What is Search.sidecubes.com?
Search.sidecubes.com is a misleading page disguided and operating as a search engine that replaces your homepage. The minimalistic design of the page gives an impression of a sustainable search engine, that is worth trying instead of Google, Bing,Yahoo, etc. However, that could turn against a user, because the page in fact is a part of a browser hijacker, that will affect your browsing activities in order to promote third-party sites. It will achieve the goal by altering search results and redirecting users to these sources forcedly, so there is no way they could avoid it. The only way to get rid of this interference is to remove Search.sidecubes.com
How Search.sidecubes.com got installed on your computer?
The hijacker invents and exploits nothing new in the terms of distribution methods, so more likely that you’ve got the infection installed it alongside with freeware. The situation could be avoided if one checks what they install thoroughly. In the majority of case freeware developers get revenue from malware creators by agreeing to add a threat into their installers. The hijacker will then be concealed on the screens of Advanced installation and presented as a helpful and advantageous search page.
Symptoms of Search.sidecubes.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 Search.sidecubes.com?
To make sure that the hijacker won’t appear again, you need to delete Search.sidecubes.com completely. For this you need to remove the application from the Control Panel and then check the drives for such leftovers as Search.sidecubes.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.
Performing an antimalware scan with Norton would automatically search out and delete all elements related to Search.sidecubes.com. It is not only the easiest way to eliminate Search.sidecubes.com, but also the safest and most assuring one.
Steps of Search.sidecubes.com manual removal
Uninstall Search.sidecubes.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 Search.sidecubes.com you need to call to memory what you have installed recently.
How to remove Search.sidecubes.com from Windows XP
- Click the Start button and open Control Panel
- Go to Add or Remove Programs
- Find the application related to Search.sidecubes.com and click Uninstall
How to remove Search.sidecubes.com from Windows 7/Vista
- Click the Start button and open Control Panel
- Go to Uninstall Program
- Find the application related to Search.sidecubes.com and click Uninstall
How to remove Search.sidecubes.com from Windows 8/8.1
- Right-click the menu icon in left bottom corner
- Choose Control Panel
- Select the Uninstall Program line
- Uninstall the application related to Search.sidecubes.com
How to remove Search.sidecubes.com from Windows 10
- Press Win+X to open Windows Power menu
- Click Control Panel
- Choose Uninstall a Program
- Select the application related to Search.sidecubes.com and remove it
If you experience problems with removing Search.sidecubes.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 Search.sidecubes.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 Search.sidecubes.com from Google Chrome
- Start Google Chrome
- Click on Tools, then go to the Extensions
- Delete Search.sidecubes.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
How to remove Search.sidecubes.com from Internet Explorer
- Launch Internet Explorer
- Click on the Tools/Gear icon, then select Manage Add-ons
- Delete Search.sidecubes.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
How to remove Search.sidecubes.com from Mozilla Firefox
- Start Mozilla Firefox
- Click on the right-upper corner button
- Click Add-ons, then go to Extensions
- Delete Search.sidecubes.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
Reset your browsers
How to reset settings in Google Chrome
- Click on the icon in the right-upper corner
- Choose Settings
- Click Show advanced settings
- Click the Reset Settings button
How to reset settings in Mozilla Firefox
- Click the icon in the upper right corner
- Choose Help
- Select Troubleshooting Information
- Click the Reset Firefox… button
How to reset settings in Internet Explorer
- Click on the Tools button
- Go to Internet options
- Go to the Advanced tab
- Click Reset
Delete files and registry entries added by Search.sidecubes.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 Search.sidecubes.com files and folders:
%UserProfile%\LocalSettings\ApplicationData\Google\Chrome\UserData\Default\Extensions\gcpmimpoidfjalegenghglnhpmfemejf
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gcpmimpoidfjalegenghglnhpmfemejf
%COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Toughfind
%COMMONPROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Toughfind
search.sidecubes[1].xml
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgofpplfojhpinkhamejhgnlhkmnhmkb
%UserProfile%\LocalSettings\ApplicationData\Google\Chrome\UserData\Default\Extensions\mgofpplfojhpinkhamejhgnlhkmnhmkb
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ihpdalhmahfcphdeanedbfhfknmmjpkj
%UserProfile%\LocalSettings\ApplicationData\Google\Chrome\UserData\Default\Extensions\ihpdalhmahfcphdeanedbfhfknmmjpkj
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\SideCubes\Startup.exe
Remove Search.sidecubes.com registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Tracing\SideCubes_RASAPI32
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\LowRegistry\DOMStorage\sidecubes.com
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\LowRegistry\DOMStorage\search.sidecubes.com
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\sidecubes.com
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstaller\{C6EEC3D6-2E2C-4896-92AF-89A82D60DC29}
