MovieBox Search Redirect - How to remove

MovieBox Search is an extension developed for the Chrome Web browser that changes the default search engine into Yahoo. MovieBox Search is sometimes installed together with MovieBox Now, which changes the default Chrome’s new tab into a customizable page with a few interesting features and a search bar that leads to Yahoo. Some people like MovieBox, but these add-ons definitely have problems with aggressive and dishonest distribution, misleading promotion, and very in-depth access to the browser which threatens the user’s privacy.

Privacy concerns are an especially hot topic nowadays, with advertisers getting increasingly desperate to be able to market to people more effectively than before. Browser hijackers — extensions like MovieBox Now and Search — often use their access to your search queries and data about your browsing history to allow advertisers to target you more effectively, as well as to direct you to websites that they are partnered with. MovieBox Search especially has very intrusive permissions, such as being able to read and change your data on all the sites that you visit.

On top of that, many of those who have found MovieBox installed on their browser didn’t actually want it, many didn’t even know what it was, or installed it thanks to misleading promotions. Most software products that use this type of distribution do not have their users’ best interests in mind.

What MovieBox does to the browser

MovieBox Search takes over the omnibar to intercept all of your search queries and send them over to Yahoo instead of whichever search engine you were using previously. This behavior has nothing to do with MovieBox’s functionality, which is supposed to help people search for content about movies and TV shows. On the other hand, this is completely normal for a hijacker to do. MovieBox is just another expression of the Yahoo Redirect virus, in the end.

Some hijackers have a lot more powers than just deciding which search engine you’re allowed to use. MovieBox Search and Now can do these things:

• Read your browsing history (Search and Now).
• Read and change all your data on all sites (Search and Now).
• Change your search settings (Search).
• Replace your new tab page (Now).
• Display notifications (Now).
• Communicate with cooperating websites (Now).

Don’t underestimate just how much power over your browser, and in turn, over your privacy and your browsing experience, MovieBox has. Changing and reading your data on every website is permission only supposed to be given to very trusted developers, not ones who use deception to install their application on people’s browsers.

On the other hand, MovieBox Now does have a few neat features that some people actually like.

How MovieBox gets installed

MovieBox is associated with Gomovix, which already has a portfolio of browser hijackers, including mixGames Search and iTheatre Search Plus. Those have used malvertising and bundling to get on people’s machines. The same complaints have been made against MovieBox — that the extension appeared suddenly and with no warning; people wonder how it got on their machines and couldn’t get rid of it — some saw it reinstall itself after being removed.

If you are familiar with freeware programs, you will know how often they have “optional” offers attached to them. These offers are, almost always, installed by default and well hidden in fine print, in unrelated options, etc. A person in a hurry or even an attentive person who doesn’t inspect every single pixel of every page of the setup wizard will, sooner or later, miss an offer and end up with an unwanted application installed. Better yet, some programs just install another program in the background without even asking you. This is likely how some of the people who ended up with MovieBox got it.

By the way, you might be able to reduce the amount of bundlers that you download by just looking for websites that are less likely to bundle. For example, some developers make their programs available for download on their own sites and do not bundle them with anything.

Aggressive and misleading advertisements used by MovieBox could also be an issue. Like all the hijackers that use malvertising, MovieBox could just pop up in your browser thanks to a notification spammer or an adware page online, often accompanied by descriptions that overpromise and oversell the product or options that don’t make it clear that you’re setting up modifications for your browser, and not just visiting a new website.

Dishonest and sneaky extension installation is a big enough problem for Google Chrome that it’s been restricting the rules for years, but hijacker developers always seem to find new ways to manipulate people.

How to remove MovieBox

On its quest to fight browser hijackers and malicious browser extensions, Chrome has made it more and more easy to get rid of unwanted add-ons, so if you feel like you’d rather not use MovieBox, you can just right-click on its icon that is to the right of the omnibox, select the “Remove from Chrome” option, and say ‘Goodbye’ to it.

But scanning your computer for threats is also advised. After all, if bundlers made it onto your device, or if adware sites are harassing you, cleaning your computer of threats might help solve some of these issues. Anti-malware tools like Spyhunter (PC), and Combo-Cleaner (Mac) can’t protect you from everything, but they can detect threats ranging from serious malware to harmless low-reputation apps. If you diligently scan files before running them, you might be able to avoid security issues before you even need to deal with them.

MovieBox may not be a virus, but it does modify the functioning of your browser, and it’s up to you if you’re okay with it.

Automatic Malware removal tools

TopRemoving MovieBox Search Redirect from Chrome

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Google Chrome window. Select “Settings”.
  
• Click “Extensions” on the left menu bar.
• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to MovieBox Search Redirect. Click on the trash bin icon next to MovieBox Search Redirect or other add-ons you want to remove.
  
• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.
  
• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.
  
• Restart Chrome.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to MovieBox Search Redirect, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
  
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on the Reset settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.