Privacy Search Plus

Posted by Sarah Stewart on April 14, 2017

What is Privacy Search Plus?

Privacy Search Plus is an extension that you can download onto Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome web browsers. The users of both web browsers can acquire the add-on from its official download page, privacysearchplus.com, but Google Chrome users can also acquire it from the Chrome app store. At the time of research, the Chrome extension was used by over 16,000 users, and that is a huge number for a tool that does not seem to offer highly beneficial services. According to our research, the add-on is growing in numbers pretty fast, and so it is believed that its installer is spread via software bundles. Have you downloaded the suspicious tool using a third-party installer? If you have, the chances are that you chose to try it out because it was free, or you installed it by accident. Whatever the case might be, Anti-Spyware-101.com malware research team advises removing Privacy Search Plus, and you can read all about that in this report. test test test

How does Privacy Search Plus work?

According to the official source, Privacy Search Plus is a program that allegedly can guarantee that your virtual activity is not tracked. The Chrome app store introduces you to the add-on as a tool that can redirect “non-private searches” to a “private results page.” Unfortunately, there is no explanation as to how the extension operates, and its features are not represented in a transparent manner either. In such a case, it is particularly important to review the Privacy Policy at privacysearchplus.com/privacy/. According to the documents, the add-on that allegedly works to make your browsing more private is all about showcasing third-party content. For example, one statement informs that Privacy Search Plus can integrate third-party content and show advertising-supported search results. Another statement informs that personally identifiable information can be recorded while you use the service, as well as shared with unknown parties. Do you want data about you leaked to someone who might have malicious intentions? Of course, you do not, and that is a reason to delete the hijacker.

How is Privacy Search Plus represented via your browser? It should change the homepage, default search provider, and New Tab tools; however, that is not what our research team has found. All in all, it is obvious that it can use the search results to showcase sponsored content. Therefore, as long as this add-on is installed, be very careful about the links that you interact with regardless of which search engine they are shown via. When it comes to advertisements, interacting with them is risky because you do not know what kind of content you might be exposed to via them. If malicious parties are using Privacy Search Plus, the ads shown to you could be linked to malware installers and even virtual scams. If you believe that you might have been scammed already, you might have to take some precautionary measures. For example, you might have to delete some undesirable programs. Also, you might want to change your login information in case it was recorded and leaked. Hopefully, you have realized that the add-on was unreliable right away, and you have not interacted with it at all.

How to remove Privacy Search Plus

Do not expect any beneficial services from Privacy Search Plus because it appears that this potentially unwanted program was created only to spy on you and share the appropriate information with unknown parties. Using this information, third-party advertisers might introduce you to all kinds of offers whenever you browse the web, and they could be unreliable or even misleading. Luckily, you can stop all of that by deleting Privacy Search Plus. As you can see, that is very easy to do. Once you erase the extension from the browser that it is installed on, you MUST employ a malware scanner to thoroughly examine your Windows operating system. If any malicious leftovers are active, you will be warned about that so that you could take action. Once you get your operating system cleaned, implement security software that could ensure full-time protection.