Is https://cse.google.com a virus or adware

Forums › Desktop computing › Is https://cse.google.com a virus or adware

D1023319

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#195817 5-May-2016 18:08

Is https://cse.google.com a virus or adware?

The seems to be conflicting opinions on the net

I use Chrome and I have tried to set https://www.google.co.nz as my default but i keeps changing to https://cse.google.com

I ask as its a real pain and it wont let me delete it as a search engine

And many types of adware wont remove it

cheers

Behodar

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#1547298 5-May-2016 18:13

CSE is Google's "Custom Search Engine" and is legitimate. I'm not sure why it's automatically changing to CSE though! Does the same thing happen in another browser?

D1023319

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#1547306 5-May-2016 18:30

no - only in Chrome.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled Chrome but still same result.

Dynamike

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#1547332 5-May-2016 20:00

A friend had a similar problem, was fixed by:

Start Chrome... Go to "Settings"... "On Startup"... Click on "Set Pages"... and delete cse.google.com if it's listed or any other webpage there that you don't want to load every time Chrome starts.

D1023319

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#1547354 5-May-2016 21:32

Dynamike: A friend had a similar problem, was fixed by:

Start Chrome... Go to "Settings"... "On Startup"... Click on "Set Pages"... and delete cse.google.com if it's listed or any other webpage there that you don't want to load every time Chrome starts.

nope - all set to google.co.nz

Internet is refering to this as being a redirect virus

michaelmurfy

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#1547394 5-May-2016 23:07

1) run a Malware bytes scan on your device.
2) double-check your router to ensure you're using your ISP's DNS servers.

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freitasm

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#1547408 6-May-2016 04:24

It is not a "malware virus". It's where Custom Search Engines reside - for example the Geekzone Search is a CSE.

What may be happening is that someone created a custom search engine, packaged as an add-on and distributed that. If that's the case then the cse.google.com is legitimate, the rest of the package is not.

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D1023319

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#1547412 6-May-2016 05:53

freitasm:

It is not a "malware virus". It's where Custom Search Engines reside - for example the Geekzone Search is a CSE.

What may be happening is that someone created a custom search engine, packaged as an add-on and distributed that. If that's the case then the cse.google.com is legitimate, the rest of the package is not.

FYI - I can see it as a custom search engine but cant delete it.

reinstalled chrome, done all suggested regedit deletions etc from multiple website suggestions

So have decided to upgrade to windows 10 after resisting upgrading from win 7 which i am in love with (figuratively of course) and do a SDD wipe

pity as I like windows media centre but will just have to settle on TV media server and xbox ones'

freitasm

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#1547520 6-May-2016 11:28

cse.google.com is not malware.

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D1023319

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#1547579 6-May-2016 12:25

freitasm:

cse.google.com is not malware.

I appreciate the reminder and yes i accept that cse.google is not malware

but I dont want it as my default search engine and I cant delete it as the default plus I am worried the loader you referred to is still present on my pc so am just being safe.

Cheers

mdf

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#1548391 8-May-2016 20:37

If you're signed into Chrome, you need to carefully check your chrome settings and extensions. Google can/will sync settings (even the ones you don't want to be synced) across PCs and installs. This might explain why a reinstall didn't fix it. I'd start by disabling all extensions (or trying incognito mode) and see if that fixes it.

My dear mother (frequent reference point for GZ examples) ended up with some cr@p on her home PC due to some dunce installing junk on a work PC she had been silly enough to leave herself logged in on.

ANglEAUT

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#1548426 8-May-2016 23:13

mdf:

If you're signed into Chrome, you need to carefully check your chrome settings and extensions. Google can/will sync settings (even the ones you don't want to be synced) across PCs and installs. This might explain why a reinstall didn't fix it. I'd start by disabling all extensions (or trying incognito mode) and see if that fixes it.

Have to agree with mdf.

Try running

chrome.exe --disable-extensions (no description necessary)
chrome.exe --bwsi ("browse without sign in" = guest mode, no sign in, no extensions)
more available from http://peter.sh/experiments/chromium-command-line-switches/

If that fails, you can also try to delete C:\Users\[yourusername]\AppData\[Google Chrome folder]

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