Slicksearch.com Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is slicksearch.com?
slicksearch.com (slick or SlickSEARCH) is a search engine provided by slickly.com, a site that offers 'the future of search engines' and supposedly provides 'the best results', a 'great browsing experience', and an alternative to other popular search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. Judging on appearance alone, it may seem legitimate and the name corresponds to its function.
The Slick Search search engine can be used via the slicksearch.com website or using their browser extension called SlickSEARCH. Once it is installed/added into your browser as an extension, it changes the home page to slicksearch.com, and then SlickSEARCH immediately becomes your new search engine.
It also starts redirecting newly-opened tabs to slicksearch.com People who are tired of search engines filled with various icons, links, ads, and so on, may initially find SlickSEARCH quite pleasing. It has a simplistic design with just three items: slick logo, search box, and a "Web Search" button.
This design makes it seem like a legitimate search engine and, furthermore, it can be found on Chrome Web Store. Once added to your browser, it will probably read and change the data on websites that you visit, replace the page that you see when opening a new tab, and change your search settings to slicksearch.com.
According to the SlickSEARCH privacy policy, they do not request or collect any personal information from you, unless you provide it, and they do not build any profile based on your searches.
They do, however, collect some data: according to them they only collect data such as IP addresses and search terms to provide relevant web and ad results based on your location and to improve search results in general. This data is collected only when you use the SlickSEARCH browser extension or perform any search on their slicksearch.com website.
They also state that this collected data will stay protected and is encrypted on secured networks. They also state that they do not use cookies for tracking purposes and are only used to store your settings (if there are any). They also state that collected data may be sold, rented, or shared to third parties to develop and deliver search results.
Therefore, it is highly probable that you will be offered various third-party services or products when using the SlickSEARCH search engine via slicksearch.com or when you have the SlickSEARCH extension installed on your browser.
Name | SlickSEARCH browser hijacker |
Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser(s) settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). User's are forced to visit hijacker's website and search the Internet using their search engines. |
Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers. |
Damage | Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites. |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
There are plenty search engines (or extensions) such as slicksearch.com (or SlickSEARCH). Most seem identical and also affect web browsers in a similar way. Some might show obvious signs that they are trying to advertise various websites, whilst others do this more discreetly.
Using one method or other, some data is collected by SlickSEARCH. It is also possible that the information is used to generate revenue, for example, by redirecting you to unwanted/unknown websites filled with adware. This generates value for search engine developers, but your computer be at risk of infection by viruses or malware.
This usually applies to browser hijackers, however, there are so many fake search engines today that it becomes increasingly difficult to determine which are legitimate.
How did SlickSEARCH install on my computer?
There are a number of ways that SlickSEARCH may have been installed on your web browser, especially if it is a browser hijacker and not a legitimate search engine. If it is a browser hijacker, it can be installed through free software. There are many cases whereby browser hijackers are bundled into software installers.
You do not even need to install any software to be affected. A single click of an advertisement, "Download" button, etc., might be enough.
Browser hijackers can also be installed if you click an attachment within an email, visit an infected website, or download software from a file-sharing site or via torrents. If it is not a browser hijacker, you probably downloaded and installed it from Chrome Web Store or the slicksearch.com website.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent your browser being hijacked, carefully read the End User License Agreement (EULA) when installing software, especially if it is free. If you accept the user agreements without reading them first, you might inadvertently accept unwanted software that could install a browser hijacker on the computer or web browser.
Try not to miss any custom or advanced options when going through the installation steps. Download software from free sites with care, especially if they are unofficial website. Do not click links to attachments within emails sent by unknown senders. Avoid clicking on suspicious ads and buttons (such as "Download" buttons).
Keep your browser and operating system up-to-date and use antivirus software, and keep the real-time protection feature enabled. If your computer is already infected with SlickSEARCH, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Website promoting SlickSEARCH browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is slicksearch.com?
- STEP 1. Uninstall SlickSEARCH application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove slicksearch.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove SlickSEARCH browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove slicksearch.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove slicksearch.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
SlickSEARCH browser hijacker removal:
Windows 11 users:
Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.
Windows 10 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
macOS (OSX) users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently installed suspicious applications (for example, "SlickSEARCH"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the slicksearch.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
SlickSEARCH browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
Change your homepage:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://slicksearch.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.
Change your default search engine:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "slicksearch".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the slicksearch browser hijacker, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.
Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.
In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.
Click the Reset button.
Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "SlickSEARCH" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable "SlickSEARCH", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.slicksearch.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click on the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list, look for "slicksearch.com", and when located, click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Remove from list".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the slicksearch browser hijacker, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "SlickSEARCH", as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins.
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://slicksearch.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "slicksearch.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with slicksearch browser hijacker removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...
In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.
In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.
In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage and new tab settings:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".
Change your default Internet search engine:
To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the slicksearch browser hijacker, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.
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