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QueryExplorer.com

Posted: November 7, 2011

Its professionally-minimalist gray interface may make QueryExplorer.com look reputable, but QueryExplorer.com's real purpose is to expose you to advertisements, spam and malicious websites that toss a few cents back to QueryExplorer.com for each click that they receive. Contact with QueryExplorer.com is precipitated by Trojans that use a variety of methods to redirect your web browser to QueryExplorer.com from unrelated websites, and these redirect attacks are always an evidence that your computer has been contaminated by a QueryExplorer.com-affiliated Trojan. However, SpywareRemove.com malware research team is glad to note that as long as you minimize contact with QueryExplorer.com and delete any affiliated browser hijackers with a good anti-malware program, the chances of long-term harm to your PC are very low, if not negligible.

An Exploration of QueryExplorer.com's Many Faults

QueryExplorer.com looks like a real search engine but lacks any of the safeguards or sorting methods that genuine search engines use to provide helpful results. SpywareRemove.com malware research team has also linked QueryExplorer.com to other websites that use a similar scam, such as Zumie.com, Searchqu.com, QuestDNS.com, Ziniky.com and BarQuery.com; although these websites have minor aesthetic differences, they should be considered just as hostile to your PC as QueryExplorer.com.

Even staying away from QueryExplorer.com can be complicated by the fact that QueryExplorer.com uses browser-redirecting Trojans to bloat its traffic flow. SpywareRemove.com malware analysts have found that signs of such attacks can include:

  • Redirects to QueryExplorer.com when you try to use a totally distinct and separate website, particularly if that website is, itself, a search engine.
  • Starting at QueryExplorer.com when you open a new page or tab for your browser.
  • Having browser settings that are set to undesirable values.
  • Browser settings that are unresponsive to changes – they may revert after a reboot or simply fail to allow you to change them at all.

These browser hijacks can also be a source of other dangers, such as exposure to websites that steal personal information or sites that install malicious software without your permission.

The Final Inquiry into Removing QueryExplorer.com

You should never try to delete your browser to get rid of a browser hijacker for QueryExplorer.com, since this treats the symptom of the attacks but leaves QueryExplorer.com's browser-hijacking Trojan still on your PC. However, since repeated exposure to QueryExplorer.com and related websites can cause additional harm to your computer, SpywareRemove.com malware experts do recommend that you take steps to remove a QueryExplorer.com-affiliated Trojan as soon as possible.

As is often true for the removal of advanced forms of malicious software, anti-malware software is recommended for deleting a Trojan that redirects your browser to QueryExplorer.com. As long as your anti-malware product of choice is adequately-competent and has full updates to identify browser hijackers for QueryExplorer.com, there should be no trouble in removing the Trojan and no lasting damage to your PC. However, you may still be required to reset your web browser settings, and any exposure to QueryExplorer.com may cause your PC to be reinfected by malicious drive-by-download scripts.

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:



%Temp%QueryExplorertoolbar-manifest.xml File name: %Temp%QueryExplorertoolbar-manifest.xml
Mime Type: unknown/xml
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarcouponscategories.xml File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarcouponscategories.xml
Mime Type: unknown/xml
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarcouponsmerchants.xml File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarcouponsmerchants.xml
Mime Type: unknown/xml
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarcouponsmerchants2.xml File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarcouponsmerchants2.xml
Mime Type: unknown/xml
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbardtx.ini File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbardtx.ini
Mime Type: unknown/ini
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarguid.dat File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarguid.dat
File type: Data file
Mime Type: unknown/dat
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarlog.txt File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarlog.txt
Mime Type: unknown/txt
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarpreferences.dat File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarpreferences.dat
File type: Data file
Mime Type: unknown/dat
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarstat.log File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarstat.log
Mime Type: unknown/log
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarstats.dat File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarstats.dat
File type: Data file
Mime Type: unknown/dat
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbaruninstallIE.dat File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbaruninstallIE.dat
File type: Data file
Mime Type: unknown/dat
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbaruninstallStatIE.dat File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbaruninstallStatIE.dat
File type: Data file
Mime Type: unknown/dat
%AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarversion.xml File name: %AppData%QueryExplorertoolbarversion.xml
Mime Type: unknown/xml
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