Search.iexplore.co virus (Free Instructions) - Free Guide
Search.iexplore.co virus Removal Guide
What is Search.iexplore.co virus?
Search.iexplore.co is the PUP that loads users with sponsored content
Search.iexplore.co virus functions as a search engine developed by AirFind corporation. Though the site may seem ordinary and not cause any suspicion, in fact, it is classified as a browser hijacker and falls for the PUP category. Potentially unwanted programs are the ones that trigger issues out of nowhere because the distribution methods include freeware installation and deceptive sites or pop-up ads. You cannot get rid of those redirects until you delete the PUP fully from the system. That is possible with anti-malware tools. We would like to explain how this intruder works and how to deal with all the symptoms and consequences.
| Name | Search.iexplore.co |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Symptoms | Homepage, search engine, new tab settings get altered. This site initiates all the online searches |
| Distribution | Freeware installations, deceiving sites, promotional sites, and ads |
| Danger | The system gets affected by the PUP when it relies on redirecting and pop-up ad delivery |
| Elimination | Anti-malware tools are designed to find PUPs and other malware. You can also find tips and tricks below |
| Repair | Running the system tool like FortectIntego can help find and repair any affected parts of the system |
Though the main page is not overcrowded with ads, you will see sponsored content during browsing sessions. Its privacy policy raises key concerns. According to it, it does not only collect non-personal information but may acquire personal data[1] from third parties.
Take a look at this extract:
We may now or in the future receive Personally Identifiable Information about you from third parties. For example, if you access our Sites or Services through a third-party connection or log-in, including social networking services such as Google, Facebook, or Twitter, by “following,” “liking,” (…)
What is more, the developers may even use the collected information for statistical purposes. Taking these aspects into consideration, it is highly recommended to perform Iexplore removal. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes is helpful in this situation because anti-malware tools can detect intruders and properly delete them off of the machine.
Search engine or a browser hijacker?
This tool is categorized as the browser hijacker due to obvious security flaws[2], though it does not exhibit all key elements of the hijacker which is capable to:
- hijack default search engine
- redirect to insecure domains
- promote questionable security tools
Speaking of this hijacker, it will hardly direct you to malicious domains, but to sponsored websites for sure. However, it does not limit the risk that you might get directed to an insecure domain. Therefore, this redirect should not be ignored.
If this does not bother you, note, that compiling too much data about you and your browsing habits does not only violate privacy but may result in serious issues. If you are looking for a quick way to remove the PUP, you will find relevant tips in the last section of the article. 
Crooks stick to popular distribution methods
This domain can be found on its official website. However, taking into account, its active cooperation with third parties, you may find the domain promoted in sponsored domains.
Additionally, this unwanted app may occur if you will overlook its add-on attached to the free application. Opt for “Advanced” settings to detect optional tools. Usually, PUP developers use this technique to distribute their shady tools, so you will hardly lose anything if you unmark all optional programs.
Delete Search.iexplore.co properly with anti-malware tools
You can delete the hijacker manually. It does not root in the system deeply so you should not encounter any troubles uninstalling the hijacker. You might want to run an anti-malware tool and check for all the possible threats on the machine. This is how you can see what caused those issues.
You might remove search.iexplore.co virus scripts faster with the assistant of malware elimination tool. It will also come in handy battling with more troublesome malware. In addition, check below the removal guidelines. This hijacker may target all users, even if they non-native English speakers, for instance, French[3], as well.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Search.iexplore.co virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data…
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Search.iexplore.co registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting browser hijacker
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices. Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using Private Internet Access VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact – you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.
If this free guide helped you and you are satisfied with our service, please consider making a donation to keep this service alive. Even a smallest amount will be appreciated.
- ^ Alice Woods. Accuweather lost its trust: the weather app shares users’ location data with third-party companies. 2-spyware. IT News and Malware Removal Guides.
- ^ Amar Toor. WikiLeaks website apparently hacked by OurMine. The Verge. Technology news and discussion.
- ^ Get rid of malware. Lesvirus. Security news in French.