iSearch Removal
Written By: Melissa Martin
Description:
Isearch Toolbar is a downloaded 'helper' addition for Internet Explorer and installs directly on your web browser.
How do you get it?
The Isearch Toolbar is provided by isearch.com which is actually owned by iDownload.com, based at 701 Brazos, Suite 500, Austin, Texas 78701. It can be installed by downloading the toolbar from the iSearch site. It is also suspected that iSearch can be downloaded and installed on your PC without consent by using a known exploit in the Microsoft Operating System. Once downloaded iSearch also installs 180Search Assistant, another advertising program on your PC. Together, these programs serve to deliver a variety of intrusive advertisements such as numerous popup ads and new browser windows.
Details:
The Isearch Toolbar is a 'Browser Helper Object' meaning that it will load whenever Internet Explorer starts, shares its memory and performs actions in any available windows. It can also detect events, create windows to display additional information on a viewed page, monitor messages and actions.
ISearch made headlines on May 20,2004 when thousands of PC's were hijacked to the iSearch homepage prompting a story by ABC News.
"iSearch works something like this: Some time during the course of surfing the Web, you unknowingly trip over the iSearch applet, which is instantly downloaded — without your knowing it — into your computer.
This program then does two things: 1) It orders your computer to permanently switch to .iSearch.com as your new home page, and 2) Covers its tracks, so that you can't simply go into your computer's utilities and replace it. You are now trapped. "
Although iSearch provides removal instructions on site, several users have experienced substantial difficulty both removing it and turning it off. A user from the DesignTechnica forums indicated that when clicking View>Toolbars the iSearch toolbar was shaded out rendering it impossible to turn it off. It has also become apparent that some automatic removal tools will not remove all of the scummy components of iSearch, crippling the toolbar options menu in Internet Explorer. There are some additional removal instructions provided by Wilders Security Forums if you are experiencing this problem.
ISearch has also been known to close popular Spyware removal tools such as AdAware before starting and even disables programs such as Spybot.
Isearch offers the following information in their Terms of Service:
<img src=\'
http://www.killanet.net/forum3/public/s ... shades.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'B)\' /> Licensee shall receive, and desires to so receive, various product/services, marketing ads, and campaigns of third parties through the appearance of links, menus, pop-ups, and other methods on and/or in connection with the Service and the Software (all of the foregoing "Third Party Promotions").
IN NO EVENT SHALL ISEARCH OR ITS LICENSORS OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE TO LICENSEE OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY UNAVAILABILITY, DELAYS, INACCURACIES, ERRORS OR OMISSIONS WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE CONTENT (AS DEFINED ABOVE) USED RECEIVED OR TRANSMITTED BY THE SOFTWARE AND/OR SERVICE, OR FOR ANY DAMAGE ARISING THEREFROM OR OCCASIONED THEREBY, OR FOR THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE USE OF SUCH CONTENT INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY RISK OF THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPUTER VIRUSES, INVASION OF PRIVACY, VIOLATION OF APPLCABLE LAW OR ANY PERSON OR ENTITY'S RIGHTS OF WHATEVER TYPE.
How does it Violate Privacy?
To display an advertisement to a user both iSearch and 180Search Assistant matches the keywords entered with an advertiser. The site that is visited and the keywords that are entered can be tracked by cookies. Although both programs indicate in their respective privacy policies they do not share or retrieve personally identifiable information, the value of the policy itself is questionable. (Especially with iSearch which has been known to install without consent).
Are there any known security issues?
Hidden within their TOS, iSearch explicitly outlines that they aren't responsible for viruses or invasion of privacy in any way.
Stability problems:
iSearch specifically outlines the following clause in their TOS:
The Software and the Service is in a pre-release beta state only and may contain errors or inaccuracies that could cause failures, loss of data, and/or conflicts or problems resulting from the use and/or operation of other software installed on your computer or which you may wish to install in the future, whether used separately or in conjunction with the Software.
Terminating iSearch:
If you choose to click the 'Uninstall' link for iSearch, you'll be in for a scummy little suprise. ISearch offers the 'uninstall' program for sale at $29.95. Manual removal seems to be the only remedy to solve the iSearch problem properly. (I shudder at actually funding a scumware company in any possible way). Both of the following removal instructions are posted on the iSearch and 180 Search sites respectively. It may be necessary to run a program such as "Hijack This" to remove all files properly.
Click on "Start > Run" from the menu that appears.
Type "Command" (without the quotes) in the "Run" dialog.
In the new window that has appeared:
•If you are using Windows XP, type "cd c:\windows\system32" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.
•If you are using Windows 95/98/ME, type "cd c:\windows\system" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.
•If you are using Windows 2000 or Windows NT, type "cd c:\winnt\system32" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.
If you have installed Windows on a different drive (e.g. d:) or directory (e.g. c:\windows2) then you will need to type the appropriate drive letter and/or directory above.
In the same window
•If you are using Windows 95/98/ME , type "regsvr /u /s toolbar.dll" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.
•If you are using Windows NT/2000/XP , type "regsvr32 /u /s toolbar.dll" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.
In the same window type "del toolbar.dll" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.
In the same window type "exit" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.
Removing 180Search Assistant:
You may uninstall via the Add/Remove Programs in the Start Menu
Click on the Start Menu
Under Settings select Control Panel
Select Add or Remove Programs
Click on Uninstall 180search Assistant (If you are running an older version of our software, this will be named PAD Lookups by N-Case)
Select Remove and follow instructions until prompted with "You have successfully uninstalled 180search Assistant"
Source