Remove Akamaihd (2020 Removal Guide)

Akamaihd is an unwanted application that has been classified as malware or an adware program. It's a browser hijacker that is closely related to another forcible adware program known as Search Pulse. It promotes fake search engines and web browsers such as akamaihd.net and also gathers your browser data, whether you're using Chrome, Safari, or Mozilla Firefox. It can harvest extension data and information from your caches which can include sensitive information. Take steps to remove this browser hijacker as soon as you spot it.

How Do Browser Hijackers Work?

Browser hijackers like Akamaihd commonly change your default settings in your browser to redirect your content delivery network to fake search engines, homepages, and tabs. Frequently, if you have a browser hijacker on your computer, like the akamaihd.net virus, you'll be forced to specific pages and engines that don't deliver unique results.

Any attempts to remove all website data or change settings often results in failure. That's because apps like the akamaihd.net virus reassign the altered settings each and every time you attempt to undo them or change them.

On top of this, browser hijackers harvest key information that is then sold off to third party buyers. Frequently, this includes your visited websites, past search queries, and IP addresses, but can also include sensitive personal information such as passwords.

Unlike most data buyers, the third parties that typically buy this type of information tend to be cybercriminals that then misuse this information to generate revenue. There's no telling exactly how far your information can travel. It's uncomfortable enough knowing that it's in the hands of cybercriminals but where it goes from there, there's no telling.

Removal is key, but unfortunately for programs like the akamaihd.net virus, there's no easy uninstall button to take care of the malware.

Removing the Akamaihd.net Virus

To start, you'll need to remove the malware from your operating system. For Mac users, this means that you need to click on your settings icon, go through the preferences options, navigate to profiles, and look for the suspicious profiles that the akamaihd.net virus has placed on your computer.

You can then manually remove them and reboot your system. You'll likely need to do a deep clean with an anti-virus program afterward. However, this isn't the only step you'll need to take. You'll also need to remove the program from your browsers, which requires a few more steps.

Regardless of whether you use Safari, Google Chrome, or another browser, some of the removal steps will be the same. For example, Safari and Chrome require you to delete the malware extensions from the properties tabs. Simply launch Safari or Chrome and navigate to your settings. Go through the properties tab and look for any of the telltale signs of malware.

This includes unfamiliar extensions, adware programs, or suspicious entries. You can then delete these, restart your computer, and restart your browser. You'll need to follow these steps for every browser you have installed on your computer. This is because this type of malware tends to take hold of each of your browsers and alters their settings in turn.

Again, once you've completed this step, do another deep scan of your computer to spot if there are any additional traces that have been left behind. Sometimes, manual removal is an imperfect science and won't remove each and every piece that the malware or adware program has placed on your computer.

Better Prevention is Key

To keep this from happening again, it's important to have preventive measures in place. Only download programs from trusted websites. Scan each program as it's downloaded to ensure it's trustworthy. Keep an eye on new programs for abnormalities. This can help you from winding up in another frustrating malware situation.