Myprivatesearch.com

Posted by Lisa Blanc on April 5, 2017

What is Myprivatesearch.com?

Myprivatesearch.com is promoted as a search engine that can protect your privacy. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. Our malware analysts have concluded that it is, in fact, a malicious search engine that replaces the browser’s homepage address secretly. Therefore, researchers have classified it as a browser hijacker and recommend that you remove it as soon as the opportunity arises. They say that this search engine was designed to show promoted links in its search results and suggest that the links can redirect to malicious websites. For more information, please read this whole article. test test test

Where does Myprivatesearch.com come from?

Unsurprisingly, this search engine provides no information about its creators. The company that created it has no official name, but the search engine’s Contact Us subpage says that it the company is based in New York, NY, USA. However, there is no evidence to support the claim that it is actually located there. Given this hijacker’s shady origins it is no wonder it is distributed the way it is distributed.

Our cyber security experts received information that this particular hijacker is most likely distributed through malicious software bundles. Their installers were configured to feature Myprivatesearch.com and inject its accompanying browser extension. Indeed, it comes with an extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox called MyPrivateSearch. This browser extension is used to get Myprivatesearch.com onto your browser. We have received reports that, in most cases, the users cannot uncheck the installation of this extension so you have to delete it after the installation or have an antimalware program that would prevent MyPrivateSearch from entering your PC.

How does Myprivatesearch.com work?

If MyPrivateSearch were to be installed on your browser, then it would replace your browser’s homepage address immediately. If you use it as you would use a regular search engine, then it would show you modified, ad-supported search results. Its developers make money off including them in the search results. However, our malware analysts say that the promoted links come from unknown sources and are, thus, unreliable. Moreover, some of them can be outright malicious and get your computer infected with dangerous malware. Therefore, using Myprivatesearch.com is a risk business.

Myprivatesearch.com claims that it does not collect information about you. Its privacy policy states that “We also gave up collecting your web searches, including but not limited, your IP address, click ID and this information is not saved on our servers and not logged in a way that we could identify you or be traced back to you.” While we cannot confirm or deny this claim, we think that this is possible, but, nevertheless, you need information to show relevant search results and assign promoted links. Therefore, we are not entirely convinced that this particular browser does not keep tabs on you.

How do I remove Myprivatesearch.com?

If your browser’s homepage was changed to Myprivatesearch.com, then you ought to delete it because it is unreliable. The fact that its developers distribute it in a highly malicious manner speaks volumes about its trustworthiness. Its search results can feature promoted links that come from unknown sources and, therefore, you cannot trust them. Our malware analysts suggest that you remove this malicious search engine along with its dedicated MyPrivateSearch browser extension. Getting rid of this hijacker is important because there is no telling what it will promote next and how that will affect your PC. Please follow the instructions provided below.

Removal Guide

Google Chrome

Press Windows+E keys.
In the File Explorer’s address box, enter the following paths and press Enter.
- %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\[PROFILE]\Extensions
- %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\[PROFILE]\Local Extension Settings
- %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\[PROFILE]\Sync Extension Settings
Find a file named ejnaklabflepkikadckpakjoddejbhed
Right-click it and click Delete.
Then, type %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default and press Enter.
Find and delete files named Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data
Empty the Recycle Bin.

Mozilla Firefox

Press Windows+E keys.
Type %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[PROFILE]\extensions in the address box and hit Enter.
Find a file named caa1-aDOiCAxFFPRIVATE@jetpack.xpi and delete it.
Then, type %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles and hit Enter.
Locate prefs.js and open it with Notepad.
Find user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://Myprivatesearch.com");
Replace http://Myprivatesearch.com with another search engine URL.
Save and Close.
Empty the Recycle Bin.