Completely Remove Moonly Search

Moonly Search is a tricky redirect virus that often slips into users’ PCs and makes changes to the browser settings. This redirect virus can cause changes of the default homepage and the search results to be redirected to websites which promote certain products or services. It is suggested to try all means to avoid the infection called Moonly Search.

Since the redirect always sneaks into the infected system in secret ways, most of the users will not realize its existence in time. It is bundled with additional parasites that can mess up your system terribly. It has the ability to affect and change your Internet and web browser settings, including Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. Freeware and shareware applications are the most popular carriers of PUPs or malware. Once downloaded and installed on the computer, those potentially unwanted programs or malicious programs may bring about great damages to the PC. 

The bad effects this Moonly Search redirect virus can bring to a computer is huge and beyond your imagination. But the fact is that, those unsolicited add-ons are installed on the browsers mainly for the purpose of collecting users’ confidential information such as browsing history, search terms, usernames, and passwords, etc. Once the browser is infected, many unfamiliar URLs may open automatically in new tabs or windows or be added to the bookmarks, tending to mislead users to advertising websites or dubious sites that contain malicious codes. If people click on the strange links or pictures because of curiosity, other malware may be invited to the compromised machine. 

When it comes to the effects of a browser hijacker, there are many cases we have to illustrate. With the help of malware like Trojan horse, the remote hackers may be able to easily gain access to the infected computers and do a variety of malicious things, such as stealing users’ confidential data (commercial plans, financial statements, usernames and passwords of online banking accounts, etc). If the sensitive information is exposed to the hackers or other unknown people, users would face some problems like money loss or identify theft. Since the browser hijacker may result in endless potentially problems, it is wise to remove Moonly Search as soon as possible. Follow the removal guides to get rid of it completely.

How to Remove Moonly Search Redirect Virus

1. Stop running processes related to this redirect virus.
a: When the Windows Task manager appears, switch to Processes tab.
b: Find out and select the processes related to the virus by name random.exe, and click on the “End process” button.
Remove the redirect virus from Internet Explorer:
a: Start IE, go to Tools and select Internet Options.
b: Find General section, remove Moonly Search address as a home page.
c: Then go to Search section, find Settings button and choose Manage Add-ons
d: Erase the redirect and after the action, close Manage Add-ons
2. Remove the redirect virus from Mozilla Firefox.
a: Open Mozilla Firefox browser, click on tools and go to Options.
b: Switch to General tab, remove Moonly Search address as a startup site.
c: Then, go to: Firefox -> Add-ons -> Add-ons Manager -> Remove.
d: In the Search list, select Manage Search Engines and erase this redirect and choose OK
3. Remove the redirect virus from Google Chrome.
a: Open Google Chrome and navigate to Settings tab and Set pages.
b: Erase Moonly Search which was seta as the startup site and choose OK
c: Find Manage search engines and here, erase this redirect.
d: Press on OK, and restart Google Chrome.
4. Delete all registry files created by this redirect virus.
a. While the Registry Editor is opened, search for the registry key “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ Moonly Search.” Right-click this registry key and select “Delete.”
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run “[RANDOM].exe”
b. Navigate to directory %PROGRAM_FILES%\ Moonly Search \ and delete the infected files manually.
%AppData%Local[random].exe
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\*.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\*.*

Conclusion

Once their computers are infected with Moonly Search redirect virus, PC users will face a lot of problems and trouble. There are so many viruses lurking online and it is very difficult for average users to protect their computer from every infection. Therefore, the PC users should improve the safety awareness and vigilance on virus infection. Another trick it takes is to spread its files all over the hard drive making it nearly impossible to be cleaned out thoroughly because it is really difficult task to clean all the similar files safely. This redirect virus sneaks into the target computer without making any noise. Meanwhile, it is necessary to update anti-virus, firewall, system patches regularly to protect the infected computer.