Remove Isearch.zoo.com Redirect Virus

My web browser is hijacked by a redirect virus calledIsearch.zoo.com a few days ago but I fail to remove it after having tried many methods. Every time I search something, and I click on one of the search results, I am always linked to a website that I don’t intend to visit. It is very annoying. I have run a full system scan with my antivirus program but it cannot detect anything. How to fix the problem?

Isearch.zoo.com is a website which is related to browser redirect virus or adware that hijacks the web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. This redirect virus usually makes use of BHOs (browser helper objects) and other channels to penetrate into your computer and then modifies your browser settings without any consent. Once your browser gets infected, a tracking cookie which can track your online activities, such as what websites you have visited, how long you stay there, what you are search for and so on, will be implanted in the browsers. After that, these data will be transmitted to the remote hackers via a specific service. Then users’ sensitive information could be transmitted to unknown cyber criminals. So it is dangerous for a user to open this website or put it into the favorites.

By constantly redirecting browsers to Isearch.zoo.com, the redirect virus can increase the website traffic and allow the hackers to make a great profit. The hackers utilize the tactics to increase traffic trends, obtain search terms and redirect user’s searches to the pre-determined sites. Some search results offered by the search engine may have nothing to do with your search terms, and they will link to some websites which show you a lot of needless ads and other misleading messages. In addition, it is capable of installing a stubborn toolbar that cannot be deleted easily in regular way. Unluckily, this redirect virus provides no uninstall features and hides in the back stage so that security tools cannot detect its existence. In a word, Isearch.zoo.com redirect virus will do nothing good in the infected computer, and you should remove it as soon as possible.

Dangers of the Redirect Virus

1. It slows down the performance of your computer, which will waste you a lot of time.
2. It runs in the background of the system and consumes lots of system resources, making your computer run extremely slowly.
3. It drops other type of malware into the system which will harm the system more severely.
4. It silently follows your online traces, captures helpful information and sends to the remote hackers.
5. It modifies your default DNS settings and blocks your access to the websites that you want to visit.

Instruction to Manually Remove Isearch.zoo.com Redirect Virus

Note: To manually remove the redirect virus, you should acquire sufficient computer knowledge and skills. If you are afraid of damaging the system when dealing with the virus by yourself, use a professional removal tool instead.

Step 1: Open the Windows Task Manager by pressing keys CTRL+ALT+DEL together. Select the tab of “Processes”, search for the processes related to the Isearch.zoo.com redirect virus and then end them all.

Step 2: Go to the C drive. Search for and delete the malicious files as follows:

%AppData%\Local\[random]
%AppData%\Protector\” “[random]
%AllUsersProfile%\Programs\[random]\
%CommonStartMenu%\Programs\Users\”"
%AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\[random]

Step 3: Click on Start button, in the search bar, type “regedit” and press Enter. This will open the Registry Editor. Then, find out and delete the registry entries associated with the redirect virus.


HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System “DisableRegedit” = “”.exe.dll
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionInternet Settings “ProxyEnable” = “1”
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop “NoChangingWallPaper” = ’1?

Step 4: Remove add-ons related to Isearch.zoo.com redirect virus.

Google Chrome
Start Google Chrome and click on the 3-bar icon or Wrench icon in the top-right corner.
Choose Settings from the drop down list.
Click on Extensions on the left to display installed extensions.
Find out and disable/delete all suspicious add-ons.
Restart your browser.

Mozilla Firefox
Open Mozilla Firefox and find Tools in top menu.
Click it and select Add-ons.
Under Extensions and Plugins, find out any malicious add-ons.
Right click on them, and then click Remove button.
Restart Firefox to complete the removal.

Internet Explorer
Start the browser and find Tools in top menu.
Pick Manage add-ons.
Select Toolbars and Extensions on the left, and look for any suspicious add-ons.
Select them and click Disable. Restart your browser.

Conclusion

Isearch.zoo.com browser redirect virus can infect and corrupt all types of browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome and decrease users’ experiences when using PC. The most obvious sign of the infection is that your default homepage is changed to Isearch.zoo.com without consent and you are forced to visit some sites have nothing to do with your search queries. And your computer will be extremely vulnerable for the redirect virus will allow the remote hackers to visit the computer system unnoticeably. In a word, this redirect virus slows down PC speed, disables important programs, blocks access to specific websites, and messes up browsers settings, and should be removed from the infected computer promptly. If you have difficulty in manually removing the redirect virus, it is suggested that you get rid of it by using a professional removal tool.