Search.ph-cmf.com

Posted by Lisa Blanc on December 7, 2016

What is Search.ph-cmf.com?

Search.ph-cmf.com is one of the many browser hijackers that will barge into your system without your permission. These programs modify your browser’s settings as they need to sustain traffic to affiliated websites. Everything is done for the sake of the monetary profit, but it should be pointed out that browser hijackers (at least originally) do not intend to steal personal or financial information. They are more dangerous as potential vehicles for malware distribution, so any computer-savvy user would remove Search.ph-cmf.com and other similar apps as soon as possible. For that reason, you can find the manual removal instructions right below this article. test

Where does Search.ph-cmf.com come from?

It is not clear what exactly distributes this browser hijacker. We do know for sure, though, that it comes from a large group of similar intruders. The predecessors include Search.yourmapscenter.com, Search.youremailnow.com, Search.yourclassifiedscenter.com, and so on. All these programs employ the same distribution methods, so you should be able to avoid getting infected with a browser hijacker if you know what signs to look out for.

For instance, it is obvious that there is no direct distribution source, so Search.ph-cmf.com must come via some third-party source. Usually, these programs employ third-party installers and come bundled with freeware. Freeware bundling is a very common distribution method employed by adware, freeware, browser hijackers, and potentially unwanted software. What’s more, users install such programs themselves because they seldom realize that third-party installers carry more than just one application. Thus, if you need some new tool, be sure to download it from its official website. A third-party source is very likely to host an installer that bundles several apps together, and we certainly want to avoid that.

What does Search.ph-cmf.com do?

As far as the functionality of the browser hijacker is concerned, it does not offer anything new or anything we would not know yet. These programs are compatible with Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer. The moment they enter target systems, they change homepage and search engine settings, perching on your browser’s startup page at once. This might make them seem like legitimate search providers, but Search.ph-cmf.com does not even have its own search engine.

Instead, the hijacker makes use of the Yahoo! Search engine. This engine is reliable, but you can never know HOW the infection will modify the search results the engine delivers. The chances are that most of the search results will be changed according to your likes and preferences.

Now, you might wonder, how this program knows what you like. The answer is simple: online monitoring. Search.ph-cmf.com and other programs employ tracking cookies to find out more about you and your preferences. Although they cannot figure out your banking login details, they will soon know the websites you frequent, and the keywords you enter when you search for something online. With that, Search.ph-cmf.com can generate customized links and ads for you to click.

Of course, you should never click anything delivered by this browser hijacker because you will never know where these outgoing links might lead you. In the worst case, you might also get redirected to a malicious website that hosts or distributes malware. Once again, that does not mean it is the hijacker’s intentions to infect you with malware. But the unfortunate truth is that browser hijackers can be exploited by cyber criminals to help them distribute their corrupted content. And since Search.ph-cmf.com does not review the third-party content it promotes, it might as well redirect you to malicious websites. You have to prevent this practice from coming into your backyard, and it is obvious that you need to remove the browser hijacker to do that.

How do I remove Search.ph-cmf.com?

As mentioned, you can find the manual removal instructions below this description to get rid of Search.ph-cmf.com. However, let us not forget a number of other programs that could have entered your PC. Rather than looking for those applications manually, you can scan your PC with the SpyHunter free scanner to find them all and delete them at once.

After that, safeguard your system with a security tool of your choice, and be sure to employ safe web browsing habits. Do not open spam email attachments and refrain from downloading programs from third-party sources. Your computer’s security is in your hands.

Manual Search.ph-cmf.com Removal

Internet Explorer

Press Win+R and the Run prompt will open.
Type regedit and click OK.
Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.
On the right pane, right-click the Start Page value.
Choose Modify and change your startup page address. Click OK.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{0633EE93-D776-472f-A0FF-E1416B8B2E3A}.
On the right, modify these values:
FaviconURL
FaviconURLFallback
TopResultURL
URL
Save changes and close Registry Editor.

Firefox

Press Win+R and the type %AppData% into the Open box.
Click OK and go to Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[Unique user ID].
Locate and open the prefs.js file.
Delete the following string: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://Search.ph-cmf.com");
Save changes and close the file.