My default search engine changed to startpaage, NOT AT MY REQUEST. I have deleted startpage from the search engine options, but I can find no way to add duckduckgo to the options. I haave gone to settings:search engine. The pull down for default search engine shows only Bing, Yahoo! and Google. I have gone to Settings:Search Engine:Manage Search Engines but I can find no wayh to add a search engine on that page. Only the same three choices, Bing, Google and Yahoo.
There appears to be a Startpage hijack campaign/attack ongoing, we have had a few users report the same thing happening.
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/detections/hijack-startpage
I'd try first using AdwCleaner, it's free from MalwareBytes and can remove such browser hijacks.
https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner
If ADW does't clear it for you then I'd step it up the the Free (or paid) version of Malwarebytes itself and run a threat scan with that.
A scan with Malwarebytes Free will not interfere with your usual antivirus.
(If you want to run Malwarbytes Pro in real time alongside another AV that can also be done but may need some settings changes).
https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download
Note that the two can find different things, so to be doubly sure run both ADW and a MB Threat scan.
If that still doesn't clear it from your machine then see here for advice on how to clear it manually:
https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/28136-abstract-start-page-browser-hijacker
(For CCleaner Browser use the ‘Chrome’ advice/options).
That talks about “Abstract Start Page browser hijacker”, but it sometimes calls itself “Perfect Start Page browser hijacker”, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see other name variants.
I’m having the same problem. I’ve already tried Malwarebytes and ADW cleaner but the CCCleaner search engine choices are still limited to Yahoo, Bing, Google, and Startpage. I uninstalled CCCleaner Browser and then re-installed an ostensibly clean copy, but I’m still only given the same four choices. It says above those choices “These search engines are popular in your area”. I don’t know why that would matter. I prefer to use DuckDuckgo but your browser doesn’t seem to give me that option. I realize it may be a browser hijacker, but the two methods suggested didn’t work, and the link given for further instructions isn’t valid. I have a screenshot of what I’m seeing when I try to change the search engine and can provide that if necessary. Thank you.
I’ve just checked the links above and all a functioning (in Firefox).
If one or more won’t connect for you then that it may be part of the same problem.
If you want to step things up a gear, and make sure that you machine is not infected then you could get one of the malware removal experts on the job for free. (The same experts work on various fora, which one you choose to use is up to you but I’ve linked the MB forum below).
If you want to do that I suggest that you start with this link and follow the instructions.
One of the trained experts will look over your logs and then help you step by step if there is work to be done.
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/9573-im-infected-what-do-i-do-now/
After reading the above issue with adding a search engine (duckduckgo) I decided to download and run the CCleaner Browser and have a look myself.
These are the options that I see for available search engines (only 4) with no way to add to them that I can see.
DuckDuckGo is not mentioned.
Ccleaner browser has too many restrictions for it to be considered as a browser that I would use.
Thanks. In the interim, I went to the Chrome store and downloaded the Duckduckgo Privacy Essentials. CCCleaner warned me that it was a “suspicious” download, but I installed it anyway. Now I’ve got Duckduckgo as my default search engine. However, there’s been at least one pop up that informed me that my search engine had been changed to “duckduckgo”. When I clicked on the “keep it” option, the search engines choices reverted to what I had previously, which were Google, Bing, Startpage and Yahoo. So I went back to the ‘extensions’ link for CCCleaner and the Security Essentials was turned off. I turned it on, and now I have Duckduckgo as my search engine again. But it does appear to be a hijacker that will probably continue to try and take over. So I will pursue the suggestions you made. Oddly, on Edge, there was no problem choosing Duckduckgo and the same with the Duckduckgo browser. Only CCCleaner browser seems to be affected, if there is a hijacker.