How to eliminate Tail Box browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of application is Tail Box?
Our team has discovered the Tail Box application after downloading an app from a shady website. We have examined the app and found that it hijacks a web browser to promote the tailsearch.com address, a fake search engine. Browser hijackers and fake search engines cannot be trusted.
Tail Box in detail
Tail Box sets tailsearch.com as the homepage, default search engine, and new tab page. It forces users to browse the Internet using a fake search engine. We have found that tailsearch.com can show results generated by Bing, Google, and possibly other search engines. Tailsearch.com redirects to bing.com via my-search.com and trafficjunction.com, a couple of shady addresses.
Fake search engines can promote shady websites and display results generated by untrustworthy search engines. Another problem is that browser hijackers can be designed to prevent users from removing fake search engines from the settings of browsers.
| Name | Tail Box |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Browser Extension(s) | Tail Box |
| Supposed Functionality | Improved browsing experience |
| Promoted URL | tailsearch.com |
| Detection Names (tailsearch.com) | Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address (tailsearch.com) | 104.27.146.124 |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine |
| Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). Users are forced to visit the hijacker's website and search the Internet using their search engines. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers. |
| Damage | Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
More about browser hijackers
One more reason not to use fake search engines and browser-hijacking apps is that their developers can use them to gather information. That information may include sensitive details (for example, passwords). More examples of browser hijackers are Data Shield for Chrome, Plus Darker, Snowy Tab.
How did Tail Box install on my computer?
Most browser hijackers are distributed shady websites, advertisements, downloaders, and installers for other programs. It is common for them to be promoted as legitimate apps with useful features. When downloaders and installers are used to distribute browser-hijacking apps, they have certain settings.
Web browsers get hijacked when software is installed without changing "Advanced", "Custom", or similar settings in its settings. Advertisements can download or install unwanted apps after clicking on them.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Do not use unofficial pages, third-party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks, and similar sources as tools for downloading files and apps. Download them from legitimate (official) pages and use direct links. Also, do not click on ads appearing while visiting questionable websites. Deselect unwanted downloads and installations before downloading or installing programs.
If your computer is already infected with Tail Box, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Tailsearch.com redirects to bing.com via my-search.com and trafficjunction.com (GIF):
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is Tail Box?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Tail Box application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Tail Box browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove tailsearch.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove tailsearch.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Tail Box browser hijacker removal:
Windows 11 users:
Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.
Windows 10 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
macOS (OSX) users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently installed suspicious applications (for example, "Tail Box"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the tailsearch.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Tail Box browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "Tail Box" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable "Tail Box", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.tailsearch.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present click on the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list look for "tailsearch.com", when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Remove from list".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the tailsearch.com redirect, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Tail Box", as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins.
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window disable "Tail Box", remove hxxp://tailsearch.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled"
Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the 
button.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with tailsearch.com redirect removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...
In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.
In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.
In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage and new tab settings:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".
Change your default Internet search engine:
To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon 
near it and select "Disable".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the tailsearch.com redirect, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the purpose of forcing users visit tailsearch.com website?
The creators of tailsearch.com seek to make this site more visitable because the revenue generated through it depends on the count of visitors.
Is visiting tailsearch.com a threat to my privacy?
It is unknown whether tailsearch.com collects any information about its visitors. However, a big part of fake search engines does.
How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?
Browser hijackers are distributed using browser notifications, intrusive advertisements, and similar social engineering tactics. Another popular way to distribute apps of this type is to bundle them with other software.
Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Tail Box browser hijacker?
Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your computer and remove this browser hijacker. If multiple browser hijackers are present, then it may be difficult to remove them because they can be designed to reinstall one another. In such cases, all present browser hijackers have to be removed at once. It can be easily achieved using the Combo Cleaner app.
Outstanding!
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