearch.org	Scan your device for potentially unwanted programs (Combo Cleaner (Mac), SpyHunter (PC)) Manually uninstall the Encrypted Search extension

Is Encryptedsearch.org useful?

The search engine offers to ensure that your search queries remain private, along with a couple of other privacy features. That’s not bad, but Encryptedsearch.org isn’t offering anything extraordinary. If you want to encrypt your search queries, you only need to use a reputable search engine — they actually do this by default. For example, Google has been encrypting search queries and results since 2014 and offers Incognito mode to hide your identity and delete your history when you’re finished. And yet, it’s still jokingly called spyware and puts ads in its search results. What about Encryptedsearch.org?

They also add affiliate links to results. Search for anything remotely marketable and you’ll get offers with prices right in your results page. And the more users Encryptedsearch.org has, the more money they can make from advertising. This is made clear in their privacy policy and their home page and it’s normal — advertising to their users in search results is how most search engines make their money.

As for the other features that Encryptedsearch.org offers, like deleting the local search history periodically — that doe hide your activity from those you share your computer with, but it’s not helpful for your online privacy.

An issue with using Encrypted Search (the add-on) is that it makes it frustratingly difficult to use other search engines because it keeps redirecting to Encryptedsearch.org. This is presented as working as intended, but can become extremely annoying. The extension interferes with your browsing beyond what is needed for its functions to work.

How Encryptedsearch.org is installed

A lot of people started using this search engine by accident, without wanting to. That can happen because the Encrypted Search browser hijacker is promoted in dishonest ways:

• Bundled with other browser extensions.
• Bundled with free programs.
• Displayed by bad ads.

First, the add-on is often tied together with other Polaris browser hijackers, like Search Hub. Encrypted Search is presented only as something “To Protect Your Search Privacy”. Since the option to decline is absurdly tiny, a lot of people probably didn’t see it. For some users, installing the extension might have looked like the only option.

Browser hijackers are sometimes installed together with desktop programs using the bundling method. Free programs are monetized by offering extensions and receiving money for each successful installation. To users, this looks like a few checkboxes that offer using a certain search engine (like Encryptedsearch.org). These are checked by default and deliberately made difficult to spot, so people end up installing random extensions by accident. Here is an example:

Malicious online ads also promote unneeded browser add-ons. Such ads are usually posted on websites that already have a reputation for bad ads, like piracy, filesharing, and file converter sites. They’re also displayed by rogue websites like Click-on-this-now.online and Vikolidoskopinsk.info, as well as injected into the browser by adware present on the computer.

How to remove Encryptedsearch.org redirects

You can feel safe knowing that other reputable search engines offer the same encryption and more. If you want to delete your browsing history, you can do that manually. You can also use Incognito mode to browse somewhat anonymously. Using Encryptedsearch.org isn’t dangerous but it is also very unnecessary.

The browser extension can be removed manually very easily, the default search engine can be restored in browser settings, too.

It’s advisable to scan your computer for potentially unwanted programs and adware (you can use Combo Cleaner (Mac), SpyHunter (PC), or another reputable program) in case Encrypted Search arrived on your device in a bundler or if you tried removing the extension but it kept coming back.

Automatic Malware removal tools

TopHow To remove Encryptedsearch.org Redirect 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 Encryptedsearch.org Redirect, 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 Encryptedsearch.org Redirect 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 Encryptedsearch.org Redirect 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 Encryptedsearch.org Redirect, 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.