Searchincognito.com

Posted by Max Lehmann on April 26, 2016

What is Searchincognito.com?

If you do not want to share your personally identifiable information while searching the web, Searchincognito.com is ready to offer you its services; however, our malware specialists at Anti-Spyware-101.com have found that this is an unreliable browser extension. In reality, due to the traits this application showed during testing, it has been labeled as a browser hijacker. This means that this tool is capable of making certain changes in your browsers. These can take place with your consent and you still may not know about it. The truth is that most installers are quite deceptive when it comes to installing suspicious search engines and other tools. Most users tend to overlook the checkboxes during installation that could still save them from unwanted changes and applications. It is quite likely that you also do not recall letting this hijacker on board. In that case, other malware infections may also be on your system since browser hijackers usually travel with other hijacker, adware apps, and potentially unwanted programs as well. This lot can cause just enough security issues for your computer to make it slower and unsafe to use. If you do not want to be exposed to cyber criminals and potentially dangerous web content, we advise you to remove Searchincognito.com ASAP. test test test

Where does Searchincognito.com come from?

One possible way to install this useless tool is through the Chrome web store (chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/search-incognito/fdobakplmmicnnhioedbifobmpoaglac). As the statistics there show, more than 120 thousand users have installed this extension that way. But, if you take a look at the user reviews, you start wondering how it is possible since you will find several unsatisfied users complaining about how useless and annoying this tool is. Strangely enough, there are separate links for the different browsers to download this extension. For example, for Mozilla Firefox you can use searchincognito.com/Content/SearchIncognito.xpi and install.searchincognito.com/si/installer.application for Internet Explorer. Although, it seems that the latter URL cannot be reached anymore for some reason.

What makes this browser hijacker more suspicious is the fact that it may also be distributed in free software bundles. These are software packages, in which several free programs and third-party tools are packed together normally. However, criminals can use this same method to drop a number of malware threats onto unsuspecting users’ computers. It is possible that the bundle actually contains a legitimate free program, but you can be sure that the rest may include adware programs, browser hijackers, Trojans, and potentially unwanted programs. So when you install such a bundle, it is quite likely that you infect your computer with a bunch of threats that can turn your virtual experience into a nightmare.

Since these infected bundles are mostly promoted on suspicious websites associated with online piracy, including shareware and torrent sites, it goes without saying that you should make sure not to land on such pages. Sometimes it is enough to load a questionable site for it to trigger a malicious code and drop a few nasty infections onto your system. But most of the time it is indeed the user who initiates this download by clicking on unsafe content. This content is usually a disguised third-party advertisement, either banner or pop-up. Therefore, you should stay away from any site that hosts unreasonable amounts of commercials. The only way for you to see clearly about the level of infection on your computer is to scan your system with a reliable malware scanner. Of course, it is also possible to detect certain types of malware manually, but unless you are an expert, you may leave the more dangerous threats on board. But when this browser hijacker is on your system, you do not even need a scanner to be sure that you should remove Searchincognito.com.

How does Searchincognito.com work?

This browser extension claims to provide you with an opportunity to search the web without revealing yourself or sharing unwanted personal information with browsers or third parties. However, our malware researchers have found that this browser hijacker may also pose a threat to your system security. For example, its Terms of Service states that it may integrate search results and advertisements directly into your favorite websites, including Amazon, Google, TripAdvisor, and so on. These ads will have a label “by Search Incognito” to indicate that they are not part of the particular page. But it is also possible that this hijacker manipulates search results and injects third-party ads and links in order to promote certain affiliates. Since this is the only source of income for the creators of this tool, you can imagine that Searchincognito.com will do its best to promote third parties. Unfortunately, engaging with such content is always risky and may result in your landing on unsafe websites where you may get exposed to cyber criminals or their vicious scams. If you do not want to lose money or infect your computer with more dangerous threats, we advise you to remove Searchincognito.com right away.

How can I remove Searchincognito.com?

It is possible to get rid of this annoying hijacker in two steps. Even though it does have its own uninstaller, somehow it only undoes the changes in Internet Explorer; therefore, in the case of Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, you should manually reset them both. You may not be familiar with all the necessary steps, so we have prepared a step-by-step guide for you. Please remember to take care of all other infections as well since your computer will not be secure until even one potentially harmful application is on board. If you want to prevent intruders from entering your PC, you should stay away from unreliable websites and clicking on random third-party ads. Also, you should keep all your drivers and programs updated in order to lower your vulnerability of being exposed.