Adware/Toolbar/Search Hijacker/SearchExplorerBar

Alias: SearchExplorerBar

Description: Adware/Toolbar/Search Hijacker/SearchExplorerBar is an Internet Explorer toolbar, which provides usual search features. It hijacks standard Internet Explorer search.

Threat type:

Adware - Adware is a software application which displays advertisements on your computer. Advertisements can be displayed through pop-up / pop-under windows, additional bars or toolbars, underlined links or buttons that appear on a computer screen. Adware applications include additional code that delivers the ads. Adware authors earn money when users click on those ads. Occasionally, adware includes code that tracks user's site visits and passes it to third parties without the user's permission or knowledge.

Search Hijacker - A Search Hijacker is a software application that takes control of your browser's default search engine. The search results may not necessarily be the best fit as those usually come from paid advertisements, as issued to you by the Hijacker authors. Search hijackers prevent you from changing your browser's default search engine, and they tend to slow down PC performance.

Toolbar - A Toolbar is a group of buttons that performs different tasks. Unwanted toolbars are usually installed by adware programs that try to send users to their paying advertisers.

Advice: Remove This is a very high risk threat and should be removed immediately as to prevent harm to your computer or your privacy.

Detection:
SpyNoMore detects Adware/Toolbar/Search Hijacker/SearchExplorerBar: Yes

Threat risk: Medium Risk

Potentially dangerous malware. May collect sensitive user information and broadcast data back to a server with "opt-out" permission. Category includes most adware programs.

Symptoms:

Adware/Toolbar/Search Hijacker/SearchExplorerBar changes browser settings.

Adware/Toolbar/Search Hijacker/SearchExplorerBar hides from the user and stays resident in background.

Adware/Toolbar/Search Hijacker/SearchExplorerBar Signature Details: The following information includes some of the standard signatures associated with this spyware threat. Please do not attempt to manually remove these items from your computer; Removing these items incorrectly or partially can cause your computer to experience critical errors, prevent your computer from restarting or cause loss of Internet connectivity. Should you be infected with Adware/Toolbar/Search Hijacker/SearchExplorerBar, you can clean your computer by downloading SpyNoMore now.

Running Process Signatures:
N/A

File Signatures:
%WINDOWS%\downloaded program files\explbar.dll
%DESKTOPDIRECTORY%\searching-4u toolbar.lnk

Registered Dll (Dynamic Link Library) Signatures:
N/A

Folder Signatures:
%PROGRAM_FILES%\search-explorer
%PROGRAM_FILES%\searching-4u

Registry Signatures:
HKCR\searchexplorer.searchexplorerobj
HKCR\typelib\{7fc19c98-ac4c-4d06-96d9-49f082d19fd7}
HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\moduleusage\c:/windows/downloaded program files/explbar.dll
HKCU\software\search-explorer
HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\uninstall\searching-4uietoolbar
HKCR\clsid\{7fc19c98-ac4c-4d06-96d9-49f082d19fd7}
HKLM\software\microsoft\code store database\distribution units\{3717df55-0396-463d-98b7-647c7dc6898a}
HKCR\searchexplorer.searchexplorerobj.1
HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\uninstall\searching-4u
HKCU\software\searching-4u

SpyNoMore Collected Residual File Signatures:
N/A

See Also:
Adware/Hijacker/NowBox
Adware/OnFlow
Dialer/Online-Dialer
Adware/PerMedia
Trojan/Adware/Toolbar/Delf.j
Hijacker/Toolbar/Searchit
Dialer/Downloader/StripPlayer
Adware/BHO/Toolbar/SuperBar
Trojan/Adware/Toolbar/StartPage.cn
Adware/BHO/Toolbar/Adware-Ezula