Author Archives: Max Lehmann - Page 52

Pics4NewTab Chrome Extension may appear in your Google Chrome browser and you may not even remember installing it. Although it is possible to install this questionable browser extension officially and knowingly, our malware experts at anti-spyware-101.com say that it is more likely that this application sneaks onto your system in questionable ways. If you have downloaded a free program recently, chances are you will find several potential and malware threats on board as well. We have concluded that this extension is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) but it can also be regarded as a browser hijacker due to its ability to change your new tab page setting to promote its search engine page. This PUP may seem all innocent with its nice looking background images you can choose from, but we think that it would be best for you to remove Pics4NewTab Chrome Extension from your system along with all other possibly harmful programs. There is no other way to create a secure virtual world for yourself. Please read our full article to learn more about this PUP and how you can prevent similar threats from entering your PC. Read more »

HolidayPhotoEdit Toolbar may seem like a great idea to have in your browsers since this questionable browser extension offers you image editing capabilities straight from its featured search page. However, our malware experts at anti-spyware-101.com say that it may not be a good idea to keep this potentially unwanted program, or PUP, in your browsers because it may introduce you to questionable contents. In fact, this PUP is a new member in the ever-growing Mindspark toolbar family that has given us hundreds of redundant tools that sometimes may be considered as useful by unsuspecting users. Unfortunately, this browser extension can enter your system in questionable ways, which also means that malware infection may be present and expose you to more malicious contents. Leaving these system security issues unaddressed could be a big mistake and dangerous one as well even if this particular PUP may not mean direct threat to your system. This is why we suggest that you remove HolidayPhotoEdit Toolbar from your computer. Please read on to find more details about this questionable tool and how you can protect your PC from future invasions. Read more »

Search Bay is a useless browser extension that poses as a search page and may show up as your homepage, new tab page, and default search provider in your Google Chrome browser. As a matter of fact, our malware researchers at anti-spyware-101.com say that this search engine seems to be down for the moment just like its official channels. This is rather suspicious and usually happens when you are dealing with an unreliable piece of software. We have categorized this possible threat sources as a potentially unwanted program, or PUP, although some malware experts may consider it as a browser hijacker due to its capabilities to change your Google Chrome browser settings. Since this PUP does not seem to be functional right now, we cannot tell you what might happen in the future. Still, it is not a good idea to keep this annoying extension in your browser as it can collect information about your browsing habits and possibly target you with potentially unreliable third-party ads. This PUP may also enter your computer in a company of malicious software installers, which means multiple system security threats for you and your PC. We recommend that you remove Search Bay from your computer as soon as possible not to make things worse in your virtual world. Read more »

MyHomePage.pro may be a new browser extension but it is more like a new member in a large family of questionable applications created by RCPmedia. This family has 47 members for the time being, including FreeOnlineGames.pro and WebStart.me. We cannot say anything bad about these extension because they seem to work just fine. However, our malware specialists at anti-spyware-101.com say that you should still be careful with this extension because it may show suspicious traits even if it does not necessarily expose you to manipulated search results containing potentially risky third-party advertisements. Thus, this application has been labeled as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) though it may also be considered a browser hijacker since it can actually change your browser settings so that it come up as your homepage and new tab page. The innocent surface hides questionable behavior though; you may be redirected to potentially unreliable third-party websites or presented with questionable third-party ads while this PUP is actively present in your browsers. We recommend that you remove MyHomePage.pro if you want to keep your system clean. Read more »

Identity Protector is promoted as a useful tool to secure personal information and passwords: “Identity Protector is a tool to find and secure your Personal Information on your computer, as well as organize your passwords in one vault across browsers and lock them securely with a Master Key.” It can be downloaded from its official website http://identityprotector.co/, and we are sure that some users have already done that because it does look quite a beneficial program. If you are looking for a program to secure your saved passwords, credit card details, social security number, and other personal details, you can install this program on your computer too, but you should know that only its free version can be downloaded from its official website. It will perform a scan and then will list unprotected details only. In other words, it could not secure your personal information until you upgrade it, i.e., purchase its license. If you are not going to do that, we see no reason you should keep this program installed on your computer. It is a fully legitimate application, so its removal will be quick and easy. You could erase it like an ordinary application through Control Panel. Read more »