What is Searchgle.com?
Our malware researchers have come across a questionable search engine known as Searchgle.com. After analyzing it, they deemed it a browser hijacker and advise everyone who has it to remove as soon as the opportunity arises. Their research has revealed that it is disseminated in a dishonest clandestine manner that involves software bundling. Further research revealed that its main page features advertisements and its search results can also have promotional links injected into them. Moreover, it can obtain anonymous information about you and use it for advertising purposes. For more detailed information, please read this whole article.
What does Searchgle.com do?
Our malware researchers at Anti-spyware-101.com have discovered that this hijacker comes bundled with malicious installers that are designed to interact with your web browser and replace its homepage address with this hijacker. Once on your computer, Searchgle.com will act like a regular search engine. In fact, it copies Google.com, but has some apparent differences. Instead of Google’s signature “Google” logo of colored characters, we find the logo “Search” in a similar color scheme. We would also like to point out that this hijacker uses Google Custom Search to process the search queries you enter in its search box. Hence, you get the same search results as you would get from Google, but they are customized to feature additional links. Researchers say that these links are promotional in their nature. The problem is that they may be unreliable and even malicious as they can redirect you to infected websites that feature malware or steal information from your PC.
Furthermore, like most browser hijackers, Searchgle.com is designed to collect certain information about you. While it does not have a Privacy Policy that explains what information is collected, our security experts believe that this program is set to collect information about you automatically, and this information might include your IP address, Internet Service Provider name, geographical location, browser type, browsing history, and entered search queries, among other information. All of this data is used to customize the advertising campaign so that it would be more in line with your browsing habits. The developers want you to click on the promoted links because that is how they make money. Indeed, there is no other plausible explanation for this hijacker’s existence because it would be useless to make a search engine and then to force it on users just for the sake of it.
Where does Searchgle.com come from?
Truth be told, there is no information regarding this program’s origins. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, it does not have a Privacy Policy and the same can be said about all other documents that are usually included with such a search engine, even though it is a browser hijacker. Our researchers have determined that Searchgle.com is very similar to Seargoo.com, another browsing hijacker that we have recently written about. So we might see the emergence of a new browser hijacker family shortly.
In regards to its dissemination channels, our malware researchers have concluded that, currently, this browser hijacker is distributed via malicious software installers that are designed to inject Searchgle.com into your browser secretly. This occurs while it installs other software because, as far as we know, this hijacker’s presence on a software bundle is not made explicit and researchers say that you cannot uncheck its installation.
How do I remove Searchgle.com?
If you have discovered that your browser was hijacked by Searchgle.com, then we can help you with removing it. While it is a browser hijacker, it does not have any protection against you replacing it with another homepage address. Feel free to make use of the guide below and enjoy risk-free web browsing. On a side note, you might want to scan your PC with an antimalware program to make sure that it does not have any more malware that might have entered your PC while Searchgle.com was the homepage address.
How to change the homepage address
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Simultaneously press Alt+T keys.
- Select Internet Options.
- Enter a new address in the home page address box.
- Click OK.
Google Chrome
- Simultaneously press Alt+F keys.
- In the dropdown menu, select Settings.
- Click Set pages and enter a new address.
- Click OK.
Mozilla Firefox
- Simultaneously press Alt+T keys.
- Click Options and select General.
- In the Home Page box, enter a new URL.
- Exit the Options menu.
tested removal of Searchgle.com*
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