Toolbars&Hijackers

If you spotted that your browser has changed its search engine and the whole homepage to Searchactiv.com, then your PC is infected with a browser hijacker. Browser hijackers are a type of malware, that sneaks into the systems without the user's consent. After doing so, they modify browser settings and apply a couple of changes. Searchactiv.com assigns a new search engine that allegedly improves browsing. Instead, it displays malicious ads and other banners that can endanger your device. Furthermore, potentially unwanted programs expose browser-related data for cybercriminals. Thereby, such information like passwords, IP-addresses, and geolocations can be misused by third-parties for revenue purposes.

If you are constantly being redirected to Search-aholic.com, then your browser is being controlled by a browser hijacker. Programs of this type are ostensibly meant to provide better search queries based on innovative algorithms delivered by its developers. In fact, it looks a bit awkward when a shady organization claims its software to outrace Google or other world-class companies. The research throws away all doubts and proves that Search-aholic.com indeed gathers personal data and simply shows queries from legitimate engines like Google or Yahoo. With the help of SearchAholic browser extension, the hijacker controls the settings in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari.

Like Select-search.com and other clones, Search-space.net is a suspicious redirect forced by browser extension or hijacker that is installed on your PC. These apps are supposed to improve browsing, however, the affected changes allow its creators to collect personal data (e.g. passwords, geolocations, IP-addresses, etc.) and share it with cybercriminals for making a profit. These changes include a new search engine (search-space.net), customizable interface, and other insignificant features. Search-space.net generates no unique results, instead, it simply replicates them from legitimate platforms like Google.

Tinychill.com is a malicious redirect categorized as a browser hijacker. Developers state that their software is meant to improve browsing capabilities, however, this is a fool. Instead, Tinychill.com tracks sensitive data that is therefore misused by third-parties for making a profit. To do so, the program modifies browser settings and prevents any attempts to roll them back. As a result, the app assigns a new search engine and homepage as well. In our case, the search engine is changed to feed.tinychill.com and does not generate unique results since it just redirects users to legitimate Yahoo.com. Some browser hijackers can disturb browsing experience by imposing deceptive ads and banners that contain redirects to other malicious pages. These manipulations can lead to significant problems that put your data under severe risk.

CapitaSearch is a sheer example of a browser hijacker. By applying a new search engine (search.capita.space) and altering other settings, it ostensibly improves overall browsing. However, such programs tend to exploit these changes for monitoring user's data and earning money on it. After installation, you can also spot a title like "Managed by your organization" in the Google Chrome menu which means that your browser is being controlled by third-parties figures. In fact, there is nothing bad about this feature, but it can be an indicator of the hijacker's activity. Besides that, CapitaSerach does not generate unique results as intended, instead, it replicates them from legitimate engines like Yahoo.com. Thus, to prevent unauthorized data pursue, you should get rid of CapitaSearch in the guideline below.

If your browser started acting weird by changing the homepage and search engine, then your PC is possibly infected with Finding Forms Pro browser hijacker. Browser hijackers are categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUA) which are ostensibly meant to enhance browsing by adding new features and generating "smarter" results. Unfortunately, none of these is true. Finding Forms Pro changes the original search engine to hp.hformshere.com or remove search.hfindingformspro.com and adds a couple of widgets like weather, news, e-mail, etc. Hence, users are forced to encounter the page each time they boot a browser. Moreover, search.hformshere.com does not generate unique results, instead, it replicates them from legitimate Yahoo.com. It is also worth mentioning that browser hijackers are capable of gathering browsing-related data (passwords, IP-addresses, geolocations, etc.) which is therefore sold to cybercriminals.

Developed by MyWay, My Social Shortcut is a potentially unwanted program that is ostensibly meant to improve browsing by altering certain settings. The software of this type is usually categorized as browser hijackers and may come in both software and extension formats. It proliferates users without permission and runs a couple of changes after penetration. To illustrate, the program appends a new search engine (hp.myway.com) and changes the overall interface. If you think that My Social Shortcut is useful and will not damage your privacy, then you are totally wrong! My Social Shortcut has data-tracking capabilities. This means that modifying certain settings allows extortionists to spy on your activity and collect sensitive data. Besides that, My Social Shortcut may require access to your social media to display quick shortcuts on the homepage. Once allowed, swindlers can easily gather your personal details and sell them to cybercriminals.

Pdfconverterguru.com is considered to be a mixture of both adware and browser hijacker that causes an absolute calamity around your browser. Initially, Pdfconverterguru.com stands for a legitimate host that offers you to install a browser-based extension, called File Conversion Now, that provides quick links to the most popular file converters and updated search. Unfortunately, besides the aforementioned, It also installs special scripts that generate suspicious advertisements and banners across the web. Moreover, it is capable of initiating multiple redirects to different websites on its own which means that your data may be exposed to third-parties figures that can exploit it for revenue purposes.