SmashApps Hijacker - How to remove

SmashApps is a malicious browser extension – a search hijacker. It changes your browser settings to make SmashApps.net into your default search engine. SmashApps.net grabs your search queries and directs your searches to shady sites like Biosc.xyz. This means that your search results are delivered on an unexpected and potentially unwanted site.

Ultimately, SmashApps is pure adware, filling the search results with ads while not offering any useful functionality. Uninstall the SmashApps browser extension to get rid of the SmashApps.net redirects. Check your computer for other infections.

In short about SmashApps:

Type of threat	Adware, browser hijacker.
How SmashApps hijacks the browser	Changes browser settings to make SmashApps.net the default search engine, hijacks web searches and fills the results with ads.
How hijackers spread	They get installed by other programs as optional offers, they are advertised online and promoted by adware.
How to remove SmashApps	Uninstall the SmashApps extension, find and remove malware from your device (Combo Cleaner for macOS, Spyhunter for Windows, others).

What is SmashApps?

Ads and search redirects

Changed browser settings

SmashApps is a malicious browser extension. Normally, extensions are little apps that get attached to a web browser and change it by, hopefully, adding useful features. For example, I’m using a browser extension to check my spelling.

But SmashApps does not help its users. Instead, it manipulates its users’ web browsing in order to show them ads. This allows its creators to make money.

Once SmashApps is installed, it configures your default search settings to SmashApps.net. Now, every time you try to search for something by using your address bar (the box at the top of the browser window), the query is sent to SmashApps.net.

Search redirects

It then opens S3arch.page, Toksearches.xyz, Qssc.xyz, Searchred01.xyz, Biosc.xyz, and other shady sites. Whatever search engine your browser used to send your searches to, SmashApps changed that.

The sites that SmashApps.net opens do show relevant results, but they tend to show too many ads with them. And that’s no wonder. SmashApps is made by Smash Media Network, a company that dabbles in browser extension monetization – it’s an advertising app and it exists to show ads to users.

Any time your browser starts opening unfamiliar websites, you can suspect that a bad browser add-on was installed.

Low-quality search engine

SmashApps.net exists to show ads to visitors. Although it does deliver internet search results, it has no functions to filter results by type, date, or language. A very poor web search experience.

This fake search engine is created by misusing the Google custom search engine tools. They allow anyone to create their own search engine for free. Malicious actors abuse it to create fake search engines and fill their results with as many ads as possible. Sometimes, they also limit which sites the search results are collected from.

You can get around this by first opening the search site that you wish to use. For example, if you go to Google.com or Bing.com and then use them to search, SmashApps can’t interfere. It can still read your browsing history to find out what your searched for. But it can’t inject ads into the results.

In the end, although SmashApps isn’t very dangerous, it is still pretty terrible:

• The search engine lacks the tools, settings, and customization that the mainstream search engines have.
• It wastes your time and screen space to show ads.
• It logs your search queries and your browsing history to better target those ads.

SmashApps is very much like the other search hijackers, such as Wowsearch and Sealoid.

How to avoid hijackers

SmashApps is only one of the hundreds of browser hijackers that are out there. Each of them tries to infect as many browsers as possible while laying low to avoid being removed. There are a few things to keep in mind if you want to avoid these types of infections:

• Keep your software up-to-date. Let your operating system and your browser download and install updates automatically, if possible. This will stop malicious sites from automatically installing malware.
• Avoid sites with aggressive ads or use an ad-blocker when on those sites.
• Be careful when installing software, read the advanced settings, and refuse optional offers. Sometimes adware like SmashApps comes bundled with other programs as optional offers.
• When installing browser extensions, question every permission. Why does SmashApps need to control your search engine settings? Why does it need to read your browsing history?
• Use your anti-malware program to scan your device regularly, use it to block malicious sites, and trust it when it flags something as potentially unwanted.

Generally, SmashApps and other search hijackers rely on deception, manipulation, dark patterns, intentionally misleading user interface design to trick people into installing them. You can never be too careful when installing a free program.

How to remove SmashApps

You can uninstall the SmashApps hijacker manually. The quickest way is to do it from the extension area in the upper right corner of your browser’s UI. Just right-click SmashApps’ icon and click the Remove option.

You can also open extension settings in your browser and remove SmashApps from there. Remember to check your other apps and browser extensions. Are they all known and trustworthy?

Also, check your computer with an antivirus program, like Combo Cleaner for Mac, Spyhunter for PC, and others. The scan results would tell you if there are any more suspicious apps on your device that ought to be removed.

You can also block sites like SmashApps.net by using an ad-blocker or an anti-malware program. This would help you avoid other infections and malicious ads.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove suspicious extensions

TopRemoving SmashApps Hijacker 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 SmashApps. Click on the trash bin icon next to SmashApps Hijacker 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 SmashApps, 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 SmashApps Hijacker 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 SmashApps Hijacker. Click on the "Remove" icon next to SmashApps 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 SmashApps Hijacker 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 SmashApps 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 SmashApps Hijacker, 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.