Remove SearchMaid. Description and removal instructions

 
Title: SearchMaid

Type: Browser Hijackers
Severity scale:SearchMaid severity is 50  (50 / 100)
 
SearchMaid is a browser hijacker that changes Internet Explorer default start and search pages to web sites on the searchmaid.com domain. The parasite installs a toolbar and displays undesirable commercial advertisements. SearchMaid can get into the system along with some ad-supported software. It also can be manually installed. The risk secretly runs on every Windows startup.


SearchMaid properties:
• Changes browser settings
• Shows commercial adverts
• Connects itself to the internet
• Hides from the user
• Stays resident in background

Automatic SearchMaid removal:

remover for SearchMaid

SearchMaid manual removal:

Kill processes:
helper.exe
Delete registry values:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run\winlogon.exe=helper.exe
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Default_Page_URL=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Default_Search_URL=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Local Page=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Bar=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Page=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Start Page=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Default_Page_URL=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Default_Search_URL=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Local Page=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Bar=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Page=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Start Page=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search\CustomizeSearch=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search\SearchAssistant=[site address]
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VM.VMObj
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VM.VMObj.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\GoVM.ContextItem
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\GoVM.ContextItem.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{77B2F8DE-CB3F-4b6b-839B-807DD1ADBA1C}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{8B0B6F79-C50D-4ea6-8F65-BDF18005DE20}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{835BAA68-B5E5-47D5-A18D-2A4E0F5B72D5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{AB2DDE8C-CBFF-491A-9825-87B8BB4CBFE0}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{42C7653A-5834-45A1-899A-ED0DFA370D21}
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Virtual Maid
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MenuExt\&RSDN Search
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\WebBrowser\{77B2F8DE-CB3F-4B6B-839B-807DD1ADBA1C}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\{77B2F8DE-CB3F-4b6b-839B-807DD1ADBA1C}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\guid=AA8214E9-C7E6-4b66-A049-19AD20944CBF
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Virtual MaidVirtual Maid
Unregister DLLs:
virtual maid.dll

Delete files:
helper.exe, virtual maid.dll
Delete directories:
C:\Program Files\Virtual Maid
Misc:
[site address] is an address of the web site on the searchmaid.com domain.

Exact file location:
helper.exe - C:\Windows\System, C:\Windows\System32 or C:\Winnt\System32
virtual maid.dll - C:\Program Files\Virtual Maid

Other programs to remove SearchMaid:

• SUPERAntiSpyware - Review - Download
• CounterSpy - Review - Download
• Windows Defender - Review - Download

Information added: 18/08/05
Information updated: 18/08/05

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