How to remove Hohosearch.com hijacker

,

What is Hohosearch.com?

Hohosearch.com is a domain that is described as a trustworthy and handy search engine, which is just a disguise for a malware known as browser hijacker. One of the features that define it as a malwaer is that the hohosearch.com becomes the main page and search engine without informing a user, while blocking the settings. Thus the hijacker manages to stay the only available search domain so that a user would be forced to make search queries on the page. The hijacker itself is designed with the purpose of promoting partners’ sources, links to which are included into search result. Not only these links are shown on the top of the results, but they also are masqueraded as relevant to the query. The hijacker is not only unpleasant in these promotions, but also poses a certain threat, since the sources very often turn to spread other malware. Unfortunately, the hijacker will annoy a victim with false links until a user manages to remove Hohosearch.com completely.

Hohosearch.com page

How Hohosearch.com got installed on your computer?

When it comes to the means of distribution the creators of the browser hijacker didn’t invent anything special. Commonly they apply to a usual for malware distribution method that is called bundling. Bundling is often used with freeware and shareware programs that are downloaded on everyday basis, so be especially attentive when downloading PDF editors or media players. Fortunately for users, the malware intrusion can be prevented with the help of some easy measures. First, you need to make it a habit to run setups in Advanced mode, as only by this you will be given the full information about the process. Next, when given a list of installation components remember to check every item on the Internet and decline everything that has negative reviews stating that it is a malware.

Symptoms of Hohosearch.com infection

  • First and the most striking proof of having a browser hijacker is change of the main page. Usually it is a search engine page that is designed so that user would believe in its legitimacy.
  • Generally, hijackers cause redirections when user makes a search query on its page or tries to reach a blocked site (usually another search engine or anti-malware sites)
  • Another indicator of hijacker infection is appearance of new programs, toolbars and browser extensions that you don’t remember installing and processes in start-up queue.
  • Also, you may notice the significant slowdown in the system operating, since running of the applications required for malware activity may consume a lot of CPU.
  • Besides, hijacker infection may as well negatively affect the speed of Internet connection.

How to remove Hohosearch.com?

To make sure that the hijacker won’t appear again, you need to delete Hohosearch.com completely. For this you need to remove the application from the Control Panel and then check the drives for such leftovers as Hohosearch.com files and registry entries.
We should warn you that performing some of the steps may require above-average skills, so if you don’t feel experienced enough, you may apply to automatic removal tool.

Download SpyHunter

Performing an antimalware scan with Norton would automatically search out and delete all elements related to Hohosearch.com. It is not only the easiest way to eliminate Hohosearch.com, but also the safest and most assuring one.

Steps of Hohosearch.com manual removal

Uninstall Hohosearch.com from Control Panel

As it was stated before, more likely that the hijacker appeared on your system brought by other software. So, to get rid of Hohosearch.com you need to call to memory what you have installed recently.

How to remove Hohosearch.com from Windows XP

  1. Click the Start button and open Control Panel
  2. Go to Add or Remove Programs
  3. Find the application related to Hohosearch.com and click Uninstall

How to remove Hohosearch.com from Windows 7/Vista

  1. Click the Start button and open Control Panel
  2. Go to Uninstall Program
  3. Find the application related to Hohosearch.com and click Uninstall

How to remove Hohosearch.com from Windows 8/8.1

  1. Right-click the menu icon in left bottom corner
  2. Choose Control Panel
  3. Select the Uninstall Program line
  4. Uninstall the application related to Hohosearch.com

How to remove Hohosearch.com from Windows 10

  1. Press Win+X to open Windows Power menu
  2. Click Control Panel
  3. Choose Uninstall a Program
  4. Select the application related to Hohosearch.com and remove it

noteIf you experience problems with removing Hohosearch.com from Control Panel: there is no such title on the list, or you receive an error preventing you from deleting the application, see the article dedicated to this issue.
Read what to do if program won’t uninstall from Control Panel

Remove Hohosearch.com from browsers

Since some of hijacker threats use a disguise of a browser add-on, you will need to check the list of extensions/add-ons in your browser.

How to remove Hohosearch.com from Google Chrome

  1. Start Google Chrome
  2. Click on Tools, then go to the Extensions
  3. Delete Hohosearch.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them

How to remove Hohosearch.com from Internet Explorer

  1. Launch Internet Explorer
  2. Click on the Tools/Gear icon, then select Manage Add-ons
  3. Delete Hohosearch.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them

How to remove Hohosearch.com from Mozilla Firefox

  1. Start Mozilla Firefox
  2. Click on the right-upper corner button
  3. Click Add-ons, then go to Extensions
  4. Delete Hohosearch.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them

How to remove Hohosearch.com from Microsoft Edge

  1. Start Microsoft Edge
  2. Click the three-dot button in the upper right corner
  3. Choose Extensions
  4. Click the gear icon near Hohosearch.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
  5. Choose Remove

Reset your browsers

How to reset settings in Google Chrome

  1. Click on the icon in the right-upper corner
  2. Choose Settings
  3. Click Show advanced settings
  4. Click the Reset Settings button

How to reset settings in Mozilla Firefox

  1. Click the icon in the upper right corner
  2. Choose Help
  3. Select Troubleshooting Information
  4. Click the Reset Firefox… button

How to reset settings in Internet Explorer

  1. Click on the Tools button
  2. Go to Internet options
  3. Go to the Advanced tab
  4. Click Reset

How to reset settings in Microsoft Edge

  1. Start Microsoft Edge
  2. Click the three-dot button in the upper right corner
  3. Choose Settings
  4. Under the Clear browsing data category select Choose what to clear
  5. Select everything and click Clear

Delete files and registry entries added by Hohosearch.com

Sometimes removal via Control Panel is not enough since the built-in application can leave some files that shortly will restore the hijacker. So, you need to find all of the following items and delete them

Remove Hohosearch.com files and folders:

%PROGRAMFILES%\Dravsynlether\Drvcoresrv.exe
%PROGRAMFILES%\Phenuther
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Cluudomclwuse
%PROGRAMFILES%\Cluudomclwuse
%PROGRAMFILES%\hohobnd
%PROGRAMFILES%\Ploftdrewother
%PROGRAMFILES%\Decoing
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Decoing
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Gizotionghequle
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Ckodeingdrenigh
%PROGRAMFILES%\Dravsynlether\Drvcoretsk.exe
%PROGRAMFILES%\Ckodeingdrenigh
%PROGRAMFILES%\Dravsynlether
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Dravsynlether
%PROGRAMFILES%\Hqationqwich

Remove Hohosearch.com registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\hohosearch
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\hohosearch uninstall
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\Uninstall - amz
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\Uninstall - tuu
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\Uninstall - sto
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\Uninstall - wsy1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\{E71CF3A6-C08A-48E1-8044-68EE1F47B872}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\{A03FC816-96B8-42E9-AAA5-7CCB024EC18A}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\{BAC2D854-2B45-4E48-9CB0-D88614008204}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\{2890B58E-4889-4EA0-BEF6-CDABF3A66E86}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\{C72DC2FC-6285-4DD3-8C1A-E6985326E98D}
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\hohosearchSoftware
SOFTWARE\hohosearchSoftware
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\{E6276374-DE18-4AA5-A365-9016A2F98A2D}
SOFTWARE\{E6276374-DE18-4AA5-A365-9016A2F98A2D}
SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\{8C4CE252-7DB2-4F8E-8E76-BAD0E5826A83}

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *