Search Helper Extension

User Help for Mozilla Firefox
kygin
Posts: 79
Joined: November 16th, 2004, 5:59 pm

Search Helper Extension

Post by kygin »

Just restarted Firefox after doing the Widows Update and got the notice from Firefox that a new extension had been added - Search Helper Extension. Does anyone know what the heck this is? To the best of my knowledge, I haven't opted to install anything like that.
gordons gecko
Posts: 413
Joined: February 11th, 2010, 12:27 pm

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by gordons gecko »

Tools > Addons

Right-click on the listing for the extension and then click on "Visit Home Page".
GTryder
Posts: 1223
Joined: April 14th, 2010, 10:52 am

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by GTryder »

Do you have the Bing toolbar installed? Perhaps, not by your choice, if so.
It also seems to masquerade as "Search Helper Extension".
Seems as though M/S likes to 'force-feed' this when updating Windows.

It has been noted as problematic.
See:
viewtopic.php?p=8301325#p8301325
http://support.mozilla.com/tiki-view_fo ... &forumId=1
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/forum/1/531033
http://forum.worldstart.com/showthread.php?t=146801

gordons gecko wrote:Right-click on the listing for the extension and then click on "Visit Home Page".
While solid advice, from what I was reading in the 'complaints' from other folks, the link just took them to M/S homepage. I searched some the vastness that is MicroSoft, but was not able to discover much of any relevant info.

[There is a "SearchHelper" listed in extensions: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/46209/ though likely not the issue. "Enhances Google search results".]
Ab subabsurda numquid ad veritas. "From the somewhat absurd possibility to reality."
kygin
Posts: 79
Joined: November 16th, 2004, 5:59 pm

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by kygin »

No, no Bing toolbar. The right click link took me to a Microsoft page. Y'know, I really, really resent MS mucking around in Firefox. I've disabled the extension and will likely uninstall it shortly.
GTryder
Posts: 1223
Joined: April 14th, 2010, 10:52 am

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by GTryder »

kygin wrote:Y'know, I really, really resent MS mucking around in Firefox.
That's for certain.
What makes M/S think that people will be 'happy' by these 'unauthorized additions' to their systems...might just as well call it malware...seems to fit.
Ab subabsurda numquid ad veritas. "From the somewhat absurd possibility to reality."
RickyK
Posts: 2
Joined: August 29th, 2005, 8:25 am
Location: Pennsylvania
Contact:

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by RickyK »

I found the extension! It was located in:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\

I deleted the Firefox Extension folder I found there there, and the extension was gone from Firefox.

(It may be hard to delete. I used Unlocker to delete it.)
GTryder
Posts: 1223
Joined: April 14th, 2010, 10:52 am

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by GTryder »

RickyK wrote:I found the extension! It was located in:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\
I deleted the Firefox Extension folder I found there there, and the extension was gone from Firefox.
Thanks for relating your success!
I noticed, in my research of this, that they [M/S] were managing to 'bury' this; so as to make it quite difficult to uninstall. [-X BillG.
Ab subabsurda numquid ad veritas. "From the somewhat absurd possibility to reality."
GTryder
Posts: 1223
Joined: April 14th, 2010, 10:52 am

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by GTryder »

RickyK wrote:It may be hard to delete. I used Unlocker to delete it.
Might just be worth a careful clean-up in the Registry, as well, to rid all possible remnants of 'Bill's Beast'.
Ab subabsurda numquid ad veritas. "From the somewhat absurd possibility to reality."
2WASY
Guest

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by 2WASY »

I'm from Russia. The same problem. Vista Home Edition. I've updated it some hours ago and this plugin was installed without my permission.
2WASY
Guest

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by 2WASY »

I also want to say, that I don't see any new functionality after installing this plugin. May be it is some spyware by Microsoft? Also, why Mozilla Firefox permits to install plugins without questions to user? Of course, it shows us addons window, but already after installing! I think it's vulnerability of FF.
OdedR
Guest

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by OdedR »

Hi everyone, i am the Marketing manager of SimilarWeb, the owner of the FF add-on "Search Helper" (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/46209/) which provides opening Google search results in multiple tabs. The problem described by Kygin is not related in any way to our add-on. It is not in our nature to install add-ons without an explicit permission from the user. the extension you are talking about is probably what RickyK had found - C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\. please contact me if you have any questions at info@similargroup.com
FFuser1234
Guest

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by FFuser1234 »

I found this too after rebooting after the MS update this morning. I find it odd that MS felt they had to install a plugin into a competitors product. I didn't delete the folder. I renamed it, along with any DLL's and a JS file in that folder. It's gone now until I find out more information about this Addon.
mistermatt
Guest

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by mistermatt »

I am sooo impressed with M$ =D> - the audacity is inspirational! They create an extension for a competing product, insert it seamlessly without informed consent, no explanations, no apologies. What's it doing? How EXACTLY is it 'helping' me search?

A big Thank You to RickyK for the whereabouts of the Microsoft Malware. This will be gone from me system today. [-(
Charlie Waffles
Guest

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by Charlie Waffles »

same problem here
i DONT use bing bar / live search bar or anything like this
win 7 x64


Is this legal? I mean to modify a 3rd Party software without the knowledge of the user?
This is the knowledge base article on this update:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/982217

this must be really a joke – you cant find information on what exactly this addon does....
hey microsoft: how about an official statement ??
User avatar
mikeeve
Posts: 6
Joined: July 25th, 2003, 4:27 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by mikeeve »

Dang! I just restarted my computer today and this extension popped up. Very irritated at whoever did this.
And now I've just found some Russian website left a msg fom 'profilicus' in my PM box here at these forums. I'd put both perpetrators in the same class.

I'm not so sure MS did this. The links to Microsoft web page and placing it in the Microsoft folder could just be misdirection to conceal the real hacker, a form of identity fraud This extension might be much more sinister than just 'search helper'.

Edit: OK. The jury is in. MS done did it.
Last edited by mikeeve on June 12th, 2010, 11:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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