How to remove Conduit Search redirect (Virus Removal Guide)

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Written by: Stelian Pilici

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Conduit Search is a browser hijacker that it will change the homepage and search engine for your web browser to http://search.conduit.com.
Conduit Search redirect

The Conduit Search redirect is caused by a browser hijacker which is installed by the users, whether that is knowingly or not. Often, this type of program is offered through advertisements or bundled with other software, leaving the user puzzled where this software came from.

When the Conduit Search browser hijacker is installed on a PC, common symptoms include:

  • Changing the web browser’s default homepage to search.conduit.com
  • Changing the browser’s search provider, built-in search box to http://www.Conduit Search
  • Ability to modify the ‘new tab’ functionality to launch the modified search portal page
  • Loads into the web browser via an extension or add-on
You should always pay attention when installing software because often, a software installer includes optional installs, such as this Conduit Search redirectbrowser hijacker. Be very careful what you agree to install.
Always opt for the custom installation and deselect anything that is not familiar, especially optional software that you never wanted to download and install in the first place. It goes without saying that you should not install software that you don’t trust.
The below instructions are for Windows users, however we also have an Android guide and a Mac OS guide which should help clean up your device.

How to remove Conduit Search search redirect (Removal Guide)

This malware removal guide may appear overwhelming due to the amount of the steps and numerous programs that are being used. We have only written it this way to provide clear, detailed, and easy to understand instructions that anyone can use to remove malware for free.
Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, STOP and ask for our assistance.
To remove the Conduit Search redirect, follow these steps:

STEP 1: Uninstall the malicious programs from Windows

In this first step, we will try to identify and remove any malicious program that might be installed on your PC.

  1. Go to the uninstall menu.

    Windows 10 or Windows 8.1

    1. To uninstall a program on Windows 10 or Windows 8, right-click on the Windows Start button and choose “Control Panel” from the pop-up menu.
      Control Panel in Windows 10
    2. When the “Control Panel” window opens click on the “Uninstall a program” option under “Programs” category.
      Uninstall A Program on Windows 10

    Windows 7

    1. If you are using Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, click the “Start” button, then click on the “Control Panel” menu option.
      [Image: Control Panel in Windows Start Menu]
    2. When the “Control Panel” window opens click on the “Uninstall a program” option under “Programs” category.
      [Image: Uninstall a program]
  2. When the “Programs and Features” screen is displayed, scroll through the list of currently installed programs and uninstall any unwanted programs.
    Known malicious programs: Search Protect, Client-Connect_uninstaller, TakeSave, DNS Unlocker, Cinema Plus, Price Minus, SalesPlus, New Player, MediaVideosPlayers, Browsers_Apps_Pro, PriceLEess, Pic Enhance, Sm23mS, Salus, Network System Driver, SS8, Save Daily Deals, Word Proser, Desktop Temperature Monitor, CloudScout Parental Control, Savefier, Savepass, HostSecurePlugin, CheckMeUp or HD-V2.2.
    The malicious program may have a different name on your computer. To view the most recently installed programs, you can click on the “Installed On” column to sort your program by the installation date. Scroll through the list, and uninstall any unwanted or unknown programs.

    If you cannot find any unwanted programs on your computer, you can proceed with the next step.

    If you are having issues while trying to uninstall a program, you can use Revo Uninstaller to completely remove this unwanted program from Windows.

    Uninstall malicious programs

STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove Conduit Search search redirect

Malwarebytes is a powerful on-demand scanner which will remove the Conduit Search search redirect from your PC. It is important to note that Malwarebytes will run alongside antivirus software without conflicts.

  1. You can download download Malwarebytes from the below link.
    MALWAREBYTES DOWNLOAD LINK (This link open a new page from where you can download “Malwarebytes”)
  2. When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the “mb3-setup-consumer” file to install Malwarebytes on your computer.
    Malwarebytes installer
    You may be presented with an User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow Malwarebytes to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
    Malwarebytes User Account Control Prompt
  3. When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through the installation process.
    Setup Malwarebytes installer
    To install Malwarebytes on your machine, keep following the prompts by clicking the “Next” button.
    Completing the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard
  4. Once installed, Malwarebytes will automatically start and update the antivirus database. To start a system scan you can click on the “Scan Now” button.
    Perform a system scan with Malwarebytes
  5. Malwarebytes will now start scanning your computer for malicious programs.
    This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
    Malwarebytes scanning for malware
  6. When the scan has completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected.
    To remove the malicious programs that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine Selected” button.
    Malwarebytes Quarantine Selected
  7. Malwarebytes will now quarantine all the malicious files and registry keys that it has found.
    To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
    Malwarebytes removing malware from computer
    When the malware removal process is complete, you can close Malwarebytes and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 3: Use Zemana AntiMalware Free to scan for Malware and Unwanted Programs

Zemana AntiMalware is a free malware scanner which can detect malicious programs that your antivirus has failed to find.

  1. You can download Zemana AntiMalware Free from the below link:
    ZEMANA ANTIMALWARE FREE DOWNLOAD LINK (This link open a new webpage from where you can download “Zemana AntiMalware Free”)
  2. Double-click on the file named “Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.exe” to start the installation of Zemana AntiMalware.
    Double-click on the Zemana AntiMalware to instal it
    You may be presented with a User Account Control dialog asking you if you want to run this file. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
    Zemana AntiMalware UAC
  3. Click on the “Next” button, to install Zemana AntiMalware on your computer.
    Zemana AntiMalware installation
    When you reach the “Select Additional Tasks” screen, you can opt-out the “Enable Real Time Protection” option, then click on the “Next” button.
    Opt-out of the real-time protection feature
  4. When Zemana AntiMalware will start, click on the “Scan” button.
    Scan computer with Zemana AntiMalware
  5. Zemana AntiMalware will now scan computer for malicious files. This process can take up to 10 minutes.
    Zemana AntiMalware performing a scan
  6. When Zemana AntiMalware has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found. Click on the “Next” button, to remove the malicious files from your computer.
    Zemana AntiMalware removing Conduit Search redirect browser hijacker
    Zemana AntiMalware will now start to remove all the malicious programs from your computer. When the process is complete, you may need to restart your computer.

STEP 4: Double-check for malicious programs with HitmanPro

HitmanPro finds and removes malware, adware, bots, and other threats that even the best antivirus suite can oftentimes miss. It’s designed to run alongside your antivirus suite, firewall, and other security tools.

  1. You can download HitmanPro from the below link:
    HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a new web page from where you can download “HitmanPro”)
  2. When HitmanPro has finished downloading, double-click on the “hitmanpro” file to install this program on your computer.
    HitmanPro icon
    You may be presented with an User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow HitmanPro to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
    HitmanPro User Account Control Pop-up
  3. When the program starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Now click on the Next button to continue with the scan process.
    HitmanPro setup process
  4. HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for malware.
    HitmanPro scanning for Conduit Search redirect virus
  5. When it has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found as shown in the image below. Click on the “Next” button, to remove malware.
    HitmanPro detected malware
  6. Click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial, and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
    Activate HitmanPro to remove Conduit Search redirect browser hijacker
    When the process is complete, you can close HitmanPro and continue with the rest of the instructions.

(Optional) STEP 5: Reset your browser to the default settings

If you are still experiencing issues with the Conduit Search search redirect in Internet Explorer, Firefox or Chrome, we will need to reset your browser to its default settings.
This step needs to be performed only if your issues have not been solved by the previous steps.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome has an option that will reset itself to its default settings. Resetting your browser settings will reset the unwanted changes caused by installing other programs. However, your saved bookmarks and passwords will not be cleared or changed.

  1. Click on Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled Settings.
    Google Chrome Settings menu
  2. Chrome’s Settings should now be displayed in a new tab or window, depending on your configuration. Next, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the Advanced link (as seen in the below example).
    Click on Chrome Advanced button
  3. Chrome’s advanced Settings should now be displayed. Scroll down until the Reset browser settings section is visible, as shown in the example below. Next, click on the Reset settings button.
    Google Chrome Reset button
  4. A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue on with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the Reset button.
    Restore Google Chrome to default settings

Internet Explorer

You can reset Internet Explorer settings to return them to the state they were in when Internet Explorer was first installed on your PC.

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the “gear icon” IE Icon Gear in the upper right part of your browser, then click again on Internet Options.
    [Image: Internet Options in Internet Explorer]
  2. In the “Internet Options” dialog box, click on the “Advanced” tab, then click on the “Reset” button.
    [Image: Reset Internet Explorer]
  3. In the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” section, select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then click on “Reset” button.
    [Image: Reset Internet Explorer to its default settings]
  4. When Internet Explorer has completed its task, click on the “Close” button in the confirmation dialogue box. You will now  need to close your browser, and then you can open Internet Explorer again.
    [Image Reset Internet Explorer settings]

Mozilla Firefox

If you’re having problems with Firefox, resetting it can help. The reset feature fixes many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks, passwords, web form auto-fill information, browsing history and open tabs.

  1. In the upper-right corner of the Firefox window, click the Firefox menu button ([Image: Firefox Menu button]), then click on the “Help” ([Image: Firefox Help button]) button.
    Firefox Help button
  2. From the Help menu, choose Troubleshooting Information.
    If you’re unable to access the Help menu, type about:support in your address bar to bring up the Troubleshooting information page.
    Troubleshooting Information in Firefox
  3. Click the “Refresh Firefox” button in the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page.
    Refresh Firefox button
  4. To continue, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.
    Reset Firefox settings to default
  5. Firefox will close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on the “Finish“.
Your old Firefox profile will be placed on your desktop in a folder named “Old Firefox Data“. If the reset didn’t fix your problem you can restore some of the information not saved by copying files to the new profile that was created. If you don’t need this folder any longer, you should delete it as it contains sensitive information.
Your web browser should now be free of the Conduit Search redirect.
If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove Conduit Search search redirect from your PC, please do one of the following:

How to Stay Safe Online

Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:

  1. Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.

    Shield Guide

    It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.

  2. Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.

    updates-guide

    Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.

  3. Be careful when installing programs and apps.

    install guide

    Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."

  4. Install an ad blocker.

    Ad Blocker

    Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.

  5. Be careful what you download.

    Trojan Horse

    A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.

  6. Be alert for people trying to trick you.

    warning sign

    Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.

  7. Back up your data.

    backup sign

    Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.

  8. Choose strong passwords.

    lock sign

    Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.

  9. Be careful where you click.

    cursor sign

    Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.

  10. Don't use pirated software.

    Shady Guide

    Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.

To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.

89 thoughts on “How to remove Conduit Search redirect (Virus Removal Guide)”

  1. It should be noted that I found this on my computer as Perion Search Project. I don’t know how it got on my system, I am very careful and install all programs under the custom setting. To be honest I think it came from a Geek Squad repair disk that was left in my computer.

  3. Very usefull. Ma pot proteja intr-un fel de programele de tip malware sau alte programe de genul care iti intra fara voia ta in sistem?

  5. you are a genius Stelian. I bought dell laptop 2 months back and I had this Search Preotect virus. I didnt even know whats the problem because everytime I tried to switch on my computer , it took me to a black screen after I entered password. I went to the retailer where I bought this laptop and they asked to call Dell. I called Dell and it went to India. The girl was so nice that she told me this is “Search protect ” virus however she asked me to take either 1 year software warranty – 239 $ or one time fix 139 $. I requested her to call back. I went online and found this comprehensive solution. you are truly genius. Thank you very much. You saved me time, money and all the frustration.

    God bless you

  6. what can i say that hasnt been said already here………i have followed you Stelian, and thank you for your hard work, we need more “white hat” types out there!!

  10. You are an angel sent from computer heaven!! Microsoft wanted $160 to remove this annoyance. Being unemployed that wasn’t in my budget. Thank you for your easy to follow instruction and saving my laptop and my hair

  12. finally got read of conduit search. what a pain this software has been. tx guys

  13. I just did this last night and WOW! so far so good! I was sooo happy to find this and have it actually work! Very VERY HELPFUL and I GREATLY APPRECIATE this service. xxoo

  14. Thank you , I can’t believe this got by me as safe search pro. It Was all the conduit stuff that showed up after scans amazing .thanx

  18. WOW!!!!! Worked great!!! I have spent so much time trying to figure out how to get rid of this on my own, then found this page. Thank you very much for your help. Worked first time. Cheers,Steve121

  19. Very detailed and efficient guidlines.
    Maybe it will be useful a blacklist with the most hard-to-get-rid-of crapware, to know what to pay attention for.

  24. I am so thankful I clicked on you! It is working like a charm and I am going to go ahead and get the full pkg upgrade next week. A dummy like me ( around computers ) even understood your Directions. Heartfelt Hug to you :)

  25. Thanks somehow not watching what I was doing on a brand new laptop on the day I got it I got this virus :-( this process so far seems to have fixed my problem many thanks

  26. I have to say I am rather disappointed that Spybot Search & Destroy did not remove this.( a program I have used for years).

  28. After running ADWCleaner, I also removed 2 malicious entries in the registry to get rid two dll error messages at startup, using regedit at the section:
    HKEY_USERS…SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun

  33. I never thought I’d get rid of Conduit. I tried everything and had been searching for weeks. I came across this site and ran the Malware bytes scan. Totally worked! I’m so glad I found this.. Thanks

  35. You are a savior sir. I’m a really safe surfer and snagged this while getting a java update. Thanks a bunch for what you do. Sharing with my friends for sure!

  41. Delete it in Safe Mode. I’m tried everything else & operating in safe mode was the only thing that worked.

  43. Hello,
    Those ### signs are standard for when the tool will clean the profile, and you not need to take any other actions. Are you experiencing any other issues with Firefox?

  45. THANK YOU!!! Thank you for this excellent guide. It was very detailed and easy to follow even for someone like me with little experience fixing their own computer issues.

  46. Thanks a lot ,sir! I thought my laptop was gone but I followed your detailed steps and that bugging conduit-thing was GONE! THANKS ALOT!!! it got istalled with a lot of other 3rd party software like mobogenie when I installed some codec. The PUP was gone by step 4, though I continued till step 6. thanks a lot.

  49. This Conduit stuff is bad stuff! Who would think that a browser add-on would kill the performance of the who laptop. I removed Conduit from the Extension settings in Chrome and also did an un-install in Programs & Features. Glad to be rid of it!

  51. your a great guy From Romania. Good on you keep up the good work. You are one of the decent Romanian I have known so many. I worked in Romania for almost 2 years. Thanks for your help.

  52. Hello Eric,
    Usually the first two steps will remove the Conduit redirect, so that is enough!
    I do recommend that one of these days, when you’ll have more free time, to scan with the other tools, nevertheless if you are not being redirected to search.conduit.com you should be fine.

    Go to bed, and have a good night!

    Stay safe!

  53. Hi, my name is Eric. I just need to know if I’m in the clear. I did not preform steps 3- 5. My reason is because it’s late, and I didn’t have the problem with search conduit taking over my browser. If anything, could I repeat steps 1 and 2, and continue all the way to step 5 if it decides to return? I’m no tech, but I’d really like some advice.

  54. thanks for putting this very clear step by step process of removing Conduit. it took a while but it would have taken me hours more to figure it all out myself. again… many many thanks!

  55. Thank you so much! I could not get this thing off my computer and my computer kept freezing every time I tried to do anything online. Thanks to your steps, it’s gone!

  56. Thank you, so much! I didn’t even know I had this until I was looking around my settings for Razer Game booster, seeing what programs to stop while I “boost” :D saw a weird little program on the list, and found this. AdWCleaner also found a few other minor programs and was able to rid me of them! Yeah buddy.
    I always told my girlfriend never to go to those link-trashed pages from Facebook, but she never listens.

  58. Hello,
    The infection has been removed, however it seems that it left behind a harmless start-up registry key.

    To remove this, we can run Ccleaner:

    1. Download Ccleaner from here: https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download/standard

    2. Install Ccleaner and start this utility, click the Tools icon at left, then click the Startup button.

    3. In the Startup screen, you’ll see a list of all items that have been set to start automatically with Windows.

    4. Select for Conduit, and any other programs that you don’t want to start with Windows, then do one of the following:

    To prevent a program from starting with Windows, select the program entry and click Disable.

    To prevent a program from starting with Windows and to remove it from the auto-start list, select the program entry and click Delete.

    Stay safe!

  59. Hello: I followed all instructions and I can still see ConduitFloatingPlugin_gibberish when I open up msconfig in the Startup tab – is there any way to remove this?

  60. Conduit. Itself seem to be gone but google chrome still open search.conduit even thought the page never loads. what should i do and thnaks for everything
    Edit : Nvm that the page do load even after cc cleaner even. If any trace of conduit seem to be gone

  61. Hello,
    The infection has been removed, however it seems that it left behind a harmless start-up registry key.

    To remove this, we can run Ccleaner:

    1. Download Ccleaner from here: https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download/standard

    2. Install Ccleaner and start this utility, click the Tools icon at left, then click the Startup button.

    3. In the Startup screen, you’ll see a list of all items that have been set to start automatically with Windows.

    4. Select for Conduit, and any other programs that you don’t want to start with Windows, then do one of the following:

    To prevent a program from starting with Windows, select the program entry and click Disable.

    To prevent a program from starting with Windows and to remove it from the auto-start list, select the program entry and click Delete.

    Stay safe!

  63. I got mine because accidentily because I was searching for outdated magzine article download and there was a “click here to download this issue for free” I should have known better. Lesson Learned.

  65. Thank you so much. I thought that I was going to have to completely restore my computer! Thank you again!!

  67. Conduit installed itself with ImgBurn even though I deselected Conduit during the ImgBurn install setup process.Thanks to your help, I’ve deleted all traces of Conduit. Decided to get rid of ImgBurn as well. Never again.

  69. Many thanks for the help, didn’t know how much my PC was infected. That scared me big time!

  71. I didn’t follow any of these steps, instead I spent 5 hours of running through all the registry keys, looking for any random things that might’ve popped up. I noticed that the conduit files were no longer showing up when I did a general file sweep using the Windows 8 file search engine so i went ahead and uninstalled anything that looked conduit associated, even used the uninstaller that was in the file with the conduit stuff and poof, everything conduit associated is gone. Except 2 months later, i find another file that had conduit written all over it that I had not noticed. I ran the uninstaller on this one too, and it’s gone, and then i go through all the registry keys again just to make sure the fix was permanent. So my nerves are shot and im nervous as hell. Damn you conduit.

  74. THANK YOU!! it came with Doubletwist update for my phone. THey will get a piece of my mind.

  75. In my case it was hidden under the program “uTorrentControl2”. You just have to uninstall it.

  76. For my computer the program associated with Conduit was something called Babylon. Still managed to remove it so thanks for your instructions but just and FYI for others that it might not be the “brother” program you mentioned so just get rid of anything you don’t recognize

  80. thank you so much for your help. I am not very computer literate but following all your advice I found that I was able to delete the conduit for good (hopefully). i still have no idea how it came up in the first place, but my internet is working so much quicker now. Once again many thanks.

  81. Hello Malcom,
    Please uninstall Search protect by conduit, then follow the other steps from the guide….If you can’t find Search protect by conduit, go ahead and proceed with STEP 2, 3 and 4.

  82. I have conduit and cannot stand it but cannot see anywhere in my programs – cannot recognise any unwanted programs – I have windows 7

  84. Thanks guys, conduit has been a huge pain but this really helped, my startup time has now been quatered, so thanks a lot.

  85. after 2 days of running every removal tool i could find , and finally i got it removed from the deepest parts of my computer. thank you from the bottom of my grateful heart.

  86. A thousand hugs – you saved me from completely removing my hard drive! I thought I could NEVER get rid of conduit virus!

  87. You are star. Thanks very much. I have interview coming and you know at last moment when I was downloading an ebook and it went all wrong , this malware or CONDUIT has installed. I struggled to get rid of this for 3hrs and finally I found your article and that worked FANTASTICALLY.
    Thanks and keep posted.

  88. Thank you for this info! I am usually really good about not doing anything that would risk my computer for viruses, but I did and conduit took over. I thought I did everything to take it off but it was still showing up as a new tab whenever I opened up Chrome. Your instructions fixed all that for me and ADwCleaner took care of the rest.
    Thank you for taking the time to show us how to do this.

  89. I had already deleted conduit from my chrome settings but it still lingered, thank you for helping me get rid of it.

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