How to Remove Searchbox.xyz Redirect

Can’t Remove Searchbox.xyz hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Searchbox.xyz Removal instructions!

If the Searchbox.xyz website has replaced your preferable homepage, the news is not great. You have a browser hijacker on board. Do not panic! We can help you remove this parasite completely. But first, let’s take a moment to explain what the Searchbox.xyz hijacker is. The good news is, this parasite is not a full fledged virus but a malicious application. Upon installation, it takes over your installed browsers. If you have more than one browser, be absolutely sure, the Searchbox.xyz hijacker has corrupted them all. Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, etc., the hijacker can modify all known browsers. It replaces your homepage and default search engine. From this point on, you will be exposed to commercials provided by the hijacker only. And you will be provided with tons and tons of advertisements. The furtive utility controls your browser. It blocks its competitors’ content and replaces it with its own. Additionally, the hijacker injects extra ad banners and in-text adverts on every website you open. Pop-up windows will appear at the most unexpected times. You will hate the experience. But the hijacker will not stop here. No! This parasite is also known as a redirect virus. And there is a good reason for that. The malicious utility cannot rely on clicks only. To guarantee its owners’ stable income, the hijacker will redirect your browser to sponsored websites. Every time you click on a link, additional tabs will open in your browser. Prepare to be introduced to numerous “great opportunities,” financial software and adult games. Do not waste your time on these pages. They are not verified and are likely to arouse unwarranted expectations. There is nothing positive about the Searchbox.xyz utility. Your best course of action is its removal. The sooner you get rid of it, the better!

How did I get infected with?

Most often, the Searchbox.xyz hijacker is distributed via software bundles. Developers often attach extra programs to the installation files of many free apps. These extras, more often than not are corrupted. So, be extremely careful what you are approving on your machine. Whenever you are installing a program, opt for the Advanced installation option in the Setup Wizard. By using it, you will be able to see all extras that are about to be installed. Research the apps online and read the Terms and Conditions/End User License Agreement. If you spot anything out of the ordinary, abort the installation immediately. Keep in mind that you can deselect all extras and still install the program you originally planned to set up. This is your computer. You are responsible for its security. So, always do your due diligence. Even a little extra caution is better than none. Keep in an eye for suspicious signs. Never open an unverified email and download your software from reliable sources only. Also, keep your anti-virus app up to date.

Why is this dangerous?

The Searchbox.xyz hijacker is hard to be tolerated. It ruins your browsing experience. However, it may also bring harm to your OS. Unfortunately, not a single advert displayed by the hijacker is verified. Hackers and people with questionable interests often take advantage of such applications. They use hijacker to redirect traffic to scam websites as well as to spread corrupted content. One click is all it takes for malware and viruses to enter your computer. There, unfortunately, is no way to tell which commercials are corrupted and which are not. You cannot avoid the adverts either. The Searchbox.xyz hijacker is designed to lure its victims into clicking. At the most unexpected times, it will open pop-ups right under the cursor of your mouse. It will also redirect you to those pages. These tactics are meant to trick you into clicking on the obvious ads. There, however, are obscured commercials. The hijacker injects fake entries among the search results you are provided with. These entries are usually ads. Yet, they are not marked as such. With the hijacker on board, you can never be sure which search results are organic and which are sponsored. Do yourself a huge favor. Remove the Searchbox.xyz hijacker now!

How to Remove Searchbox.xyz virus

The Searchbox.xyz infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Searchbox.xyz infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

STEP 1: Track down Searchbox.xyz related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Searchbox.xyz startup location

STEP 3: Delete Searchbox.xyz traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Searchbox.xyz related processes in the computer memory

• Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
• Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.

• Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Searchbox.xyz startup location

Reveal Hidden Files

• Open any folder
• Click on “Organize” button
  
• Choose “Folder and Search Options”
• Select the “View” tab
• Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
• Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
• Click “Apply” and “OK” button

Clean Searchbox.xyz virus from the windows registry

• Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

• WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

• and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

• Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.

Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection

Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host

If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:

STEP 3 : Clean Searchbox.xyz traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

• Open Google Chrome

• In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
• Remove the Searchbox.xyz by clicking on the little recycle bin
• Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

• Open Mozilla Firefox

• Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
• Disable the unwanted Extension
• Go to Help
• Then Troubleshoot information
• Click on Reset Firefox

• Open Internet Explorer

• On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
• Click on Internet options
• go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
• Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset

• Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by Searchbox.xyz

This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.

Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Searchbox.xyz, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.

To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.

• Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
• go to Network and Internet
• then Network and Sharing Center
• then Change Adapter Settings
• Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!

You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to

• Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.

• in the target field remove Searchbox.xyz argument and then apply the changes.
• Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
• Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove Searchbox.xyz Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your whole system or network and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.