EZSearch

Posted by Lisa Blanc on April 20, 2017

What is EZSearch?

EZSearch is a dubious piece of software targeting Google Chrome users. Once it finds a way to sneak on a user’s computer, it immediately makes modifications on the system so that it could load its own extension and open a search URL it promotes. Although it cannot be called a malicious application, it is, surely, not a program users should trust or keep installed on their systems. Researchers believe that the best place for it is a category of potentially unwanted programs. This label has been attached to it because it is not a malicious application, but it cannot be called a trustworthy piece of software either. Potentially unwanted applications are, of course, far from harmful threats like Trojans or ransomware infections, but their presence might still have negative outcomes, so it is advisable not to let them stay active. If you continue reading this article, you will find an explanation why researchers have come to a decision to classify it as a PUP. Additionally, we promise to tell you more about its removal and provide several pieces of advice to help you ensure the maximum protection of your computer. test test test

What does EZSearch do?

Several reasons why specialists have decided to call EZSearch a potentially unwanted application exist. First of all, they are sure that decent programs do not act like EZSearch. Once this piece of software is successfully installed on the system, it creates a new Google Chrome shortcut (Google Chrome.lnk) on Desktop. It has a target line loading the EZSearch extension (unique ID ikmapcaeknfgfmjlibnhcbchfablckbp): C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --load-extension="C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Extensions\ikmapcaeknfgfmjlibnhcbchfablckbp. As a result, users see two Google Chrome shortcuts on their Desktops. One is the legitimate shortcut opening Google Chrome, whereas the other one loads the extension. If users click on the shortcut created by EZSearch, they see a Google Chrome browser window with the search URL search.yahoo.com/search?p={searchTerms}&xpubz=8z108mno&r=yy62f009mvb12&trk=b1v300 at the top. In the opinion of malware analysts working at anti-spyware-101.com, EZSearch allegedly promotes the Yahoo! search engine to generate some money for its author. To be frank, it might be its main goal, and this would explain why it acts the way it does.

Potentially unwanted applications often promote the modified versions of decent search tools. These modified versions might be made to serve users with the modified search results seeking to get paid for advertising certain third-party pages (it should be noted that not all websites modified search results redirect users to are 100% trustworthy). If it happens that these modified search results are displayed for you too, please, ignore them and hurry to delete EZSearch so that you could perform secure web searches again.

Where does EZSearch come from?

EZSearch does not have an official website, so it is not likely at all that users download and install it on their computers voluntarily. Researchers say that the more likely scenario is that it is spread in software bundles. This would also explain why a lot of users know nothing about the entrance of this potentially unwanted program. Programs spread in bundles usually do not travel alone, so software belonging to third parties could have entered your computer together with this undesirable extension. Fully trustworthy programs are never distributed bundled with other programs, so we are sure that EZSearch has not been put into the category of potentially unwanted programs by mistake. Do not let other suspicious applications to enter your computer in these “software packages” ever again. You will have a malware-free computer if you make a habit of installing new software downloaded from third-party pages with great care. On top of that, all users should enable security software on their computers, specialists working in the field of cyber security say.

How to delete EZSearch

EZSearch not only installs a browser extension, but also makes other modifications on the computer, so it will not be enough to erase the extension from Google Chrome to delete it fully. Luckily, we are experts in the removal of potentially unwanted programs, and we are going to share our knowledge with you today. What we expect you to do is to follow the step-by-step removal guide placed below this article. It does not mean that it is the only way to remove this potentially unwanted program. Inexperienced users can delete this PUP automatically. Employ this method if you do not have time for the standard removal as well.

Remove EZSearch

Press Win+E to open the Windows Explorer.
Delete the ikmapcaeknfgfmjlibnhcbchfablckbp folder from %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Extensions and %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Extensions (type the directory at the top of the Windows Explorer to open it).
Open %TEMP%.
Locate the WS folder and remove it.
Check %PROGRAMFILES(x86)% and %PROGRAMFILES% too.
If you can find the EZSearch folder there, delete it.
Close the Windows Explorer and delete the Google Chrome.lnk shortcut with the Target line pointing to the EZSearch extension from Desktop.
Launch Run (Win+R).
Enter regedit.exe and click OK.
Delete the following registry keys (right-click on a key and select Delete) one after the other: