Remove ZoneAlarm Search (Free Guide) - updated Jul 2019
ZoneAlarm Search is the browser hijacker that installs toolbars and other in-browser content without any permission
ZoneAlarm Search is the hijacking program that affects various common web browsers with intrusive behavior and even material added without your permission or knowledge. This potentially unwanted application sets its own search engine as the default on your device and installs other programs like Security Toolbar by Conduit on the browser. Unfortunately, this relation with Conduit, another browser hijacker is not promising. You shouldn't ever use tools or programs installed out of nowhere or applications related to such PUPs.
Once ZoneAlarm Search virus gets on the system Search.zonealarm.com or another related search engine gets set as the homepage, new tab preferences and this means that each time you try to browse anything online results get filled with commercial content and redirects you to more shady pages. Fake search engines and other potentially unwanted programs cannot give you any value because these cyber infections significantly affect the speed and general performance of the machine.
Name | ZoneAlarm Search |
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Type | Browser hijacker[1] |
Redirects to | Search.zonealarm.com |
Main danger | Tracks and collects information about the user, online browsing preferences. This data can get shared with third-party companies |
Related | Conduit |
Symptoms | Changes default settings of the browser, interferes with online searches, shows commercial content, redirects to shady sites |
Distribution | Freeware installations, software bundles,[2] other applications |
Elimination | Install Reimage Reimage Cleaner and remove ZoneAlarm Search |
ZoneAlarm Search is a search engine, which is presented as 'powered by Google'. However, after using it for some time, it becomes obvious that this site not only returns altered search results, but shows various pop-up advertisements that redirect people to sponsored domains. In most of the cases, this site shows up when users download/update ZoneAlarm Firewall or other ZoneAlarm programs on their computers.
It can appear instead of the start page and default search engine on all web browsers that can be found on the machine. If it has infiltrated your computer, you should be careful to avoid unexpected redirections to a malicious site. Please, check your PC for browser hijacker, which may be closely related to this search engine.
Search.zonealarm.com is the domain that gets set on the web browser as a search engine or a homepage. This is also the address that appears as the first redirect related to this PUP. When the machine becomes affected, all the attempts to search online go straight to ad-supported sites and potentially malicious pages.
ZoneAlarm Search hijacker is created by Zone Labs company that claims to be committed to protecting users privacy, but the program delivers potentially unwanted programs and promotes other products that may cause issues with the system, speed, and performance of the machine. Also, all those redirects to commercial pages can expose the user to possibly malicious material and lead to more severe infiltrations.
ZoneAlarm Search is a program that affects various web browsers at the time.
All intrusive ZoneAlarm Search behavior focuses on redirecting your online traffic to affiliated or sponsored pages filled with commercial content and creating search results injected with such material. Since this is a product related to other applications and potentially unwanted cyber content, it is responsible for data tracking.
Actually, Search.zonealarm.com hijack creators have disclosed the data gathering issue on their Privacy Policy:
ZoneAlarm is a global business. Our customers and our operations are spread around the world. As a result we collect and transfer Personal Data on a global basis. That means that we may transfer your Personal Data to locations outside of your country.
This particular quote shows that your personal information can end up on some database in other country and be used in malvertising campaigns or even shared with a third-party related to ZoneAlarm Search company. You should always read such sections of the website or service before you install anything from the domain.
In most of the cases, ZoneAlarm Search comes in a bundle with ZoneAlarm programs. However, it has also been reported to be related to browser hijacker virus. If you want to prevent its infiltration, you should always have updated anti-virus and anti-spyware installed on your PC. Once inside, it alters PC's settings and starts making its victim use the intrusive application when he/she begins browsing on the Internet.
Beware that it may still show altered search results that redirect you to unwanted websites. In addition, it may also start showing continuous pop-up ads and notifications. Once again, we don't call this search engine malicious, but its creators clearly use unfair distribution methods. If you want to remove ZoneAlarm Search, follow the guide below that provides all the needed steps.
ZoneAlarm Search is the website that claims to offer improved in-browser searching results but it causes more problems than it offers useful functions.
Redirects and commercial content only look harmless
Our experts[3] always recommend going for legitimate websites and software providers only, but users still remain reckless and install various applications from less than reliable sources without paying enough attention or even reading EULA/ Privacy Policy. This step is underrated because people can learn more about the provider and the program itself if they check this information before installing PUPs that may seem harmless.
Unfortunately, it is possible to get such tools from other sources like p2p services, torrent sites. You can also take some measures to avoid these PUP installations. Choose Advanced or Custom installation options and focus on the program list, so you can de-select applications that seem shady or questionable.
Remove ZoneAlarm Search and all files that virus may create or install on the machine
You should think about the possibility that ZoneAlarm Search virus gets on the machine alongside other in-browser programs and can install them along the way. For this reason, automatic removal of these potentially unwanted programs is recommended and required. Using professional tools, you can run a system scan and eliminate all files or applications associated with this program.
Such ZoneAlarm Search removal methods save you some time and allow you to terminate all intrusive applications, helps to clean the computer entirely. Any antivirus can run a system scan and eliminate existing malware,m including such potentially unwanted programs. But you can also find some tools that focus on keeping the machine clean in advanced. Choose a tool that can scan the machine and block PUP in before they enter the system.
You may remove virus damage with a help of Reimage Reimage Cleaner . 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.
To remove ZoneAlarm Search, follow these steps:
Get rid of ZoneAlarm Search from Windows systems
Clean the system fully and remove ZoneAlarm Search
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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If you are Windows 10 / Windows 8 user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel and Uninstall a Program.
- Uninstall ZoneAlarm Search and related programs
Here, look for ZoneAlarm Search or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove ZoneAlarm Search from Windows shortcuts
Right click on the shortcut of Mozilla Firefox and select Properties. -
Go to Shortcut tab and look at the Target field. Delete malicious URL that is related to your virus.
Repeat steps that are given above with all browsers' shortcuts, including Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. Make sure you check all locations of these shortcuts, including Desktop, Start Menu and taskbar.
Remove ZoneAlarm Search from Mac OS X system
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for ZoneAlarm Search or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Delete ZoneAlarm Search from Internet Explorer (IE)
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Remove dangerous add-ons
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top right corner of the browser and choose Manage Add-ons. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for ZoneAlarm Search and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of the browser and select Internet Options. Stay in General tab. -
Here, remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Click Apply to save changes.
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Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
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When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete ZoneAlarm Search removal.
Uninstall ZoneAlarm Search from Microsoft Edge
Reset Microsoft Edge settings (Method 1):
- Launch Microsoft Edge app and click More (three dots at the top right corner of the screen).
- Click Settings to open more options.
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Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
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Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
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Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
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Right-click on it and choose Go to details option. If can’t see Go to details option, click More details and repeat previous steps.
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When Details tab shows up, find every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right click on each of them and select End Task to end these entries.
Resetting Microsoft Edge browser (Method 2):
If Method 1 failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method.
- Note: you need to backup your data before using this method.
- Find this folder on your computer:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
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Select every entry which is saved on it and right click with your mouse. Then Delete option.
- Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type in window power in Search my stuff line.
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Right-click the Windows PowerShell entry and choose Run as administrator.
- Once Administrator: Windows PowerShell window shows up, paste this command line after PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> and press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}
Once these steps are finished, ZoneAlarm Search should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
Eliminate ZoneAlarm Search from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Make sure to eliminate all the toolbars related to ZoneAlarm Search
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select ZoneAlarm Search and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the menu (top right corner), choose Options → General. - Here, delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
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Click OK to save these changes.
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Reset Mozilla Firefox
Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete ZoneAlarm Search removal.
Erase ZoneAlarm Search from Google Chrome
You may need to additionally check the browser and clean, shady content off of there
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select ZoneAlarm Search and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
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Change your homepage and default search engine if it was altered by your virus
Click on menu icon and choose Settings. -
Here, look for the Open a specific page or set of pages under On startup option and click on Set pages.
- Now you should see another window. Here, delete malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage.
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Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
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When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
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Reset Google Chrome
Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings. -
Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings.
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Click Reset to confirm this action and complete ZoneAlarm Search removal.
Get rid of ZoneAlarm Search from Safari
- Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. -
Here, select Extensions and look for ZoneAlarm Search or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Open your Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu section. Here, select Preferences as it was displayed previously and select General. -
Here, look at the Homepage field. If it was altered by ZoneAlarm Search, remove unwanted link and enter the one that you want to use for your searches. Remember to include the "http://" before typing in the address of the page.
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Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... -
Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete ZoneAlarm Search removal process.
About the author
References
- ^ Browser hijacker. Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia.
- ^ Bundled software. Techopedia. IT and computing definitions.
- ^ Losvirus. Losvirus. Spyware related news.
Your opinion regarding ZoneAlarm Search
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November 21st, 2013 at 11:46 am
Completely useless instructions. Zone Alarm Search does not appear as an installed program and is greyed out in add-on management within the browser.
March 14th, 2014 at 1:19 pm
For Firefox go to addons and delete! (latest version 14/3/14
April 30th, 2014 at 8:14 pm
The instructions on how to remove zonealarm search as the default search engine for my google chrome worked! I tried several other remedies recommended by others, but this one from 2 Spyware.com worked for me. Thank you.