How to remove locate.oculabase.com from web browsers

What is locate.oculabase.com?

Upon testing locate.oculabase.com, we found that it is a fake search engine promoted through an extension designed to hijack web browsers. This fake search engine does not generate results. Instead, it redirects users to other sites that may include fraudulent pages. The extension promoting locate.oculabase.com is called Ocula.

Locate.oculabase.com and Ocula browser hijacker overview

During our analysis, locate.oculabase.com redirected to bing.com, a legitimate search engine. It is important to note that websites promoted through locate.oculabase.com may include untrustworthy sites. Those pages may be designed to steal sensitive information, money, promote unwanted apps, distribute malware, etc.

Thus, it is highly advisable not to use locate.oculabase.com. Another reason to avoid ocate.oculabase.com is that it is promoted through a browser hijacker, Ocula. This extension was previously named Image Finder Plus. Users who had Image Finder Plus added to their browsers may now notice that the extension has been renamed to Ocula.

Browser hijackers like Ocula typically promote fake search engines by changing the default search engine, homepage, and new tab address. Thus, browsers hijacked by Ocula have locate.oculabase.com in the aforementioned settings. Before users can change the affected settings and remove locate.oculabase.com, it may be necessary to eliminate Ocula first. This is because Ocula may be preventing direct removal.

It is also important to note that browser hijackers and fraudulent search engines are often created not just to redirect users, but also to collect various information. This can include browsing history, search queries, IP addresses, and other data that may be sold to third parties or used for malicious purposes.

For these reasons, it is highly advisable to remove Ocula (or Image Finder Plus) and locate.oculabase.com from hijacked browsers as soon as possible.

Conclusion

Locate.oculabase.com is an unreliable fake search engine promoted through a browser hijacker and can redirect users to potentially unsafe websites while collecting personal data. Browser hijackers like Ocula alter browser settings and can make removal difficult. It is strongly recommended to remove both the hijacker and the associated search engine if they are present.

More examples of fake search engines are search.ansiblealgorithm.com, markedoneofthe.com, and privacyguardiansearch.com.

How did Ocula install on my computer?

Browser hijackers tend to be installed or added alongside free or unreliable software when users accept default installation settings without opting out of optional offers. These unwanted programs/extensions are usually listed under "Advanced", "Custom", or other setup options.

They can also be spread through fake warnings (deceptive pop-ups), misleading ads, and other shady content on untrustworthy websites. Other common distribution channels include unofficial app stores, fake notifications from deceptive pages, peer-to-peer networks, and third-party download managers.

How to avoid installation of browser hijackers?

Regularly update your operating system and apps and perform scans with reliable security software. Always download programs from official sources or trusted app stores, and pay close attention during installation to prevent unwanted software or browser add-ons/extensions.

Avoid interacting with suspicious websites - close them and ignore any ads, pop-ups, or links they show. Never allow untrusted sites to send notifications. If your computer is already infected with Ocula, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Locate.oculabase.com redirects to bing.com (GIF):

Permissions asked by Ocula browser hijacker:

Website promoting Ocula browser hijacker:

Website promoting the previous version, Image Finder Plus:

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:

By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com.

Quick menu:

• What is locate.oculabase.com?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Ocula application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Ocula browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 3. Remove locate.oculabase.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 4. Remove locate.oculabase.com redirect from Safari.
• STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Ocula 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, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the locate.oculabase.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Ocula browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser redirects:

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Extensions" and click "Manage Extensions". Locate "Ocula" and other recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable "Ocula" (or "Image Finder Plus"), look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.locate.oculabase.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 "locate.oculabase.com", when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Delete".

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ocula 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 extensions from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate "Ocula" (or "Image Finder Plus"), as well as all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Settings", in the opened window disable "Ocula" (or "Image Finder Plus"), remove hxxp://locate.oculabase.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 "Accept the Risk and Continue".

In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled". Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the button.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with ocula 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 ocula 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of forcing users visit locate.oculabase.com website?

The main goal of directing users to locate.oculabase.com is to drive web traffic and advertise content that may be misleading or harmful.

Is visiting locate.oculabase.com a threat to my privacy?

Visiting locate.oculabase.com can put your privacy at risk, as the site may gather data like search history, visited websites, IP addresses, and other information without permission. This information could be exploited or sold.

How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?

Browser hijackers often come bundled with free or untrustworthy software when users accept default installation settings. They can also spread via fake alerts, misleading ads, shady websites, unofficial app stores, P2P networks, and third-party downloaders.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove a browser hijacker?

Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and removing browser hijackers. Manually trying to remove them may not work if multiple hijackers are installed, since they can reinstall one another. To fully resolve the issue, all hijackers need to be removed at the same time.