QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar

Posted by Max Lehmann on December 22, 2016

What is QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar?

Our cyber security experts have concluded that QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar is an unreliable application that you ought to remove because it is set to replace your browser’s homepage address with its promoted search engine that can feature unreliable and even dangerous promotional links and advertisements. Furthermore, researchers say that it collect information about you and use it to personalize the ads and links you see. These links and ads generate advertising revenue when clicked, so its developers have a vested interest in making you use it for as much as possible. test test test

What does QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar do?

QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar works like any other toolbar. It features a search bar, whether information and links to various weather-related websites. It is compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Our malware analysts say that this toolbar was configured to replace your browser’s new tab page address and, in some cases, the homepage address to compel you to use. It replaces the address with Hp.myway.com, an unreliable search engine that uses Google to process the entered search queries. However, it must be said that the search results can still be unreliable regardless of whether they come from Google because the developers of this toolbar have the ability to customize the search results. Thus, they can make Hp.myway.com feature links to questionable sites that feature downloads of potentially unwanted programs (PUPs,) adware, browser hijackers, and so on. In short, QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar can compromise your computer’s security with unvetted content.

You may be interested to know that Hp.myway.com was designed to collect certain information about you automatically. It uses web cookies and other information gathering techniques to obtain your IP address, browsing history, entered search queries, browser type, approximate geographical location, and so on. It uses this information to present you with more relevant tailored advertisements that correspond with your personal interests. All of this would be well and good if it was not for the fact that the links come from unknown entities and are, thus, unreliable.

Where does QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar come from?

Malware analysts have concluded that both QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar and Hp.myway.com are products of IAC Applications, better known by its former name — Mindspark. This company is in the business of making shady and useless applications. Most of its programs have something to do with web monetization and advertising. As you can see, QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar is no exception, and it is worth mentioning that this company has created hundreds of similar toolbars over the years. Programs such as SendFilesFree Toolbar, TuneJunkies New Tab, FlightSearch Toolbar, and many others are dedicated to replacing your browser’s new tab page and/or homepage to subject you to promotional links.

In regards to QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar’s dissemination channels, researchers have found that this program is currently being featured on a website at Quickweatheralert.com. This website is this program’s dedicated distribution website, and it claims that it is a useful and reliable application, of course. Apart from this particular distribution channel, it might also be distributed via bundled software installers that can install this toolbar without your knowledge or consent, so you might not want to keep it if you got it accidentally.

How do I remove QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar?

As you can see, QuickWeatherAlert Toolbar is nothing more than a potentially unwanted program, and you should treat it as such. We are of the opinion that it is a potential security threat because there is no telling where its promoted content comes from. Furthermore, it replaces the home and/or new tab page address without your knowledge or consent which is unacceptable. Therefore, we recommend that you remove this program from your computer as soon as the opportunity arises.