Grand Explorer

Grand Explorer

Grand Explorer is a browser hijacker that exhibits typical intrusive behavior while adding its unique quirks. Beyond altering your web browser settings and redirecting searches, it can autonomously open your browser, launching new tabs and pages, often without explicit user permission. This can occur even when your browser is closed, making its presence all the more disruptive. Although primarily an annoyance, the activities of Grand Explorer could lead to potentially harmful consequences. It may direct users to unsafe websites or phishing scams, raising security concerns. Such unsolicited actions also signify a breach in your system’s defenses, potentially inviting other forms of malware. Users should exercise caution, staying vigilant during software installations and regularly reviewing browser settings to maintain a safe browsing experience.

Grand Explorer software

The Grand Explorer software is categorized as a browser hijacker and it employs a sly distribution strategy. Commonly, it infiltrates systems via software bundles or through misleading links and attachments, blending in with legitimate content to deceive users. Once installed, it manipulates browser settings and creates files in various system locations. A known instance is the DDD8CC.exe file located in the C:\Users\Boris\AppData\Local\Temp folder. Deleting this Grand Explorer software file is crucial to the removal process, yet it’s not sufficient for full elimination, given the hijacker’s ability to spread throughout the system. Understanding these distribution tactics and keeping a vigilant eye on system files is essential. It’s always recommended to custom-install software and routinely monitor system folders for unfamiliar files to counter such threats.

What is Grand Explorer?

The Grand Explorer browser hijacker represents a significant risk to user systems. Its activity is not just limited to browser manipulation and creating unsolicited tabs and pages. By redirecting users to potentially unsafe websites, it exposes the system to further malware threats. Moreover, its ability to create files like DDD8CC.exe in various system directories like C:\Users\Boris\AppData\Local\Temp underscores its pervasive nature. These Grand Explorer files could serve as a gateway for more profound system compromise, such as attacks from Trojans or Ransomware. Additionally, by tracking your online activities, it can breach your privacy, possibly leading to personal data leaks. Such threats underline the importance of vigilance when installing software and the need to regularly check and cleanse system directories of unfamiliar or suspicious files.

Grand Explorer PC

Avoiding future encounters with rogue software like the Grand Explorer PC hijacker starts with a robust understanding of safe online practices. Primarily, be cautious with software downloads. Opt for trusted sources and avoid clicking on pop-up ads or suspicious links. During installation, choose the ‘custom’ or ‘advanced’ option to prevent unwanted bundled applications. Regular system and software updates are also essential, as they often include security improvements. Additionally, to stay away from hijackers like Grand Explorer, PC users need to implement strong privacy settings on your browser and consider using a browser extension that can detect and block harmful websites. Finally, regularly backing up your data is another best practice, as it ensures you won’t lose essential files if you need to clean your system.

SUMMARY:

*Source of claim SH can remove it.

How to remove Grand Explorer

To try and remove Grand Explorer quickly you can try this:

1. Go to your browser’s settings and select More Tools (or Add-ons, depending on your browser).
2. Then click on the Extensions tab.
3. Look for the Grand Explorer extension (as well as any other unfamiliar ones).
4. Remove Grand Explorer by clicking on the Trash Bin icon next to its name.
5. Confirm and get rid of Grand Explorer and any other suspicious items.

If this does not work as described please follow our more detailed Grand Explorer removal guide below.

If you have a Windows virus, continue with the guide below.

If you have a Mac virus, please use our How to remove Ads on Mac guide.

If you have an Android virus, please use our Android Malware Removal guide.

If you have an iPhone virus, please use our iPhone Virus Removal guide.

Some of the steps may require you to exit the page. Bookmark it for later reference.
Next, Reboot in Safe Mode (use this guide if you don’t know how to do it).

Uninstall the Grand Explorer app and kill its processes

The first thing you must try to do is look for any sketchy installs on your computer and uninstall anything you think may come from Grand Explorer. After that, you’ll also need to get rid of any processes that may be related to the unwanted app by searching for them in the Task Manager.

Note that sometimes an app, especially a rogue one, may ask you to install something else or keep some of its data (such as settings files) on your PC – never agree to that when trying to delete a potentially rogue software. You need to make sure that everything is removed from your PC to get rid of the malware. Also, if you aren’t allowed to go through with the uninstallation, proceed with the guide, and try again after you’ve completed everything else.

• Uninstalling the rogue app
• Killing any rogue processes

Type Apps & Features in the Start Menu, open the first result, sort the list of apps by date, and look for suspicious recently installed entries.

Click on anything you think could be linked to Grand Explorer, then select uninstall, and follow the prompts to delete the app.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, click More Details (if it’s not already clicked), and look for suspicious entries that may be linked to Grand Explorer.

If you come across a questionable process, right-click it, click Open File Location, scan the files with the free online malware scanner shown below, and then delete anything that gets flagged as a threat.

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This file is not matched with any known malware in the database. You can either do a full real-time scan of the file or skip it to upload a new file. Doing a full scan with 64 antivirus programs can take up to 3-4 minutes per file.

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After that, if the rogue process is still visible in the Task Manager, right-click it again and select End Process.

Undo Grand Explorer changes made to different system settings

It’s possible that Grand Explorer has affected various parts of your system, making changes to their settings. This can enable the malware to stay on the computer or automatically reinstall itself after you’ve seemingly deleted it. Therefore, you need to check the following elements by going to the Start Menu, searching for specific system elements that may have been affected, and pressing Enter to open them and see if anything has been changed there without your approval. Then you must undo any unwanted changes made to these settings in the way shown below:

• DNS
• Hosts
• Startup
• Task
  Scheduler
• Services
• Registry

Type in Start Menu: View network connections

Right-click on your primary network, go to Properties, and do this:

Type in Start Menu: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Type in the Start Menu: Startup apps

Type in the Start Menu: Task Scheduler

Type in the Start Menu: Services

Type in the Start Menu: Registry Editor

Press Ctrl + F to open the search window

Remove Grand Explorer from your browsers