Whenever you start the web browser, Isearch.shopathome.com appears constantly? Is it a good thing? If you let it stay in the computer, what kinds of potential risks will it bring to your computer? What can you do if various antivirus programs fail to stop it? There are some unfamiliar toolbars showing up in the browser? You don’t think you have allowed these toolbars to install in the computer? This article helps you know more about this browser hijacker.
Isearch.shopathome.com is a browser hijacker, also known as a browser redirect. From its appearance, you can see it is a “search engine” in the name of Yahoo. However, there are obvious differences between it and the famous Yahoo. Yahoo has no right to and won’t replace your homepage, but this hijacker is able to occupy your home page as well as search engine without your permission. The autocratic characteristic makes it leave people a bad impression.
Similar to other browser hijackers such as Globososo.inspsearch.com and Qtype.inspsearch.com, Isearch.shopathome.com is capable of causing all sorts of troubles to destroy your browsing experience. It will pop up automatically every time you open the web browser or you will always be redirected to its page whenever you want to access your favorite websites. It does not effectively provide search results related to your search keywords, but you still can only use it for your searches in other legitimate search engines will also be redirected to its page. Moreover, it has the ability to install plug-ins to your browser in order to track your search history and browsing records. It is terrible if the information is collected by cyber criminals. The hijacker will bring you a lot of advertisements. Many prudent computer users know clearly about virus propagation routines, thus, they won’t click on these attractive but unreliable advertisements. However, computer lag or curiosity can cause accidental clicks. Each advertising window carries a link. If you click on the ad window accidentally, you may be redirected to some unknown or false shopping sites or even may activate some virus downloads. Now viruses cannot be underestimated. They are able to open a backdoor for virus makers to control the computer and monitor you operating traces secretly. Therefore, in order to protect your data, you should eliminate the browser hijacker as soon as possible. Unfortunately, getting rid of it is an arduous task. Running an antivirus program does not drive it away. You should know that browser settings are revised completely. At the same time, its registry entries are added to your system. Thus, manual removal is most recommended.
1. It is able to become the startup page of your web browser via modifying browser settings. No matter which browser you are using (Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Opera), you can see the browser is occupied by it completely.
2. It may also install plug-ins, extensions and toolbars in the browser so as to record your search history as well as cookies.
3. You need to wait for a long time when visiting websites because the browser always gets stuck and is slow in reaction.
4. This annoying redirect may also result in unstable Internet connection and system freezes frequently.
5. You are forced to receive many advertisement windows when the computer is connected to the Internet.
Isearch.shopathome.com has the ability to change the default browser settings and redirect you to random sites (usually sites playing unreliable advertisements or even containing virulent Trojan viruses, spyware and other infections). You may have noticed that most browser hijackers won’t be detected by antivirus programs. The same goes to this one. Its considerable visitor volume benefits numerous product manufacturers, freeware developers and website promoters, thus, they are willing to maintain long-term relationship with it. Actually, the main reason for the failure detection of antivirus programs is its successful disguise. Through making use of advanced technology, it maintains the ability to combine its components with system files or to generate fake system files, which confuses computer users as well as antivirus programs. They cannot identify it accurately and timely, let alone remove it thoroughly. Therefore, manual removal is the best choice to drive it away from your computer. In this case, you are advised to delete every file generated by it manually so as to spare all later trouble. The manual removal needs to be handled carefully so as to avoid any subsequent damages. Users can follow the manual guide here to have the hijacker removed instantly.
1. Clean Add-ons and Extensions
* Internet Explorer:
(1). Click Tools in the Menu bar and then click Internet Options
(3). Click Programs tab, click Manage add-ons and disable the suspicious add-ons
* Firefox:
(1). Click Tools in the Menu bar and then click Add-ons
(2). Click Extensions, select the related browser add-ons and click Disable
* Google Chrome:
(1). Click Customize and control Google Chrome button → Tools → Extensions
(2). Disable the extensions of Isearch.shopathome.com
2. End Relevant Processes
(1). Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc together to pop up Windows Task Manager, click Processes tab
*For Win 8 Users:
Click More details when you see the Task Manager box
And then click Details tab
(2). Find out and end the processes of Isearch.shopathome.com
3. Show Hidden Files
(1). Click on Start button and then on Control Panel
(2). Click on Appearance and Personalization
(3). Click on Folder Options
(4). Click on the View tab in the Folder Options window
(5). Choose Show hidden files, folders, and drives under the Hidden files and folders category
(6). Click OK at the bottom of the Folder Options window
*For Win 8 Users:
Press Win+E together to open Computer window, click View and then click Options
Click View tab in the Folder Options window, choose Show hidden files, folders, and drives under the Hidden files and folders category
4. Delete Relevant Registry Entries and Files
(1). Delete the registry entries of Isearch.shopathome.com through Registry Editor
Press Win+R to bring up the Run window, type “regedit” and click “OK”
While the Registry Editor is open, search and delete the related registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings “CertificateRevocation” =Random
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\run\Random.exe
(2). Find out and remove the associated files.
%AllUsersProfile%\random.exe
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\~random
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\.dll HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Random “.exe”
Isearch.shopathome.com is a browser hijacker. By tampering and distorting the main browser settings, it can redirect your homepage as well as default search engine. It looks like a legitimate website so that some users may believe that it is useful. In fact, disguising as a real search engine is a common trick played by browser hijacker family. It succeeds in making many careless computer users install it into the computer via hiding in some free third party programs. You may wonder when it gets into the computer. In fact, if you do not cancel some implicit terms in a free program’s installation process, you can see it in the computer. You will also suffer the harassment from many pop-up advertising windows and be easy to click on some unknown things which will make your computer get infected with dangerous viruses. In order to protect your computer, you should remove Isearch.shopathome.com as soon as possible.
The above manual removal is quite dangerous and complicated, which needs sufficient professional skills. Therefore, only computer users with rich computer knowledge are recommended to implement the process because any errors including deleting important system files and registry entries will crash your computer system. If you have no idea of how to process the manual removal, please contact experts from YooCare Online Tech Support for further assistance.
Published by on January 7, 2014 11:54 am, last updated on January 7, 2014 11:54 am
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.