Results.searchlock3.com is a webpage associated with the SearchLock program and browser extension. If your homepage, search engine, and new tab page in your browser has changed to results.searchlock3.com without your knowledge or permission it is because the SearchLock application was installed. SearchLock is promoted as “a search engine and browser extension helps you protect your web searches from being tracked.” However, the program and browser extension is detected by some reputable security products as malicious or potential threat. Some reputable Anti-Malware vendors such as Malwarebytes no longer recognize SearchLock as malicious or a potentially unwanted program (PUP).
One of the primary problems with the results.searchlock3.com is website is that the “search engine” only displays sponsored listing or search results. The website is basically an advertisement. Even reputable ad-blocking extensions like AdBlock will block results.searchlock3.com from being displayed in your web browser. This really goes against the purpose of “protecting your web searches from being tracked.” Instead of third-party sources from tracking you to display targeted advertisements, now SearchLock uses the things you search for online to display advertisements to you.
How to stop “results.searchlock3.com” redirects in your browser
- Step 1: Uninstall potentially unwanted programs
- Step 2: Remove browser add-on and extensions
- Step 3: Remove Results.searchlock3.com search engine
- Step 4: Remove Results.searchlock3.com homepage
- Step 5: Scan your computer for malware
- Step 6: Clean up and repair settings
Step 1: Uninstall potentially unwanted programs
1. Go to the Control Panel on Windows Start Menu.
2. Click Uninstall a program (or Add and remove a program) in the Programs section.
3. The Programs and Features window will open. This window contains a list of programs installed on your computer. Search for suspicious and unwanted programs in the list of installed programs. Once a program you want to remove is located, double click it to begin the uninstall process (or select the program and click Uninstall). To sort programs that were recently installed on your computer click the “Installed On” tab. This makes it easier to identify problematic programs that may have been contracted around the same time you started to notice symptoms of this infection.
Step 2: Remove browser add-ons and extensions
Google Chrome
1. Click the Customize and control Google Chrome icon and go to More tools > Extensions.
2. Search for suspicious extensions in the list and click the trashcan icon next to each one.
Mozilla Firefox
1. Open the Menu and click Add-ons.
2. Search for suspicious add-ons and click Remove next to each one.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
1. Go to Tools (Alt+X) and click Manage add-ons.
2. Search for suspicious add-ons, select one individually with your mouse, and click Remove.
Apple Safari
1. Go to Safari > Preferences > Extensions.
2. Search for suspicious extensions in the list and click the Uninstall button next to each one.
Step 3: Remove Results.searchlock3.com search engine
- In Mozilla Firefox, click the small search magnify glass near the search box (not url/search field) and click “Manage Search Engines…”. Remove Results.searchlock3.com search engine from the list of search providers by highlighting the selections and clicking remove.
- In Microsoft Internet Explorer navigate to Tools > Manage Add Ons > Search Providers and remove Results.searchlock3.com search engine from the list.
- In Google Chrome, click the customize icon (wrench or 3 bars) and navigate to Settings > Manage search engines… click the X next to Results.searchlock3.com search engine to remove it.
Step 4: Remove Results.searchlock3.com homepage
- In Mozilla Firefox navigate to Tools > Options or click Firefox in the top left corner and click Options > Options. Under the General tab remove Results.searchlock3.com from the “Home Page:” field and replace it with your preferred home page URL.
- In Microsoft Internet Explorer navigate to Tools >Internet Options. Remove Results.searchlock3.com from the Home Page field and replace it with your preferred URL.
- In Google Chrome click the customize icon (wrench or 3 bars) and navigate to Settings.Click “Set pages” under the On startup option. Remove Results.searchlock3.com and replace it with your preferred homepage URL.
Step 5: Scan your computer for malware
1. Download and Install HitmanPro by Surfright.
2. Open HitmanPro and click Next to start scanning your computer. *If you are using the free version you may chose to create a copy or perform a one-time scan.
3. When the HitmanPro scan is complete click the Next button.
4. To activate the free version of HitmanPro: enter your email address twice and click the Activate button.
5. Click the Reboot button.
Step 6: Clean up and repair settings
1. Download and Install CCleaner by Piriform.
2. Open CCleaner and go to the main Cleaner screen. Click the Analyze button. When the process is complete, click the Run Cleaner button on the bottom right of the program interface.
3. Go to Tools > Startup and search for suspicious entries in each tab starting from Windows all the way to Content Menu. If you find anything suspicious click it and click the Delete button to remove it.
4. Go to the Registry window and click the Scan for Issues button. When the scan is complete click the Fix selected issues… button and click Fix All Selected Issues.
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