Search.vc-cmf.com

If your browsers are loading Search.vc-cmf.com instead of your default homepage, it means that you have a browser hijacker installed. It seems that the application belongs to the Lokalhost software, and it might be distributed with freeware that comes from unreliable web pages. The search engine works on all major browsers, except Microsoft Edge. In some cases, it might be not enough to change your homepage to erase the browser hijacker. For that reason, we prepared a removal guide that should show you how to get rid of Search.vc-cmf.com. Using the application might be a bad idea since it could show modified search results that may contain links to potentially harmful websites. To learn more about the browser hijacker, you should read the rest of the article. As for the removal instructions, they will be placed below the text.

Search.vc-cmf.com could be spread with bundled installers, so it might appear on user’s computer after installation of suspicious freeware. Usually, users download bundled installers from untrustworthy file-sharing websites. Such sites could distribute bundled installers to promote unwanted software. Since many users do not review or simply do not notice any suggestions on the setup wizard, they end up installing unwanted programs. That usually happens when instead of choosing the advanced installation settings, users allow applications to be installed automatically. If you think you may have installed other programs this way, we advise you to check your system with a reliable antimalware tool.

The browser hijacker changes default homepages by modifying particular files and Windows Registry entries. For instance, in order to set Search.vc-cmf.com as a homepage on Internet Explorer, the application replaces value data or the Start Page, which is located in the HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main directory. However, the Mozilla Firefox browser is slightly different in this matter as it saves user preferences in the prefs.js file. For example, if you open prefs.js file as a Notepad document you can find a particular line that commands the Mozilla Firefox to open any web page that is chosen as the homepage. It is very similar to the Google Chrome browser, just instead of the pref.js file, it has three documents called Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data. Thus, if you noticed Search.vc-cmf.com on Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, it means that the browser hijacker modified the mentioned files.

Perhaps, you already noticed that the search engine uses Yahoo to gather results. Nonetheless, the provided results might be altered before they are shown to the user. As a result, you might see commercial advertisements, sponsored links or other ads that belong to the software’s third-party partners. These ads could seem to be annoying, but they might also redirect you to doubtful web pages. For example, the third-party site could try to collect your personal data, such as email address, telephone number, etc. Often this type of information is asked in exchange for various freebies, coupons, free trials, and so on. Therefore, you have to be very careful once you land on a suspicious site. If you think that something is wrong with it, you should leave the web page immediately, because some of the sites could be created to spread malware as well. Because of these risks, we advise you to replace Search.vc-cmf.com with a reliable search engine that does not modify search results.

Luckily, deleting the browser hijacker should not be complicated no matter how experienced the user is. All you have to do is complete the listed tasks in the correct order. The removal steps will tell you how to replace or erase data in the modified files and Registry keys that were mentioned above. Afterward, you should have no trouble while replacing your homepage to a preferred site. Removing the application should not take very long, but if it is hard for you to delete it manually, you can always download a trustworthy security tool and leave the job to it. The security tool can search your system and detect the browser hijacker. Naturally, if you have other suspicious software or malware on your system, the security tool might show more detections, but their number does not matter as you can simply get rid of them all at the same time.

Delete Search.vc-cmf.com

Internet Explorer

1. Launch the RUN (Windows Key+R).
2. Type regedit and click Enter.
3. Navigate to: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
4. Find a Value Name titled as Start Page on the Main key.
5. Right-click the Start Page and click Modify.
6. Replace Value Data that points to Search.vc-cmf.com with a web page of your preference.
7. Press OK.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open the Explorer (Windows Key+E).
2. Go to: C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Unique Mozilla user ID}.
3. Find a file named as Prefs.js and open it as a Notepad document.
4. Locate the following line: user_pref(“browser.startup.homepage”, “http://Search.vc-cmf.com”).
5. Instead of http://Search.vc-cmf.com type an address of a web page that you like.
6. Save the document and close it.

Google Chrome

1. Open the Explorer (Windows Key+E).
2. Go to: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
3. Locate listed files: Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data.
4. Right-click these files separately and press Delete.