Search Hub New Tab - How to remove

Search Hub (by Search Smart) is a browser extension that does nothing else but change your new tab page and makes you use Yahoo. While the add-on’s description says “Manage how you search instantly from your new tab page!”, in reality, Search Hub is blatantly hijacking your browser so that it can profit from showing you ads.

This extension is identified as adware, like most browser hijackers are. This type of software, though not explicitly harmful, is disliked by people so much that cybersecurity software vendors decided to warn people about it. Search Hub’s installer is currently detected by 31 of 71 engines on VirusTotal.

Search Hub is similar to uTab, MyStreamingTab, Breaking News Hub, and other similar extensions. They replace your new tab page, change some of your settings, and then sit inside your browser, recording your search history and the search queries that you make. They get installed using deceptive methods and they rarely offer any valuable functionality.

Search Hub barely even tries to pretend that it does anything more than direct search queries to the Yahoo search engine.

Search Hub by Search Smart is basically adware and there’s nothing to be gained by keeping it installed:

Related domains	search.hgetsearchhub.com hp.hgetsearchclub.com searchsmart.co
Symptoms	Search Hub or Search Smart mentioned on the new tab page Web search results by Yahoo Multiple unfamiliar browser extensions installed
Distribution	Online ads Bundling Adware
Remove Search Hub by Search Smart	Uninstall add-ons manually Remove potentially unwanted programs automatically (SpyHunter (PC))

How to recognize and avoid malicious browser add-ons

There is no shortage of malicious applications and websites out there, but some of them manage to present themselves in an attractive way. Luckily, it’s not difficult to tell that Search Hub is not a helpful piece of software and should probably be avoided.

In general, these red flags include things like:

• Obscure identity of the developer.
• Lack of user reviews.
• Lack of information about the monetization model.
• Excessive extension permissions.
• Dishonest promotion.

The first sign is that Search Hub, an extension that’s been downloaded tens of thousands of times, has no reviews. This doesn’t automatically mean that an extension is malicious, but it’s circumstantial evidence. Search Hub is installed not by people looking for it specifically, but from its website which immediately redirects to another site. And the page where Search Hub is installed from is opened by misleading ads on other sites. So, users don’t interact with Search Hub like they would with an actually wanted extension — giving it candid reviews, suggestions, commenting on features. Here, there is no feedback from the thousands of users, and that’s just strange.

Next is the lack of transparency. Usually, browser extensions have a normal website associated, maybe a list of updates. Search Hub, though, doesn’t even provide an obvious identity of the developer. It looks like it could be Eightpoint — an infamous factory of browser hijackers that use Yahoo for their results, but I don’t really know for sure. They give a contact form, and that’s it. This makes Search Hub a bit suspicious because you can’t clearly see who is behind it.

Then there is all the bundling. After first installing Search Hub from its site SearchSmart.co, I was redirected immediately to another page with a big green “INSTALL NOW” button. This landed me on Encrypted Search, a hijacker pretending to be a privacy extension. After it, the page for Email Search Tools was opened. All of this was done on Chrome, in a page that had the back button hidden and the ways to refuse the offered extensions were made almost invisible. Such design is extremely hostile and predatory to inexperienced web users who won’t realize that they can just refuse, or that the extensions are clearly worthless junkware.

How to get rid of Search Hub

The page that Search Hub sets as your new tab literally has an ad on it. If you use it to search for items, the Yahoo results page often has more ads than results on it. Your browsing habits are collected in order to know what ads to show to you so that you’re more likely to click on them. The extension only exists as a way to change browsers’ search settings and get a bigger audience for ads. That’s why most people who were saddled with this intrusive piece of software want to remove it from their browser.

At the same time, it might be beneficial to scan your computer with an anti-malware tool (SpyHunter (Windows), Combo Cleaner (macOS)). Your computer is probably fine, but if your browser gets hijacked or infected regularly, then some junkware could be on your computer (besides Search Hub), since they all use the same types of distribution:

• ads that look like download buttons,
• redirects and random new tabs that open without you doing it,
• downloaded freeware that bundles and installs random programs without warning about it.

It’s probably not urgent but, most of the time, removing unnecessary programs (like fake optimizers and utilities) actually makes your computer run a little better. Just like getting rid of Search Hub will make your browser a little safer.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to remove Search Hub New Tab using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like Search Hub New Tab install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to Search Hub New Tab . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make Search Hub New Tab easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.

How to remove Search Hub New Tab from macOS

Delete Search Hub New Tab from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the Search Hub New Tab app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

TopRemove malicious extensions from Internet Explorer

• Press on the Gear icon→Manage Add-ons.
  
• Go through Toolbars and extensions. Remove everything related to Search Hub New Tab and items you do not know that are made not by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Oracle or Adobe.
  
• Close the Options.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Search Hub New Tab, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Press on the Gear icon->Internet Options.
  
• Choose the Advanced tab and click on the Reset button.
  
• Select a “Delete personal settings” checkbox and click on the Reset button.
  
• Click on the Close button on the confirmation box, then close your browser.
  

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

TopRemoving Search Hub New Tab 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 Search Hub New Tab. Click on the trash bin icon next to Search Hub New Tab 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 Search Hub New Tab, 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 Search Hub New Tab 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 Search Hub New Tab 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 Search Hub New Tab, 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 Search Hub New Tab 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 Search Hub New Tab. Click on the "Remove" icon next to Search Hub New Tab 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 Search Hub New Tab from Safari (Mac OS X)

• Click on the Safari menu.
• Choose Preferences.
  
• Click on the Extensions Tab.
• Click on the Uninstall button near the Search Hub New Tab. Remove all other unknown or suspicious entries too. If you are not sure whether you need the extension or not, you can simply uncheck the Enable check-box to disable the extension temporarily.
  
• Restart Safari.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Search Hub New Tab, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari.
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

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