HDSportSearch - How to remove

HDSportSearch is a search hijacker that gets installed on browsers thanks to some misleading advertisements. It makes Hdsportsearch.com your default search engine, which usually means that Yahoo returns your search results. It also logs your browsing data for use in advertising. To stop HDSportSearch, remove this extension.

HDSportSearch in short:

Type of threat	Browser hijacker.
Problems and issues	Feed.hdsportsearch.com controls your default search and it sees your search queries, which is bad for privacy, HDSportSearch.com may start displaying pop-up ads in your browser.
How HDSportSearch spreads	Advertised on shady websites, promoted by adware viruses.
How to remove HDSportSearch	Remove HDSportSearch, delete malware and unwanted programs, block notification pop-ups from Hdsportsearch.com.

HDSportSearch is a browser hijacker

HDSportSearch has nothing to do with high definition or sports. As for search, it does track what you are searching for.

HDSportSearch is part of a family of browser hijackers that includes ConvertMySearch, Winki-search.com, and many others. They used to be identified as related to Webcoapps, but that name has disappeared from their TOSs and Privacy Policies. Now, they’re only identified by a certain physical address that is shared by Linkury, Tapufind, Safe Finder, and other goodness. Needless to say, people should be wary of HDSportSearch.

HDSportSearch reads your browsing history and takes over your search settings. While HDSportSearch is installed, your browser will consider Feed.hdsportsearch.com the default search engine. It usually opens Yahoo.com.

Of course, HDSportSearch also gets to read your search queries and your browsing history – data that should be mostly encrypted to keep your privacy. But HDSportSearch gets around that encryption, logging valuable usage data that can be used for research and to show you targeted ads. Like way less explicit RelevantKnowlege, like mild spyware.

How hijackers get installed

HDSportSearch can be encountered by clicking on a fake download button. You might encounter it on sites like these:

• torrenting and pirating sites,
• file download sites,
• old blogs and forums (abandoned sites get infected with malware and their admins aren’t around to clean it up),
• free movie streaming sites (though these may count as pirating sites),
• ads injected by adware viruses.

Here’s an ad for HDSportSearch:

 

Some websites, like pirating sites and file download sites, are lax about the kinds of ads they show. So, malicious, misleading advertisements are more likely to appear on them than on sites that regulate their ads more strictly. And fake download buttons work – the sites that show them get paid for each mistaken click, so they have no reason to get rid of these ads.

If you notice something suspicious while browsing, if you’re asked to download and install something but you don’t understand why, know that you can always stop and get out. It is simple to restart an installation if it turns out to be legit, it is much more difficult to remove malware once you’ve installed it.

How to remove HDSportSearch

To stop Hdsportsearch.com from messing with your searches and from logging your information, you can remove the HDSportSearch extension from your browser. At the same time, you should check if you trust the rest of your browsers and check if there are any suspicious programs or files on your computer.

Scan your device with Combo Cleaner for macOS, Spyhunter for Windows, or with whatever antivirus scanner you prefer, then check the scan results. Remove the malicious items, including HDSportSearch.

It is possible that while HDSportSearchs was being installed, it got access to your notifications and is using it to display pop-up ads on your screen.

It is also possible that you never even had HDSportSearch installed but still saw the notification pop-ups from Hdsportsearch.com.

Either way, you can block them in your browser settings:

• Chrome – type “chrome://settings/content/notifications” in the address box.
• Safari – in the Safari menu, choose Preferences, Websites, Notifications.
• 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.

If you see Hdsportsearch.com, it’s probably either on a list called Allow or has the word Allow to its right. Look to HDSportSearch’s right for a button (arrow, three-dots, etc.) and click it. In the drop-down list, select Block (on Safari, Deny) and click it. This will tell your browser to not accept notifications from Hdsportsearch.com.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove unwanted browser extensions

TopRemoving HDSportSearch 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 HDSportSearch. Click on the trash bin icon next to HDSportSearch 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 HDSportSearch, 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.

TopRemoving HDSportSearch 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 HDSportSearch 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 HDSportSearch, 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.

How to remove HDSportSearch 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 HDSportSearch. Click on the "Remove" icon next to HDSportSearch 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.