Removing Search.cal-cmf.com (Browser Hijacker)

What is Search.cal-cmf.com? And how does it function?

Search.cal-cmf.com is offered as a search engine on the cal-cmf.com site. It offers search services which can’t be trusted – no wonder since this search tool is yet another spawn of Polarity Technologies Ltd. This company is known for creating these kinds of programs that are mostly browser hijackers, and Search.cal-cmf.com is not any different.
Once you try to use its search tool like typing some query, it will redirect you to query.cal-cmf.com and afterwards, you will be redirected once again to SaferBrowser Yahoo Search result’s page. The results page is full of never-ending ads of all kinds like pop-ups, banners, in-text links and so on. Such behavior is typical for a browser hijacker which only aims to generate profit by promoting these ads and via the pay-per-click marketing strategy. Some of these ads are questionable that could even lead you to suspicious websites where you can be infected with a menacing computer threat.
Aside from delivering you non-stop ads, another reason why it is categorized as a browser hijacker is that this search engine silently monitors your online activities the entire time you browse the internet. It does this so that it can gather personal information and sell or share them with third parties. This is a big red flag and a clear threat to your privacy. It should be enough reason to get rid of this pesky browser hijacker.

How does Search.cal-cmf.com spread online?

Just like other browser hijackers, Search.cal-cmf.com tends to hide within installers which are packed in a software bundle found on free sharing sites. These kinds of installers do not disclose that there are other programs included in the bundle as well. And since most users don’t give enough attention on the installation process, they end up installing other excess baggage in the bundle like Search.cal-cmf.com hijacker. Such cases can be avoided if users opt for the recommended installation setup which is the Custom or Advanced. With this installation setup, users like you can get to deselect extra programs in the bundle and prevent them from getting installed along with the program you really want in your computer.
Remove Search.cal-cmf.com by simply following the removal instructions below.
Step 1: End the browser’s process by opening the Windows Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc at the same time.

Step 2: Go to the Processes tab and look for the browser’s process and end it.

Step 3: Open Control Panel by pressing the Windows key + R, then type in appwiz.cpl and then click OK or press Enter.

Step 4: Look for Search.cal-cmf.com extension and any suspicious program and then Uninstall it.

Step 5: Open the File Explorer by holding down Windows + E keys simultaneously.
Step 6: Go to the directories listed below and delete everything in it, as well as other directories you might have saved the file or the software bundle related to the Search.cal-cmf.com browser hijacker and then delete them.

%USERPROFILE%\Downloads
%USERPROFILE%\Desktop
%TEMP%

Step 7: Exit the File Explorer and empty the Recycle Bin.
Step 8: Reset all your browsers to default.
Google Chrome

Launch Google Chrome, press Alt + F, move to More tools, and click Extensions.
Look for Search.cal-cmf.com or any other unwanted add-ons, click the Recycle Bin button, and choose Remove.
Restart Google Chrome, then tap Alt + F, and select Settings.
Navigate to the On Startup section at the bottom.
Select “Open a specific page or set of pages”.
Click the More actions button next to the hijacker and click Remove.

Mozilla Firefox

Open the browser and tap Ctrl + Shift + A to access the Add-ons Manager.
In the Extensions menu Remove the unwanted extension.
Restart the browser and tap keys Alt + T.
Select Options and then move to the General menu.
Overwrite the URL in the Home Page section and then restart the browser.

Internet Explorer

Launch Internet Explorer.
Tap Alt + T and select Internet options.
Click the General tab and then overwrite the URL under the homepage section.
Click OK to save the changes.

To ensure the removal of the browser hijacker, Search.cal-cmf.com and its components, follow the advanced steps below:
Perform a full system scan using SpyRemover Pro. To do so, follow these steps:

Turn on your computer. If it’s already on, you have to reboot
After that, the BIOS screen will be displayed, but if Windows pops up instead, reboot your computer and try again. Once you’re on the BIOS screen, repeat pressing F8, by doing so the Advanced Option shows up.

To navigate the Advanced Option use the arrow keys and select Safe Mode with Networking then hit
Windows will now load the Safe Mode with Networking.
Press and hold both R key and Windows key.

If done correctly, the Windows Run Box will show up.
Type in Apollolocker http://www.fixmypcfree.com/install/spyremoverpro

A single space must be in between Apollolocker and http. Click OK.

A dialog box will be displayed by Internet Apollolocker. Click Run to begin downloading SpyRemover Pro. Installation will start automatically once download is done.