How to remove Youndoo.com

Youndoo virus. How bad is it?

Youndoo virus was first detected in June 2016. Since then, it had its ups and downs while trying to become a popular headache of computer users. However, it seems that the virus is not done – security experts have just reported about the renewed activity of this browser hijacker^[1]. Could 2017 year be the year of Youndoo.com virus? We will see. Now you should take a look at dangers that it can cause on your computer. In the beginning it may look like a reliable search engine alternative and may trick you into thinking that it is as functional and secure as any other popular browsing tools. Unfortunately, that is far from the truth. The security experts deem Youndoo virus a for its peculiar quality of taking over browsers and setting its own web page as their primary search engines and home pages. What is more, the PUP is widely known for its redirect tendency which is not only annoying and disruptive but can sometimes have some very unpleasant impact on the PC. We will talk more in depth why this browsing tool should not be trusted and how to remove Youndoo from the system in the following sections of this article. As for those looking for a quick removal solution, we can recommend FortectIntego — a program which will ensure the full and  removal of this potentially unwanted program.

In comparison to other browser hijackers, say navigation.iwatchavi.com, which is overcrowded with unnecessary shopping and gaming platforms, Youndoo does not seem suspicious at all. Its style is specifically designed to create a sense of reliability. Nonetheless, this impression is instantly shattered once you start using this website as a regular search engine. First of all, you will notice its hideous tendency to drop you off on questionable domains ^[2]. It wouldn’t be such an annoying issue if not for its potential damage. In other words, Youndoo.com redirect scope is not limited to advertising domains alone, but may include unreliable web pages with potentially malicious content as well. Thus, if the malware lurking out there infects your computer, your system programs may start malfunctioning or fake system error messages may begin popping up everywhere. Therefore, it would be wise to start Youndoo removal immediately.

In addition, Youndoo.com collects specific non-personally identifiable information. In the site’s Privacy Policy, it is stated that the search engine compiles computer’s IP address, web browser type, the date and time of the request, the amount of data transferred, internet address, from where the site or file was retrieved or the desired function was requested, etc. This information is used for statistical purposes. Youndoo employs Google Analytics to process this data. The problem is that the website is supported by third-parties as well. Thus, if they get hold of the previously-mentioned data, your browser may be bombarded with customized and specifically targeted ads ^[3]. Consequently, the probability that you click on these pay-per-click ^[4] commercial offers doubles. The worst part is, while the owners of these ads receive a benefit, you get nothing. Another highly detested feature of Youndoo malware is that it employs additional software to help it with its shady activities. Alternatively called “helper objects,” these programs are primarily responsible for fortifying the position of the hijacker on the computer. As a result of their activity, you might encounter difficulties removing the hijacker from the first attempt. Since these files are scatter across the system, uninstalling Youndoo from the primary browser settings is not enough to completely banish this virus from the computer. In addition, they might also create loopholes for other unnecessary browser extensions and plug-ins to secretly enter and settle on the computer.

Update October 2016: Hijacker now creates a fake Chrome profile

Youndoo developers do not step back and continue to improve the hijacker by introducing another feature which help to place and keep this shady marketing platform on the infected browser’s homepage. This feature involves creating a fake Google Chrome profile and running all of the Internet traffic through it ^[5]. Not to look too suspicious, the hijacker transfers some of the users’ original content, such as extensions and browsing history to the new profile, but replaces the default search engine and homepage with Youndoo.com. Besides, this new alteration also prevents the users from changing the undesirable settings back to the regular ones, even if the new profile is deleted. Instead, hijacker reappears every time the browser is rebooted. To find our whether your browser is not manipulated by this sneaky infection, you should go to the browser’s setting and pay attention to the section “People.” A legitimate Google Chrome profile will feature a blue users’ icon with your chosen name or “Person1” if you are not logged in. The fake profile will most likely go under a name “user0” which will appear next to the current user. Plus, you will notice that the icon is grey instead of the regular blue. You should react immediately if you notice such changes and initiate an antivirus scan.

Update February 2017: virus is caught creating additional Firefox profiles

Just a few months ago, Youndoo began terrorizing Chrome users by creating fake profiles on this web engine and gaining control over its settings. It seems that now the hackers have turned their full attention to Mozilla Firefox. It sticks to its old ways of creating additional profiles and typically labels them as “Firefox Default” [red en-6]. In a way, this makes it easier to remove the virus, since you simply have to delete the undesirable profile from the list of profiles and setting “default” one instead. Unfortunately, this is not the only addition that Youndoo creators have implemented to the newest version of this malware. The virus is now able to Schedule Tasks that will automatically run every couple of hours, downloading updates or reinstalling the virus after attempts of removal. It might be difficult to notice such processes because the virus will try to run them silently in the background of your system. Thus, you can make yourself feel more secure by running regular scans of your system and allowing antivirus utilities to take care of the potentially malicious components automatically. 

Methods of browser hijacker distribution:

This program spreads using software bundling technique, so when you are about to install new software, opt for “Custom/Advanced” settings. Only when you are sure that no attachments are pre-marked, finish the installation. Lastly, taking a glance at privacy policies and reading user reviews might also be useful in identifying whether this search engine is reliable or not. Please do not blindly rely on recommended installation settings (“Default/Standard/Basic”), because you might miss these offers and lose the opportunity to reject them.

Another suspicious method that helps to implement Youndoo.com hijack is called DLL hijacking. This method has been discovered in August 2016. It appears that this browser hijacker is being distributed in the form of a bogus Wtsapi32.dll file, which originally is an essential system file, which is required to load a web browser fully. When this browser hijacker drops a fake Wtsapi32.dll file in browser’s folder, Windows loads it, but not the original file that is located in C:\Windows\System32 folder. This DLL file alters Windows Registry and makes the browser open a specified web page instead of default one. To fix this problem, the user needs to remove the wtsapi32.dll file from Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and other affected browser’s application folders. That can also be done using malware removal programs.

Tactics that will help you remove Youndoo.com hijacker in no time:

To remove Youndoo virus from your computer within few minutes, you should choose automatic removal option and install an anti-spyware program. To make sure that it protects you from other PUPs and viruses, we recommend updating it regularly. Keep in mind that a proper security program is not only necessary but also vital to the general protection of your computer. However, if you don’t want to install additional software on your computer, you can also perform manual Youndoo.com removal procedure on your computer. Make sure you go through each removal step carefully to prevent the reappearance of this browser hijacker.