What is FPSeek.com?
It appears that FPSeek.com is not a legitimate search engine, but a browser hijacker whose primary objective is to replace your browser’s homepage address by stealth and make you use is as your default search engine. You ought to remove it because it replaces the homepage address in particular and counts on you to keep it that way. Our malware researchers say that it this browser hijacker can gather information about you and show personalized advertisements in the search results. The problem is that the promoted links can be supplied by unknown entities and are thus unreliable. In the worst case scenario, this hijacker might get your PC infected with highly dangerous malware.
Where does FPSeek.com come from?
Malware analysts have concluded that FPSeek.com was created by ClientConnect Ltd, a company based in Ness Ziona, Israel. ClientConnect is the division of browser toolbars and web browser extensions that was formed out of the merger of Conduit and Perion. ClientConnect now develops Conduit’s toolbars after it was purchased by Perion. This company provides web monetization and a distribution platform for publishers and developers. Unfortunately, its clients are often unreliable, shady companies and develop malware. This browser hijacker is nearly identical to Search.conduit.com, Guard-Search.com, and Trovi.com that were released previously. So we would not be surprised to find more similar hijackers later.
Like many browser hijackers, FPSeek.com is disseminated through malicious bundled software installers. These installers can be found on websites that bundle and distribute free software. Freeware sites make money off promoting third-party software using bundles. In any case, researchers say that the bundled installers are configured to inject FPSeek.com into your browser automatically, without your knowledge or consent. Furthermore, it might come with an accompanying browser extension that manages the hijacking process. Nevertheless, the bundled installers can also inject it directly.
What does FPSeek.com do?
If your web browser’s homepage address gets replaced with FPSeek.com, then you can expect it to function as a regular search engine. However, you will notice that it redirects all entered search queries to Bing, but the problem is that this hijacker can modify the search results and include its promoted links. There is no telling what kind of advertising partners ClientConnect will team up with, so we conclude that it is possible that hijacker’s search results will feature malicious links that can redirect you to phishing, scam sites, and websites that feature malware downloads. In short, it can promote malicious content, so using it to search the web is a bad idea.
Just like the browser hijackers that came before it, FPSeek.com was configured to gather information about you that is used to customize and personalize the ad campaign. Researchers say that it should gather information such as your IP address, geographical location, browsing history, search queries and so on. As you can see, the information collect is anonymous but, nevertheless, you should not allow this hijacker to obtain it because it can be used to tailor malicious ads.
How do I remove FPSeek.com?
There is no question that FPSeek.com is one malicious search engine. Our malware analysts have found that it is distributed via software installers that inject it into browsers without asking the users’ consent and replaces the homepage address to subject you to promoted links that can be supplied by shady advertisers that promote malicious content. So, to keep your computer safe, you ought to remove this hijacker and replace it with a legitimate search engine or website you should also check the Target line and see if this hijacker has not modified it, and if it has, then fix it with the guide found below.
Fix the Target line
- Right-click the web browser’s shortcut.
- Select Properties and open the Shortcut tab.
- Erase FPSeek.com from the Target line.
- Click OK.
Removal Guide
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Simultaneously press Windows+R keys.
- Enter regedit in the dialog box and click OK.
- In the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
- Locate Start Page on the right side of the window and right-click it.
- Select Modify and replace http://www.fpseek.com with another URL.
- Click OK.
- Exit the Registry Editor.
Google Chrome
- Simultaneously press Windows+E keys.
- In the File Explorer’s address bar, enter C:\Users\{User name}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default and press Enter.
- Find Preferences, Secure Preferences and Web Data.
- Open each of the files in Notepad and replace http://www.fpseek.com in all of the strings with your desired URL
- Save and Close.
Mozilla Firefox
- Simultaneously press Windows+E keys.
- In the address bar, enter %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Random ID number} and hit Enter.
- Find and open prefs.js with Notepad.
- Fix the user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://www.fpseek.com"); string by replacing the http://www.fpseek.com with your preferred URL.
- Save and Close.
tested removal of FPSeek.com*
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