What is FilmsJunkie?
There are at least several ways to categorize FilmsJunkie, as we can look at this application from different perspectives. In this case, we say that this program is a browser hijacker because it modifies your browser’s settings. However, you may also find sources that say FilmsJunkie is a browser extension or a plug-in. That is understandable because browser extensions can often have browser hijacker’s qualities and vice versa. Whatever it might be, the bottom line is that you have to remove this application from your browser. There is no need to keep an extension that can easily expose you to potential security threats.
Where does FilmsJunkie come from?
The distribution method of any program is one of the ways to determine whether the program is legitimate or not. When it comes to the likes of FilmsJunkie, it is often hard to classify it as a malicious infection because this extension has more than just one official distribution sources.
For one, there is the official homepage via theappjunkies.com. This website hosts at least four different applications, including MoviesJunkie, MusicJunkie, and VideoJunkie. To add FilmsJunkie to your browser, you just need to click the Add to Chrome button under the FilmsJunkie Search icon that you can find on the main page.
Second, the application may also come in software packages or through random pop-ups. For instance, there are a lot of file-sharing websites out there that host pop-up ads. New windows pop up on your screen when you browse or click something on such sites. One of those windows might offer you FilmsJunkie. And it could be so intrusive that it will not allow you to close that window unless you add the extension to Chrome. If that happens, please remember that you can always kill your browser’s process via Task Manager, too.
What does FilmsJunkie do?
Since this extension is intended only for the Chrome browser, Firefox and Internet Explorer will not be affected. On the other hand, the things it performs on the Chrome browser alone would freak out quite a few users.
At first, FilmsJunkie will change your browser’s default search engine to go.searchalgo.com. This is the same search domain that is used by VideoCenter Search, another similar browser hijacker. However, this search domain does not provide you with reliable search service. Instead, all of your search queries will be redirected to Yahoo! Search. And even so, the search results that you see are bound to be modified based on your likes and preferences. You see, this browser hijacker can track your online activity via tracking cookies, and that information can help third parties tailor commercial content especially for you.
What’s more, according to the permissions given to this extension, FilmsJunkie should be able to “read and change all your data on the websites you visit.” This also means that the program can collect information on the pages you access and the search keywords you enter. It could prove to be quite dangerous because the extension is rather vulnerable to third-party exploitation.
So if a malevolent third party decides to make use of this extension, you could be soon bombarded with commercial ads and various outgoing links that may lead you to malware-related sites. As a result, FilmsJunkie may inadvertently result in a malware infection. Of course, that is not the reason this extension is there in your browser. It simply needs to make some money for its developers, and so it does that via third-party advertising. The problem is that it has some side effects, and getting infected with malware could be one of it.
How do I remove FilmsJunkie?
To protect yourself from such unwanted consequences, you need to delete FilmsJunkie and all the other unwanted apps from your system. It is not that hard to remove this application manually, but there is always a chance that you have more potential threats installed. So after manual removal, be sure to scan your system with the SpyHunter free scanner.
A full system scan is necessary to locate potential threats. If more unwanted programs are found, remove them automatically, and then secure your system against similar threats in the future. Should you have more questions about your system’s security, please do not hesitate to leave us a comment.
Manual FilmsJunkie Removal
- Press Win+R and the Run prompt will open.
- Type %LocalAppData% into the Open box. Click OK.
- Go to Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions.
- Delete the mhcjkdaaggiladikcolhfjbhgejhgpje folder.
- Go to Google\Chrome\User Data\Default.
- Delete the Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data files.
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