Lphant Serach – search.lphant.net redirect

Search.lphant.net (forwarded from search.lphant.com) is a website owned by the enigmatic group Bandoo Media and is presented as a legitimate search engine; however search.ihpant.com may display irrelevant search results and promote third-party malware and advertisements as well as cause many problems for computer users relating to computer and browser functionality and especially user privacy. A variety of items including browser add-ons, browser helper objects (BHOs), and browser extensions cause the search.lphant.net redirect and change internet browser settings without user consent. For general purpose, search.lphant.net is listed as potential malware in the browser hijacker and spyware categories and can be found as the Lphant Search virus or Lphant Search redirection virus.

Applications and malware used to cause popular internet browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Internet Explorer to start up on and redirect to search.lphant.net and similar websites include the Lphant Peer-to-Peer application, Music Box Toolbar by Ask, and others. These applications may also cause unwanted advertisements to appear including pop-up advertisements, pop-under advertisements, in-text advertisements, suspicious coupons and deals, and more.

Victims of the search.ihpant.com redirect have complained that their privacy has been invaded. In some cases search.ihpant.com and related parties may collect and distribute user information, especially user information manually submitted into online forms while the initial software is installed such as home addresses, telephone numbers, usernames, passwords, bank account information, credit card details, and more. It can be concluded that search.ihpant.com and relating parties may include users to mailing and marketing lists without consent or knowledge. In rare premises victims of search.ihpant.com and similar browser hijackers were introduced to severe cyber crimes including credit theft, extortion, and identity theft.

How does search.lphant.net infect an internet browser?

In most cases software used to introduce Lphant Search include manually and voluntarily downloaded freeware and shareware, but most users claim to have been infected by search.ihpant.com without consent or knowledge.

During the installation of particular items users may be given the opportunity to accept or decline an invitation to install software that may produce unwanted browser redirections, but many have reported that the request to decline the offer is often ignored.

If your recently installed software from websites such as download.com, chances are an item that causes the search.ihpant.com redirect bundled with the voluntarily downloaded object.

Items that cause the Lphant Search redirect may also be present in advertisements, social media content, email attachments, and more.

 

1. Uninstall Lphant Search software (2 options)

Option 1: Windows Uninstall (Manual Uninstall)

1. Access Windows Start Menu and navigate to the Control Panel.

2. Click Uninstall a program or Add and remove a program (depending on your version of Windows).

3. In the list of installed programs search for Lphant and unwanted third party software (including programs you recently installed). Uninstall any unwanted software by double clicking the program’s icon, or highlight the program in the list and click the Uninstall button/tab.

Option 2: CCleaner by Piriform (Automated Uninstall)

CCleaner by Piriform

CCleaner can be used to uninstall stubborn software and software used to promote the Lphant Search browser hijacker.

1. Install the free or paid version of CCleaner by Piriform and run the program.

   

2. Once installed, navigate to Tools > Uninstall tab and locate unwanted software in the list. To automatically uninstall the found software click Run Uninstaller.

2. Remove Lphant Search

If necessary after uninstalling unwanted software, you may need to remove a browser add-on or extension. Please note, it may be necessary to remove multiple third-party titles.

Google Chrome

1. Click on the Customize icon (wrench or 3 bar icon) next to the address bar and navigate to Tools > Extensions.

2. Search for the Lphant Search extension and remove it by clicking the trashcan icon next to them.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Type Ctrl+Shift+A.

2. On the Extensions and Plugin search for the Lphant Search add-on and remove it.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

1. Click Tools and select Manage add-ons.

2. On the Toolbars and Extensions tab search for the Lphant Search add-on and remove it if located.

3. Automatically remove Lphant Search malware

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can be used to detect and remove Lphant Search and/or third-party malware from your computer system.

1. Install the free or paid version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software.

   

2. Once Malwarebytes is installed, run the program. If you are using the free version of Malwarebytes you will be prompted to update the database, please do so.

3. Open the first tab labeled “Scanner” and select the Perform full scan option. Click the Scan button to perform a full system scan. Malwarebytes will automatically detect malware infecting your computer system.

4. Once the full system scan is complete, Malwarebytes may prompt a message stating malicious objects were detected. Select the malicious objects and click the Remove Selected button to completely remove the malicious files from your computer (the image below shows a file that is NOT selected).

4. Automatically repair browser settings (Automated repair)

CCleaner by Piriform

CCleaner can also be used to repair internet browser settings and stop your browser from redirecting to Lphant Search and other unwanted search engines.

1. Install the free or paid version of CCleaner by Piriform and run the program.

   

2. Once installed, run the program and navigate to Cleaner > Windows/Applications and click the Analyze button. Afterwards, click the Run Cleaner button on the bottom right of the program interface.

3. Next, navigate to Tools > Startup and search through each tab starting from windows, internet explorer, etc., all the way to Content Menu, for additional suspicious entries and click Disable and Delete once anything is found. Look for anything that may be suspicious or contain “Lphant or search” in the title or filename.

5. Manually remove search.lphant.net homepage

• In Mozilla Firefox navigate to Tools > Options or click Firefox in the top left corner and click Options > Options. Under the General tab remove search.lphant.net from the “Home Page:” field and replace it with your preferred home page URL.

• In Microsoft Internet Explorer navigate to Tools >Internet Options. Remove search.lphant.net from the Home Page field and replace it with your preferred URL.

• In Google Chrome click the customize icon (wrench or 3 bars) and navigate to Settings.Click “Set pages” under the On startup option. Remove search.lphant.net and replace it with your preferred URL.

6. Manually remove search.lphant.net Search Engine

• In Mozilla Firefox, click the small search magnify glass near the search box (not url/search field) and click “Manage Search Engines…”. Remove the search.lphant.net search engine from the list of search providers by highlighting the selections and clicking remove.

• In Microsoft Internet Explorer navigate to Tools > Manage Add Ons > Search Providers and remove the search.lphant.net search engine from the list.

• In Google Chrome, click the customize icon (wrench or 3 bars) and navigate to Settings > Manage search engines… click the X next to the search.lphant.net search engine to remove it.

Please note, If http://www.search.lphant.net/ is set as Google Chrome’s default search engine, add (or select) a new search engine (such as Google.com) and select the new search engine as the default search engine, then remove unwanted search engine by clicking the X next to it.

Related links:

• How to remove Entrusted Toolbar (hijacker)
• How to remove Coupon Drop Down (adware)
• Get Anti-malware, Antivirus, and Cleaning & Optimization software