What is Smart Suggestor (SmartSuggestor)?

Smart Suggestor, also referred to as the Smart Suggestor virus, SmartSuggestor virus, Smart Suggestor malware, Smart Suggestor Toolbar, or the search.smartsuggestor.com redirect, is potential malware we discovered alongside similar fastaddressbar malware and is categorized as combo adware that utilizes browser hijackers, in order to change internet browser settings without authorization of the computer user. The Smart Suggestor virus causes popular internet browsers to redirect to search.smartsuggestor.com, start up on smartsuggestor.com web pages, display Smart Suggester Ads on third-party websites such as Google, and may also change additional start-up settings, including browser shorcuts. The Smart Suggestor virus infects computers by using browser add-ons, extensions, plug-ins, and toolbars, such as the Smart Suggestor toolbar as well as third-party browser helper objects.

As mentioned above, the Smart Suggestor virus may display Smart Suggestor Ads on third-party sites such as Google, often replacing the legitimate Google advertisements with Smart Suggestor Adverts. The Smart Suggestor virus may display advertisements on top of (over) legitimate advertisements while browsing the internet, but the most common symptoms of Smart Suggestor malware is the unwanted redirection to smartsuggestor.com and other websites. It has even been suggested that removing the Smart Suggestor redirect may be difficult.

The Smart Suggestor virus causes internet browsers to redirect to search.smartsuggestor.com when users attempt to search using the browser’s address bar (image below).

The Smart Suggestor virus also displays Smart Suggestor ads on legitimate search engines such as google (as shown above). This is seen as an unethical practice and may violate Google’s advertisers terms.

Other reports indicate that the Smart Suggestor virus may display pop-up advertisements on a variety of websites.

How does Smart Suggestor infect a computer?

Smart Suggestor browser attachments (Smart Suggestor toolbar), including third-party add-ons and extensions can be manually and voluntarily downloaded from Smartsuggestor.com and unethical websites that bundle and distribute unwanted software with the products available on their website such as CNET’s website download.com.

Smart suggestor a claims to be a tool that suggests relevant key words and terms when searching the web but Smart Suggestor participates in unethical marketing practices and primarily displays sponsored ads in order to generate revenue. Smart Suggestor malware may also entrap unsuspecting victims to terms they would not normally agree to.

Smart Suggestor Ads: “Combo” Browser Hijacker/Adware

Smart Suggestor virus screenshot.

If your computer is infected with the Smart Suggestor virus please use the free instructions below to remove Smart Suggestor malware and additional parasites infecting your computer.

1. Automatic removal

Use the instructions below to automatically remove Smart Suggestor and third-party malware, as well as automatically remove search.smartsuggestor.com from your home page, default search engine, browser shortcut, and other settings using free or paid system Cleaner software.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

1. Install the free or paid version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

 

2. Once Malwarebytes is installed, run the program. If you are using the free version of Malwarebytes you will be prompted to update the database, make sure to do so.

3. On the first tab labeled “Scanner” select the Perform full scan option and click the Scan button to perform a full system scan. Malwarebytes will automatically detect malware infecting the computer system.

4. Once the malware scan is complete, Malwarebytes will prompt a notice stating malicious objects were detected. Select the malicious objects and click the Remove Selected button to completely remove the malicious files from your computer (the image below shows a file that is NOT selected).

CCleaner

CCleaner can be used to automatically repair internet browser settings, start-up settings, or uninstall Smart Suggestor if the Smart Suggestor software is being stubborn.

1. Install the free or paid version of CCleaner by Piriform.

2. Navigate to Cleaner > Windows/Applications and click the Analyze button. Afterwards, click the Run Cleaner button on the bottom right of the program interface.

3. Next, navigate to Tools > Startup and search through each tab starting from windows, internet explorer, etc., all the way to Content Menu, for additional suspicious entries and click Disable and Delete once anything is found.

4. To automatically uninstall Smart Suggestor, navigate to the Uninstall tab and search for Smart Suggestor in the list of installed programs. Double click Smart Suggestor to uninstall.

2. Manual removal

Use the instructions below to manually uninstall Smart Suggestor malware and remove the search.smartsuggestor.com redirect virus using generic removal procedures. Also, be aware of third-party software and browser attachments that may need to be removed from your computer.

How to uninstall Smart Suggestor malware

1. Access Windows Start Menu and navigate to the Control Panel.

2. Click Uninstall a program or Add and remove a program.

3. In the list of installed programs, search for Smart Suggestor and additional software. Once located, double click the Smart Suggestor program or highlight it (select) in the list and click the Uninstall button.

How to remove the Smart Suggestor hijacker (Add-on, extension)

Use the instructions to remove Smart Suggestor add-ons, extensions, plugins, and toolbars. Titles may include Smart Suggestor Toolbar, Smart Suggestor Search toolbar, Smart Suggestor Community Toolbar, and related, as well as third-party attachments such as Hola Toolbar and ZoomEx.

Google Chrome

1. Click on the Customize icon (wrench or 3 bar icon) next to the address bar and navigate to Tools > Extensions.

2. Locate the Smart Suggestor extension and remove it by clicking the trashcan icon next to them.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Type Ctrl+Shift+A.

2. On the Extensions and Plugin search for the Smart Suggestor add-on and remove it.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

1. Click Tools and select Manage add-ons.

2. On the Toolbars and Extensions tab search for the Smart Suggestor add-on and remove it if located.

How to manually remove search.smartsuggestor.com home page

• In Mozilla Firefox navigate to Tools > Options or click Firefox in the top left corner and click Options > Options. Under the General tab remove search.smartsuggestor.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 search.smartsuggestor.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 search.smartsuggestor.com and replace it with your preferred URL.

How to remove search.smartsuggestor.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 the http://search.smartsuggestor.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 the http://search.smartsuggestor.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 http://search.smartsuggestor.com to remove it as your search engine. If www.search.smartsuggestor.com is set as the default search engine, add (or select) a new search engine (such as Google.com) and select the new search engine as the default search engine, then remove the Smart Suggestor by clicking the X next to it.

How to uninstall search.smartsuggestor.com shortcut

1. Find the shortcut of particular browsers (IE, Firefox, Chrome) in all locations of the computer, including but not limited to the desktop;
2. Right click and find “Option”;
3. Delete http://search.smartsuggestor.com/ in “Target” field of on the “Shortcut” tab.