What is Search.pe-cmf.com?
Search.pe-cmf.com is a browser hijacker that was created to promote third-party content and make money for its developers. There is nothing too dangerous about this program, but computer security experts warn users that browser hijackers could be exploited by cyber criminals. The point is that the program is an annoying intruder that should not be taken lightly. To protect your system from malicious threats, you need to remove Search.pe-cmf.com today. Once you are done with that, you should consider scanning your system with a legitimate antispyware tool. There is always a chance that there are more unwanted programs on-board, and you need to take care of them all.
Where does Search.pe-cmf.com come from?
The best way to avoid such intruders is to know how they spread around and prevent them from entering your system. After all, prevention is just as important and removal. The problem with avoiding browser hijackers is that there is no one direct source that would be responsible for spreading these intruders around. So you need to recognize the main browser hijacker, adware, and freeware distribution patterns to be more attentive when you encounter potential installer files.
Search.pe-cmf.com usually comes bundled with freeware, so it is very likely that you installed this hijacker on your computer when you were looking for something on a file-sharing website. It is very common that users need some codec or a file converter application, and they download these apps without any second thought. Sure, the chances that you would download a malware program are very slim, but you should be attentive and careful when you go through third-party program installation. It is possible to avoid this browser hijacker and other potential threats if only you were more attentive.
Whenever you are about to install a new application, you should check every step in the installation wizard. Perhaps there is a step that allows you to deselect Search.pe-cmf.com, and you simply missed it because you wanted to be done with the installation as soon as possible.
What does Search.pe-cmf.com do?
Now that the browser hijacker is on your computer, you will see that it can affect all main browsers: Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer. It is very likely that it will affect your default browser and leave the rest intact, but there is no guarantee that it would not modify the others, too. The most important thing is not to panic because a browser hijacker cannot immediately destroy your computer.
Upon the installation, Search.pe-cmf.com will change your default homepage, and it will look like your search engine was upgraded to something new. Quite often, users fail not realize that their browsers have been compromised because this hijacker looks like a regular search engine. It even comes with shortcuts to other popular websites like Amazon, Gmail, Yahoo!, and others. So it might seem that the program provides you with useful services.
Nevertheless, if your browser settings get modified without your permission, you should not tolerate that. Please remember that browser hijackers do that to generate financial profit. While they cannot steal your money directly, they can still lead to certain computer security problems. Search.pe-cmf.com and other similar programs make money via the pay-per-click system. It means that whenever you click the content, it promotes you help them generate a financial profit. Of course, such system is not illegal, but the problem here is that you can never know where you will land when you click some link delivered by the browser hijacker.
In the worst-case scenario, you could always get redirect to some dangerous page that promotes malware. And you would not be able to blame Search.pe-cmf.com for it because the hijacker simply works as a vehicle for content distribution. It does not review the third-party links it promotes, and you are the one who clicks them anyway.
How do I remove Search.pe-cmf.com?
As a result, you need to remove Search.pe-cmf.com from your system immediately. The manual removal instructions below will help you terminate the intruder. However, after manual removal, you should also scan your system with the SpyHunter free scanner. Let us not forget that browser hijackers can be installed on your computer with several other programs that could seriously impact your system’s security level. Thus, the sooner you get rid of all the potential threats, the better.
Manual Search.pe-cmf.com Removal
Internet Explorer
- Press Win+R and type regedit. Click OK.
- Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.
- On the right side, right-click the Start Page value.
- Select Modify and change your homepage address. Press OK.
Firefox
- Press Win+R and type %AppData%. Click OK.
- Go to Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[User ID].
- Open the prefs.js file with Notepad.
- Delete the user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "Search.pe-cmf.com"); string.
- Save changes and exit the file.
Chrome
- Press Win+R and type %LocalAppData%. Press OK.
- Open Google\Chrome\User Data\Default.
- Delete the Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data files.
100% FREE spyware scan and
tested removal of Search.pe-cmf.com*
0 Comments.