What is Search Secretly?
If you get Search Secretly on your web browser, then do not expect your searches become anymore secret than they already are because the true purpose of this extension to replace your browser’s homepage address with its promoted search engine and make you use it for searching the web. Our malware analysts classified Search Secretly as a browser hijacker because it serves as a vehicle for secretly replacing your browser’s homepage address, so you might want to remove it. Unfortunately, its promoted search engine Searchsecretly.net can collect anonymous information about you and show personalized, ad-supported search results that can jeopardize your computer’s security.
Where does Search Secretly come from?
Our malware analysts have concluded that Search Secretly was created by a company known as Visicom Media which is also responsible for releasing unreliable software such as MyStart Toolbar and AllMyWeb Toolbar. Therefore, you should not trust any software that was created by this company because all of it is more or less dedicated to generating advertising revenue.
However, you might be given the impression that Search Secretly is an entirely legitimate browser extension for Google Chrome as it is featured on the Chrome Web Store. Indeed, this malicious application has managed to get on to this store and, truth be told, this is neither the first nor last time a browser hijacker has made on it. According to the information available on the store, Search Secretly has 108 users which is a rather small number, but our malware analysts say that this hijacker might also come bundled with third-party software installers that inject it into Chrome without the user’s knowledge or consent. In other words, this program can end up on your PC without you knowing about it.
How does Search Secretly work?
The way Search Secretly works is pretty straightforward. When it is installed on your PC it is automatically put in charge of managing the homepage and start page addresses. Consequently, it changes the search provider, homepage and new tab page to Searchsecretly.net. The problem is that it does that without asking for your authorization. Of course, you can delete this extension at any time but, to date, 108 users have not and if you join them and use Searchsecretly.net as your primary search engine, then you should be aware that it can collect anonymous information about you and show you ad-supported search results.
At the very least, Searchsecretly.net can obtain your IP address and, thus, your approximate geographical location. It should also obtain information such as your browser type, search queries, and browsing history even though its privacy policy does not state that it collects this information apart from the IP address.
Our malware researchers have found that Searchsecretly.net redirects all search queries to a modified Yahoo.com search engine that might feature ad-supported search results. So, at the very least, you get irrelevant, low-quality search results. However, some promoted links may not be safe to click. Indeed, some of them can come from unknown sources and jeopardize your computer’s security. Therefore, you should not use this search engine and get rid of both it and its accompanying browser extension.
How do I remove Search Secretly?
In closing, Search Secretly is a browser extension for Chrome that was designed to carry a search engine and replace your browser’s homepage, and new tab page addresses. The search engine is meant to generate advertising revenue, so its search results are apt to feature ads of unknown origin. So, to be on the safe side of things, we recommend that you remove this malicious extension using the guide provided below.
Remove Search Secretly
- Open Google Chrome.
- Press Alt+F.
- Click More tools.
- Click Extensions and remove the add-on.
tested removal of Search Secretly*
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