PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A Cannot Be Removed, Expert Shows A Way Out

Generality of PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A

PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A can be caught by the installed anti-virus programs when search protect by Conduit arises on your screen. It is a PUP (potentially unwanted program) that support the browser hijacker to ensure automatic start, collect the information on online whereabouts for better promotion. It can be said that it is the PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A that makes it hard to remove the related browser hijacker.

PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A is not technically a virus. The “PUP” was created to label the ones that may influence perfect surfing experience without typical virus attribute code. This is the exact reason why installed anti-virus programs are not able to remove pup.optional.searchprotect.a. To draw the attention from PC users on the potential dangers, the security utilities would generally give away alerts when such PUP program is detected.

 

Potentially Dangerous PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A

One should have known that BHO and JS techniques are commonly used in building web applications, such as ads, toolbar and web sites if one updates virus knowledge from this site. It is the two techniques that are utilized by PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A to call internal memory modules, processes and services. With the three combined, PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A is enabled to stay on the target machine without being removed easily with traditional methods. Besides, thousands of files have been dropped and generated by the PUP to guarantee that its hijacker keeps working without a hiccup.

As a consequence, few CPU is left when most of it has been extracted to perform what PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A wants to deter the critical part of a machine to play fully in warding off potential threats and offering smooth operation.

Compromised system is the start of potential dangers. Once the PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A controlled machine is attacked by infection, BHO technique will be utilized to help preload vicious codes into system configuration and JS technique could be used to record confidential information such as log-in credentials.

Note: it is not worth the risk to keep being harnessed by PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A. The earlier the removal is, the fewer items will be generated and the slimmer the odd is to be attacked by random infections. Below is the instruction to show how to remove the PUP. Should you run into unexpected situations, please do not hesitate to consult security assistance from VilmaTech Online Support and get quick fix.

 

Expert Shows How to Remove PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A

A – Stop PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A’s services.

Windows7/vista/XP

1. Hold Win key and R key at once to type “services.msc” in the pop-up text box.
   
2. Hit Enter key to enable the services window.
3. Remove/disable the service named PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A/search protect or the like.

 
Windows 8

1. Open Windows Explorer on Start screen.
2. Access Administrative tools.
3. Double click on Services icon and remove/disable the service named PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A/search protect or the like.
   

 
 
B – Unveil hidden items to remove the related ones to PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A.
(tip: it is important to show every related items here due to limited space. There are other files of .png, .dat, .js, .html, .css and other types left in the local disk. One should use computer knowledge to find out the less important ones so as to eradicate the appearance of error messages in the future when trying to install some third-party programs.)
 
Windows 7/XP/Vista

1. Go to ‘Control Panel’ from Start menu and access “user accounts and family safety” to click open  ‘Folder Options’.
   
2. Please then hit View tab to tick ‘Show hidden files and folders’ and non-tick ‘Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)’ options and confirm the change by pressing on ‘OK’ button.

 
Windows 8

1. Click open Windows Explorer from Start screen and browse to View tab.
2. Tick ‘File name extensions’ and ‘Hidden items’ options and confirm the change by pressing on “OK” button.
   

Remove the below listed files and folders:

C:\Program Files (x86)\SearchProtect\bin\CltMngSvc.exe
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\bin\cltmng.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\SearchProtect\bin\msvcp100.dll
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\bin\FirefoxModule.dll
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\bin\ChromeModule.dll
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\bin\InternetExplorerModule.dll
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\bin\msvcp100.dll
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Temp\
C:\Program Files (x86)\SearchProtect\Dialogs
C:\Users\santiago\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\
C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\Dialogs
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming\SearchProtect\

 
 
C – Access DataBase to remove the items generated and injected by PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A.

Before you take actions in DataBase, it is recommended backup the registries in case mistakes are made carelessly without sufficient computer knowledge and thus prevent from encountering the troubles thereby. Here’s the video to show how to backup registry.

1. Press down Win key and R key together to bring up Run box.
2. Type “regedit” and hit on the Enter key.
3. Navigate to the following given registries one by one and remove them.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CltMngSvc
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SearchProtect
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run|SearchProtectAll
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run|SearchProtect
HKU\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run|SearchProtect

 
 

PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A Controlled

Just like PUP.Optional.Iminent.A to support imminent.com hijacker, the scenario to be harassed by PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A can be as follows:

• Default homepage, search engine and most of the new tabs will be replaced and hijacked by Search Protect by Conduit.
• PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A would slow down the page-loading speed as well as the overall PC performance.
• Some random ads would start to popup without permission and cannot be stopped with conventional methods to ruin surfing experience.
• More processes are running in the background to consume CPU and some of them can be strange to PC users.
• Freezes and crashes could happen to computers as well as browsers.

If one suffers from more issues triggered by PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A, it is advisable to get specialized technical help from VilmaTech Online Support.

 

Remove PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A Permanently

To remove PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A permanently, one should make sure that any related items (search protect by conduit especially) are removed completely; otherwise, PUP.Optional.SearchProtect.A could be brought into the same computer before long. Complete removal is one more step forward to permanent removal, it should be combined with good PC practices:

• Do not try with the web applications that are bundled with ads.
• Seldom use freeware/shareware.
• Install website monitor, Firewall to help filter junk sites and sites with sensitive content.
• Update your OS or installed programs regularly.
• Optimize/cleanup/check your machine on a regular base.
• Do not casually receive or install random and unknown items.

Published & last updated on May 9, 2014 by Erik V. Miller