Asearch.online

If your computer has been acting strange recently, it might be because you installed a browser hijacker called Asearch.online. Our researchers tested the software and apparently it can not only hijack user’s browser but also display fake system warning. We call it **Your Computer has been blocked** +1-(888)941-3234 because it shows this particular message and telephone number. If you noticed such pop-up while browsing too, you could read more about it on our website. Since the source of the fake warning is the application, it would be advisable to get rid of it as soon as possible. To make it easier for our readers, we are adding removal instructions at the end of this text. Nonetheless, reading the article might be useful too as it could help you identify and avoid browser hijackers in the future.

Have you recently downloaded an open source proxy? If you did, it might be that it was a modified version of an open source proxy from privoxy.org. It is possible that together with it, you installed the browser hijacker as well. Our researchers say that the installer could be bundled with Asearch.online or other software. Some users launch setup files and click the buttons on the setup wizard just to end the process sooner. Nevertheless, it is better to invest a couples minutes of your time and read the terms. Usually, you can simply deselect bundled programs as you are free to reject them. Also, we would advise you to download installers only from reliable web pages and of software that was released by a reputable company. This way, you should not receive installers that are bundled with adware, browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and so on.

Asearch.online installs itself on the computer as “Netom version 4.01.0.” Our specialists identified it as the application since its publisher appears to be www.asearch.online. You can also notice the software’s appearance because of the changes to the browser. The application might alter the default search engine or homepage on both the Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox browsers. Currently, it does not seem that the program could affect any other browsers. What’s more, we should warn users that Asearch.online might display clickable third-party ads that could redirect to malicious web pages. Third-party sites might be dangerous to the system, as they may contain Trojans, ransomware, and other malware. Plus, some of the advertised software could turn out to be different browser hijackers, adware, and so on.

Moreover, as we mentioned earlier, the application could load fictitious **Your Computer has been blocked** +1-(888)941-3234 warning too. The pop-up might make up various problems with the operating system and so on. The text repeatedly and persistently asks the user to call the “toll-free helpline.” It could even claim that it is a message from Microsoft server. We have no doubt that some users see right through this scam. In most cases, such fake support technicians try to convince users to buy various expensive products or services that they do not need. Thus, if you see such false warnings, it is best to close it and scan the system to locate the software that displays them. In this case, we are almost one hundred percent sure that the pop-up appears because of Asearch.online.

There are two ways to deal with this particular browser hijacker. The first option is to remove it manually from both the system and affected browser. In order to do that you would have to delete the application’s created data on the C:\Windows directory. We should mention that the hijacker’s folder should have a random name, so it will not be titled as Asearch.online or Netom version 4.01.0. In fact, the first part of the title could be your computer’s name, so it should be easier to identify it. Then, it would also be a good idea to reset the browser. If you need any help, just follow the manual instructions available at the end of the article. The other way to delete this application is to install a reliable removal tool. It has a scanning function that can locate threats and help you erase them too.

Remove Asearch.online from the system

1. Press Win+E to open the Explorer.
2. Go to C:\Windows
3. Find a folder with a title that consists of your computer’s name and digits (e.g. “users computer_ 230816.”
4. Right-click the folder and select Delete.
5. Close the Explorer.

Reset affected browser

Internet Explorer

1. Press Alt+X and click on Internet Options.
2. Select the Advanced tab, click Reset and mark Delete personal settings.
3. Press Reset once more and click Close.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Press the Help icon and click Troubleshooting information.
2. Select Refresh Firefox.
3. Press Refresh Firefox once more and click Finish.