Search.vc-cmf.com

Posted by Max Lehmann on July 26, 2016

What is Search.vc-cmf.com?

Search.vc-cmf.com does not look like anything important, but it can sure make you sweat for a while because it is an intrusive browser hijacker. A browser hijacker is a type of security threat that modifies your browser settings by changing your default homepage, search engine, and sometimes new tab and target line settings. That is definitely very annoying, but we should also look at other aspects of this infection. Yes, we call it an infection because the program enters your computer without your permission, or at least you do not notice when that happens. Therefore, the most important thing right now is to remove Search.vc-cmf.com from your PC. test

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

Unfortunately, we cannot indicate one exact distribution source that would be responsible for spreading this browser hijacker around. It is very likely that Search.vc-cmf.com comes in software bundles, and if that is really the case, then this application is not the only intruder you should be worried about. Software bundles carry multiple freeware and adware applications that could monitor your online activity, hog your system resources, and even expose you to malware-related websites.

What‘s more, the previous browser hijackers from this family have also employed this distribution method, so an apple does not fall far from the tree. You can expect this program to behave just like Search.searchlttrn.com, Search.yourpackagesnow.com, Search.yourmapscenter.com, and many other similar hijackers. The abundance of these infections is probably there to make up for the lack of sophistication. However, since the program is not too complicated, it also means that it is not too hard to delete it from your system.

What does Search.vc-cmf.com do?

The main thing we can accuse the browser hijacker of is search results modification. It is the most common behavioral pattern that is shared by most of the browser hijackers out there. The reason the program modifies your search results is, obviously, money. Now, there is no need to panic because this infection is not elaborate enough to be able to log your keystrokes and steal your banking logins and passwords. However, it does monitor your online activity with tracking cookies. The same tactic is often employed by websites, online stores, and other entities that rely a lot on online advertising.

This activity might be slightly annoying, but it is far from illegal. So Search.vc-cmf.com is borderline legitimate, and if it were not for the distribution method and the overall behavior, it would be hard to place this search engine into the malware section. Nevertheless, knowing this program tracks your online activity is enough to raise the alarm because the hijacker is not responsible for the third-party content security. In other words, it offers advertising space for a number of third parties, and it never checks whether the content it displays is reliable or not.

Hence, if cyber criminals know how to utilize this security loophole (and they most certainly do), they can turn Search.vc-cmf.com into their own advertising and malware distribution platform. And if that happens, you would end up in a great trouble. Therefore, you have to do everything in your power to avoid further infections and other malware infection consequences.

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

There are several ways to remove this browser hijacker. You can get rid of it by deleting the extensions from the Chrome and Firefox browsers. You will definitely see which extensions are associated with the hijacker. As for the Internet Explorer browser, you would need to reset it in order for the infection to disappear.

In this description, however, we will show you how to delete Search.vc-cmf.com manually from the program’s folders. It might be a little more complicated than the removal via browser settings, so if you feel you may not be able to follow through, do not hesitate to ask for assistance. You can always leave us a comment below.

What’s more, you can also delete this hijacker with a licensed antispyware tool that will take care of all the potential threats for you. Bear in mind that investing in a computer security application of your choice will also be an investment in your computer’s security. This way, you will be able to avoid other potential infections. Just make sure you keep the program updated so that it has all the latest infection definitions.

Manual Search.vc-cmf.com Removal

Internet Explorer

Press Win+R and type regedit into the Open box.
Click OK and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.
Right-click Start Page on the right pane.
Select Modify and change the start page address.
Click OK and exit Registry Editor.

Mozilla Firefox

Press Win+R and type %AppData%. Click OK.
Go to Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[UNIQUE USER ID].
Locate and open the prefs.js file.
Delete this line: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://Search.vc-cmf.com");
Save changes and close the file.

Google Chrome