Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com

What is Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com?

Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com is a browser hijacker that comes with a browser extension called Speedtest (also named Your Speed Test Center.) You have to remove it in case you do not want to use it for processing your search queries, and there is no reason why you would want to use it because all it can offer are modified search results that include links to questionable websites that may be up to no good. Also, this hijacker will collect particular information about you that is needed to improve the advertising campaign. Since it comes from an unknown source, we recommend that you prevent it from collecting whatever data it collects and get rid of it.

Where does Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com come from?

This hijacker is another release from the clandestine malware developer that labels its browser hijackers with the “by SaferBrowser” label. This infamous malware creator is known to our researchers, and they have linked this particular browser hijacker to other releases by it. The list of similar hijackers includes names such as Search.yourmovietimenow.com, Search.searchwag.com, and Search.searchlcl.com. These are just a few examples that have been released recently, but there are plenty of SaferBrowser hijackers you can get accidentally.

This particular developer promotes hijackers such as Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com via pop-up advertisements that are presented by adware-type software, and you can download them directly by clicking their ads. Furthermore, most of them have dedicated download websites from which you can get the accompanying browser extensions. The website that hosts Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com is called Yourspeedtestcenter.com. This site states that it will help you determine your Internet speed, but that is an outright lie and all you will get by downloading it is this hijacker.

How does Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com work?

Our security analysts have tested this application and found that it can hijack Internet search-related settings of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Researchers have found that it will change the homepage of Firefox, and Internet Explorer and the new tab page of Chrome. Furthermore, it will replace the search provider of Firefox and Chrome. Such unsanctioned actions are unacceptable, and you should not tolerate them, especially since they are performed not to improve your browsing experience, but to make its developer and their advertising partners more money.

Like all browser hijackers of this type, Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com is a small part of a major web monetization campaign aimed at generating as much advertising revenue as possible. In truth, it is not even a real search engine because it redirects all search queries to Yahoo.com. Even though you get redirected to Yahoo, you will not view all of its content. The search results contain promotional links from this browser hijacker and by clicking them, you generate income for other people. It is fair to say that in most cases the promoted links are safe, although their practical use is rather questionable. However, on more rare occasions this browser hijacker might show you ads that promote potentially unwanted programs and adware, so you should steer clear of them.

As mentioned at the beginning, this hijacker will collect certain information about you. When you use this hijacker’s services, you automatically agree to share information that includes but is not limited to comments, name, email or mailing address. Non-personally identifiable information includes data such as URLs, search queries, browsing history, and so on to customize the ads to make more money. Moreover, if that was not bad enough, the developers can share this information with third parties such as their advertising partners.

How to remove Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com

This browser hijacker can be a bit tricky to get rid of especially if you use Internet Explorer because uninstalling this hijacker’s application from Control Panel is not enough. Therefore, our malware analysts have prepared a guide that will help you remove all of the files of the browser extensions that Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com comes with.

Delete this infection’s files

Google Chrome

1. While in desktop, press Windows+E.
2. Enter these file paths and deletebeepnafbdnbdoddjbahalojapnnblnga
   • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions
   • %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions
3. Then go to %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
4. Locate Preferences, Secure Preferences and Web Data files and delete them (Chrome will generate unmodified new files)

Mozilla Firefox

1. While in desktop, press Windows+E.
2. Enter these file paths and delete@Speedtest and @Speedtest.xpi respectively
   • %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Mozilla ID}\jetpack
   • %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Mozilla ID}\extensions
3. Then, go to %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Mozilla ID}
4. Locate the prefs.js file, open it and replace http://search.yourspeedtestcenter.com with your desired address.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

1. While in desktop, press Windows+R.
2. Enter regedit and click OK.
3. In Windows Registry, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
4. Find the Start Page string and right-click it and click Modify.
5. Replace the Value data from Search.yourspeedtestcenter.com to your desired homepage.
6. Then deletethe following registry keys
   • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\YourSpeedTestCenter
   • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\YourSpeedTestCenter

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