Has the default search engine on Firefox got changed to this ZoneAlarm Search lately without your consent? Is home page on Firefox also changed automatically to the associating site – search.zonealarm.com? Are there constant new tabs opening up while you try to get online? If you happen to face these troubles as well as constant redirect online, your browser is under the attack of a browser hijacker. ZoneAlarm is this hijacker which should be removed from your computer.

ZoneAlarm Search – How to Remove ZoneAlarm Redirect?

ZoneAlarm Search, or search.zonealarm.com, is categorized as a browser hijacker or redirect virus that has been troubled lots of computer users for a long time. Similar to Websearch.searchmainia.info redirect, this browser redirect will target mostly at browsing applications including the well-known Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. It will be able to create many troubles on the targeted computers by modifying the default settings and structures of the browsers in order to help cyber criminals benefit from privacy of PC users. Victims of this ZoneAlarm Search redirect will not only experience unpleasant activities while surfing online, but will face privacy security issues as well. So this hijacker should be removed in time for good.

As one can see, ZoneAlarm Search redirect and its associating web site search.zonealarm.com will pop up on browser as the default search engine and home page. This is usually what browser hijackers do with their first steps. By not letting computer users change the home page or search engine back, this hijacker tries to get you online from its given search engine which also seems to provide lots of shortcuts to abundant resources online. But the fact is, many of the given results by this ZoneAlarm Search are fishy sites and links sponsored by cyber criminals. Chances that more viruses are hidden among these places are high. In other words, this browser hijacker can somehow help other viruses get in your computer. Also, while you’re online, you will experience constant pop ups including unwanted new tabs, ads and web sites. Most importantly, your online activities will be recorded by this ZoneAlarm Search redirect. Cyber criminals can benefit from these records as they contain valuable information and personal data.

Hence, ZoneAlarm Search redirect should be removed in time considering all these troubles and possible risks. Contact YooSecurity Online PC Experts for removal assistance if you don’t have much experience dealing with computer viruses.

ZoneAlarm Redirect Causes Unwanted Troubles

A screen shot of search.zonealarm.com redirect:

ZoneAlarm-Search

A sum-up of consequences brought up by it:

1. ZoneAlarm Search can hijack default home pages and search engines on browsers without permission
2. It can stop one from accessing other web sites
3. It can also pop up lots of unwanted tabs, ads and web sites or redirect one constantly to these places
4. Your online activities will be recorded and privacy will be collected to help cyber criminals benefit

Removal Instructions of ZoneAlarm Redirect

A manual removal process is suggested here:

Step A: Open Windows Task Manager to end process related to the ZoneAlarm Search redirect. To do that, press Ctrl+Alt+Del keys at the same time to pull up Window Task Manager; go to Processes tab on top and scroll down the list to find.
taskmanager

Step B: Open Control Panel from Start menu and search for Folder Options. Go to Folder Options window, under View tab, tick Show hidden files and folders and non-tick Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) and then click OK.
FolderOptions

Step C: Press Windows+R keys to pull up Run box and type in regedit to open Registry Editor.
Run+regedit

Step D: Delete all these associated files and registry entries with this ZoneAlarm Search browser hijacker in Registry Editor as below:

%AppData%\[rnd]
%AllUsersProfile%\Programs\{random}\
%CommonStartMenu%\Programs\Users\””
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System “DisableRegedit”
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings\{.exe}

Step E: Change home page back from this unwanted search.zonealarm.com site on targeted browsers.
firefox-change-homepage

Similar video guide on hijacker removal:

Conclusion

Browser hijackers like this ZoneAlarm Search redirect is believed to be distributed through malicious web sites and free programs. It can get itself installed on your browsers without permission. Once it’s done resetting some default figures, it will pop up on browsers as the new home page and search engine. Soon you will find that no matter where you want to go online, you will get this unwanted pop up of ZoneAlarm Search. Also, new tabs could pop up constantly to interrupt your online surfing. Generally, a browser hijacker won’t let you online to other web sites unless you are using its search engine to get online. But then, your online activities will be recorded by this hijacker and valuable info and privacy stuff could be collected by it to help computer hackers benefit. Neither browsers nor computers can face such risks brought up by a browser hijacker. So this ZoneAlarm Search thing needs to be removed ASAP.

Note: Still can’t get browsers to work properly before this ZoneAlarm Search redirect infection? Please contact YooSecurity Online Experts to get help if you are not able to remove this hijacker off successfully.

Published by Tony Shepherd & last updated on June 19, 2013 2:52 am

Leave a Reply