Vudu Search extension virus - How to remove

Vudu Search virus (a.k.a Feed.vudusearch.com browser hijacker) sets up itself as a regular Yahoo, Google or Bing search engine and compromised users might not even understand that malware has invaded their privacy. It is promoted in Install.vudusearch.com pop-up, which resembles a domain that endorses popularity of Search.soundrad.net infection.

Browser hijacking is a very disturbing in this case as address bars of infected Google Chrome browsers won’t feature an unknown URL. Stealthy changes won’t only be designed against your former browsers’ preferences, but will direct hardcore advertising campaigns against you and aim to tempt you with unsolicited propositions (1).

Characteristics of Vudu Search malware

Vudu Search browser hijacker has changed browsing for many people worldwide; as a consequence, it is now in the 337,208th position in the rankings of the most visited websites (2). Promotions for this rogue are constantly generated to surfers from Algeria, United States, Egypt, Hungary and Serbia. There are comparable examples that present themselves as Search Yahoo and hope that hijacker will remain unnoticed: for instance, Feed.getsportscore.com virus.

According to the statistical data about this rogue product, we have figured out that Bigpicturepop.com (ads from this website are displayed by BestZiper adware as well), Track.get-search.info, Slip-on-banana-peel.info, Download.com-news.stream and Ay.gy are one of the leading websites that reroute people to the Install.vudusearch.com harmful domain. While some skeptical surfers refuse to believe that unwanted software could be automatically installed, we remind our visitors that the concept of drive-by downloads is being indicated as one of the most malicious procedures (3).

Vudu Search extension virus has agreed to demonstrate online advertisements from a network of Propeller Ads Media. This ad-company has been blamed for its reckless attitude towards submitted content which often includes malicious promotions, attempting to complement malvertising strategies (4). The extension has also agreed to promote advertisements from AMRYTT, Appnexus, RevenueHits and Adf.ly. This means that your browsing experience will become unpleasant as you will constantly have to close pop-ups (5).

To make matters worse, Clean My Browser v2.0 rogue Chrome extension, will be promoted by the Vudu Search browser hijacker. The promoted tool has been noticed to function as malware and will reenforce the URL forwarding that the preceding malware sample had inflicted on you. Please do not explore the Internet via the rogue versions that a hijacker will assign as preferences. Search results that are modified to contain malicious links and other deceptive URLs have been proved to cause severe damages (6).

Having severe difficulties in removing this malware sample? First of all, take a look at the list of currently-active add-ons: remove Vudu Search virus. If this does not work in the long-run, we hope you will check your operating system for more malware infections. Employ Spyhunter to fix all security issues and remove everything that might be negatively influencing your operating system. There is also a manual removal option which is explained in the sections below.

Steer clear of potentially dangerous content

Internet is full of dangerous material. Considering this, you should always look closely at the websites you visit and whether they do not have potential of jeopardizing your security with malware diseases. However, even legitimate websites sometimes can be exposed to hackers’ plans: such vulnerable domains can unknowingly transmit advertisements that should be labeled as a part of malvertising campaigns.

Additionally, we have to admit that users are occasionally responsible for becoming compromised by malware. For instance, if you avoid all of the recommendations for a more secure browsing, it is your fault that you decided to update Adobe Flash Player from a pop-up. Also, popular file-sharing facilities accept to transmit all sorts of material: some of them could be modified by hackers.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Guidelines to delete Vudu Search extension virus

How to remove Vudu Search extension virus using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like Vudu Search extension virus install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to Vudu Search extension virus . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make Vudu Search extension virus easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.

How to remove Vudu Search extension virus from macOS

Delete Vudu Search extension virus from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the Vudu Search extension virus app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

TopHow To remove Vudu Search extension virus from Google Chrome:

• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select More Tools→Extensions
  
• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.
  
• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select Settings
  
• Select Manage Search engines
  
• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list
  
• Go back to settings. On Startup choose Open blank page (you can remove undesired pages from the set pages link too).
• If your homepage was changed, click on Chrome menu on the top right corner, select Settings. Select Open a specific page or set of pages and click on Set pages.
  
• Delete malicious search websites at a new Startup pages window by clicking “X” next to them.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

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

• Click on a Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on theReset browser 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.

How To remove Vudu Search extension virus from Firefox:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything Vudu Search extension virus related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Options → General. Enter a preferable URL to the homepage field and click Restore to Default.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Vudu Search extension virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
  
• ChooseTroubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on theReset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.

How to remove Vudu Search extension virus from Microsoft Edge:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Microsoft Edge window. Select “Extensions”.

• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.

• Click on the three-dot menu on the browser toolbar and Select Settings

• Select Privacy and Services and scroll down. Press on Address bar.

• Choose Manage search engines.

• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list: open the three-dot menu and choose Remove.

• Go back to Settings. Open On start-up.
• Delete malicious search websites at Open specific page or pages by opening the three-dot menu and clicking Delete.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Vudu Search extension virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings

• Click on Edge's menu button and select Settings. Click on the Reset Settings button on the left.
• Press the Restore settings to their default values option.

• 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.

How to remove Vudu Search extension virus from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall Vudu Search extension virus and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to Vudu Search extension virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

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

References:

1. Browser hijackers ruining lives. Wired.com.
2. Overview of Vudusearch.com. Similarweb.com.
3. How Drive-by Download Attacks Work – From Disbelief to Protection. Heimdalsecurity.com. 
4. Malvertising and the joys of online advertising. Blog.malwarebytes.com.
5. Pop up ad. Wikipedia.com.
6. Poisoned search results: How hackers have automated search engine poisoning attacks to distribute malware. Sophos.com.