Home Malware Programs Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) SafeSearch Toolbar

SafeSearch Toolbar

Posted: March 28, 2006

Threat Metric

Ranking: 4,279
Threat Level: 5/10
Infected PCs: 38,485
First Seen: January 10, 2013
Last Seen: October 15, 2023
OS(es) Affected: Windows

The SafeSearch Toolbar is a potentially unwanted toolbar that may appear on your computer without your knowledge. The sudden appearance of the SafeSearch Toolbar isn't a coincidence, and there's a reasonable explanation how this toolbar may have attached itself to your Web browser. The SafeSearch Toolbar may rely on unfair distribution techniques that involve the use of software bundling, confusing installation instructions and misleading information. By combining these three simple methods, the SafeSearch Toolbar's publishers may increase the number of computer users who use SafeSearch Toolbar significantly.

The installation of the SafeSearch Toolbar may go unnoticed, and users may only find out about the problem when they see that their homepage and default search engines have been changed to SafeSearch.net or another domain associated to the SafeSearch Toolbar. Another example of a search engine that the SafeSearch Toolbar may promote is Safesearch.raaz.io. We should add that both of these search engines are safe, but it goes without saying that the method they use to attract visitors may not be very honest. The SafeSearch Toolbar may be advertised as a great security utility that can protect users from visiting potentially unsafe Web destinations. However, we assure you that there are much better apps you can use to secure your Web browsing sessions, and you shouldn't trust this task to the SafeSearch Toolbar.

If the SafeSearch Toolbar isn't an application you want on your computer, then you should take care of its removal immediately. The manual removal of SafeSearch Toolbar isn't guaranteed to remove all of the software's components, so we recommend that you use a suitable anti-malware solution to eliminate this potentially unwanted toolbar.

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:



C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_14\ssvcp.exe File name: ssvcp.exe
Size: 1.44 MB (1447256 bytes)
MD5: 549e2140688d05dafab9d6df171af96a
Detection count: 2,480
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_14\ssvcp.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: September 7, 2022
C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_7\ie\adxloader64.dll File name: adxloader64.dll
Size: 683.21 KB (683216 bytes)
MD5: 91f47c38dd9d2dd32152a54ace50fb12
Detection count: 1,248
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_7\ie\adxloader64.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\ssvcp.exe File name: ssvcp.exe
Size: 1.44 MB (1445048 bytes)
MD5: a8991849dbb8493ad34cf7608621dc61
Detection count: 934
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\ssvcp.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\se.exe File name: se.exe
Size: 333.67 KB (333672 bytes)
MD5: 3eb2a4f29019312f329d96c270492fee
Detection count: 913
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\se.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_11\se.exe File name: se.exe
Size: 333.67 KB (333672 bytes)
MD5: 06a3d25ce9a22791a4d136ab8fdd4c45
Detection count: 628
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_11\se.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: November 15, 2021
C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_11\ie\adxloader64.dll File name: adxloader64.dll
Size: 683.21 KB (683216 bytes)
MD5: f2720734c1da715bbf91547925d3732a
Detection count: 265
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_11\ie\adxloader64.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: November 15, 2021
C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_11\ssvcp.exe File name: ssvcp.exe
Size: 1.44 MB (1445048 bytes)
MD5: 84f9858d5020640961bbd11919b02b99
Detection count: 204
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_11\ssvcp.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: November 15, 2021
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\F-Secure\apps\SafeSearch\IE\FSSafeSearch.dll File name: FSSafeSearch.dll
Size: 2.18 MB (2182696 bytes)
MD5: 143327d75739c776ce4f1967b84dd853
Detection count: 201
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\F-Secure\apps\SafeSearch\IE\FSSafeSearch.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: March 1, 2023
C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\ie\adxloader64.dll File name: adxloader64.dll
Size: 683.21 KB (683216 bytes)
MD5: 36b943d2b8da31e0b48780769e765259
Detection count: 126
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\ie\adxloader64.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
%PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch\1_12\update.exe File name: update.exe
Size: 3.13 MB (3133440 bytes)
MD5: 79014e86c9783e8280b6195d6227a777
Detection count: 96
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch\1_12
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: December 10, 2016
C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_9\se.exe File name: se.exe
Size: 333.67 KB (333672 bytes)
MD5: ccb95257cc9970f7332e5cd10cfd370f
Detection count: 84
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_9\se.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\ie\adxloader.dll File name: adxloader.dll
Size: 587.47 KB (587472 bytes)
MD5: 5c704d9787154bcb0fcb68ac79efcfe5
Detection count: 59
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\ie\adxloader.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_7\ie\adxregistrator.exe File name: adxregistrator.exe
Size: 151.24 KB (151248 bytes)
MD5: b511027d590a9529a5b0e3e94619c4ee
Detection count: 40
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_7\ie\adxregistrator.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: February 9, 2023
%PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch\1_14\ie\adxloader.dll File name: adxloader.dll
Size: 616.49 KB (616496 bytes)
MD5: f91e0844541b1974f943dbf6e39814af
Detection count: 37
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: %PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch\1_14\ie
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: January 19, 2020
C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\ie\adxregistrator.exe File name: adxregistrator.exe
Size: 151.24 KB (151248 bytes)
MD5: b152d3d7f7788d5ef5b6188478937a75
Detection count: 33
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\ie\adxregistrator.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
%PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch\1_12\unins000.exe File name: unins000.exe
Size: 1.26 MB (1267913 bytes)
MD5: 6da87ee5a67c55fce216f948ecadc39d
Detection count: 30
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch\1_12
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: December 10, 2016
%PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch\1_7\ssvcp.exe File name: ssvcp.exe
Size: 295.56 KB (295568 bytes)
MD5: d464e12e09249290117da39434e6fd90
Detection count: 26
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch\1_7
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: December 10, 2016
C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_9\update.exe File name: update.exe
Size: 3.21 MB (3210224 bytes)
MD5: 48a8ce19fc3815e647c54bb38a5c8636
Detection count: 26
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_9\update.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
%PROGRAMFILES%\SAFESEARCH\1_12\UPDATE.EXE File name: UPDATE.EXE
Size: 830.46 KB (830464 bytes)
MD5: fed2bdcd85afd24643f32b690e831669
Detection count: 20
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/EXE
Path: %PROGRAMFILES%\SAFESEARCH\1_12
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: December 10, 2016
%SystemDrive%\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_6\ie\adxloader.dll File name: adxloader.dll
Size: 587.47 KB (587472 bytes)
MD5: 31df8b913251ec336c367a60d616dfee
Detection count: 14
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: %SystemDrive%\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_6\ie
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: November 21, 2019
C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\update.exe File name: update.exe
Size: 3.16 MB (3166720 bytes)
MD5: 36c6c2d5fe235e4275fe9f0b7cd05dda
Detection count: 14
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Applications\HGST-Data\Program Files\SafeSearch\1_12\update.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 13, 2022
C:\Program Files\SafeSearch\se.exe File name: se.exe
Size: 334.18 KB (334184 bytes)
MD5: c71bdb2747172852d71afc944095eca0
Detection count: 7
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files\SafeSearch
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: December 1, 2018
_safesearch.dll File name: _safesearch.dll
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Group: Malware file
aanyvkcf.exe File name: aanyvkcf.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
rgzcdhtn.exe File name: rgzcdhtn.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
safesearch.dll File name: safesearch.dll
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Group: Malware file
safesearch.exe File name: safesearch.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

More files

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

CLSID{17189BF4-937C-32B1-9FEF-678D99FCD5AC}{424C7C0E-32E9-3F18-B6E0-C88DC2CF309B}{E27D5867-80DE-4449-9C03-71707C0DB05B}{f66635a8-9629-5d06-9a76-d8c57f5ad806}{fc0c0170-4eb0-430d-a7f3-939ee7ea1a25}HKEY..\..\{CLSID Path}CB5006EE-F57D-4116-B7B6-48EB564FE0F0CB5006EE-F57D-4116-B7B6-48EB564FE0F0 82E9DE01-D860-40E4-B9C1-91F0E827296228E6CCE2-3F2C-4B3D-9CB4-2FC8715A3ECE00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001File name without pathwww.safesearch[1].xmlHKEY..\..\{Value}HKEY_USERS\.default\Software\Netscape\Netscape Navigator\Trusted External Applications\%System% "aanyvkcf.exe" = 'yes'HKEY..\..\..\..{Subkeys}HKEY_USERS\.default\Software\Netscape\Netscape Navigator\Suffixes\Application/x-QSCHHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.QSCHHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\QSCH FileHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SafeSearch.SafeSearchBHOHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SafeSearch.SafeSearchBHO.1HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Mime\Database\Content Type\Application/x-QSCHHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PrimeSoftHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SafeSearchHKEY..\..\..\..{RegistryKeys}SOFTWARE\AVSoftware\SafeSearchSoftware\Classes\AppID\npsafesearch.dllSoftware\Classes\AVSoftware.safesearchSoftware\Classes\AVSoftware.safesearch.1Software\Classes\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{BA1BE292-1D15-488B-934D-008742212380}Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Approved Extensions\{E27D5867-80DE-4449-9C03-71707C0DB05B}Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\safesearch.netSoftware\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\www.safesearch.netSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{e27d5867-80de-4449-9c03-71707c0db05b}SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\LowRegistry\DOMStorage\safesearch.netSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\LowRegistry\DOMStorage\www.safesearch.netSoftware\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{4B51C980-C6B0-11E1-9136-AED16088709B}SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{FC0C0170-4EB0-430D-A7F3-939EE7EA1A25}SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\{fc0c0170-4eb0-430d-a7f3-939ee7ea1a25}SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\SafeSearchUpdateSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\SafeSearchVerifySOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{e27d5867-80de-4449-9c03-71707c0db05b}Software\MozillaPlugins\avsoftware.org/safesearchSOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\AVSoftware\SafeSearchSOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{e27d5867-80de-4449-9c03-71707c0db05b}SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{4B51C980-C6B0-11E1-9136-AED16088709B}SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\{fc0c0170-4eb0-430d-a7f3-939ee7ea1a25}SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{e27d5867-80de-4449-9c03-71707c0db05b}HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\..{RunKeys}HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "SafeSearch"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "aanyvkcf"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall..{Uninstaller}HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\aanyvkcfHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\rgzcdhtnSafeSearch_is1

Additional Information

The following directories were created:
%PROGRAMFILES%\SafeSearch
The following URL's were detected:
http://www.safesearch.net/search

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