What is Topsafetabsearch.com?
Topsafetabsearch.com is a fake search engine used for promoting third-party content. It is also distributed in a dishonest manner and for this reason, it was classified as a browser hijacker. Removing it from your browser is highly recommended for the simple reason of replacing your browser’s homepage and new tab page addresses and showing unasked for questionable advertisements in the form of search results. In short, it can put your computer’s security in jeopardy, but if you need to know more, then please continue reading.
What does Topsafetabsearch.com do?
While this search engine can be used to search the web, it must be said that it does not have its own search algorithm and, therefore, is bound to redirect all entered search engines to a third-party search engine that, in this case, is Yahoo.com. However, before it does that, it first redirects them to Extsearch.maxwebsearch.com which is sort of a middleman between Topsafetabsearch.com and Yahoo.com. While the purpose of redirecting the search queries trough Extsearch.maxwebsearch.com is unknown and has no impact on the search results, they are still modified and altered to accommodate additional advertisements that come from unknown sources.
For the most part, additional promotional links added to the search results are safe to click, but there is a small but real risk to encounter malicious links as well. Such links might redirect you to infected websites featuring downloads of dangerous software such as Trojans and ransomware. Not only that, but some sites may be used to steal your personal information. Topsafetabsearch.com’ Terms of Agreement states that its owner “does not endorse nor responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products, or other materials on or available from such sites or resources.” So it seems that its developer is somehow even anticipating that the content presented by this hijacker may come from malicious sources.
As far as privacy is concerned, under certain circumstances this hijacker can obtain both anonymous and personal information, about you. For example, the anonymous information includes page views, impressions and click, IP (Internet Protocol) address, and browser type, among other things. Personal information may include name, email address, country of origin, nickname, telephone number, website, company, and title. Furthermore, if you install, a plug-in related to this hijacker, it might be used to collect information such as gender, age, occupation, zip code, and country. All of this information is supposedly used to improve Topsafetabsearch.com’s services, but we know that this is false because this hijacker has numerous clones that include Search.mygamesxp.com, Search.MyTelevisionXp.com, and search.mycouponsxp.com, and there are all the same. Their developer does not improve anything, so we think that the collected information is used to improve the advertising campaign and tailor it for each unique user.
Where does Topsafetabsearch.com come from?
Our security researchers have found that this malicious search engine was created by a company known as Imali Media Ltd. This company is in the online advertising business, and you can learn more about it at Imali.media. However, it is by no means a trustworthy company because of it deceptive advertising tactics and the techniques used to distribute its fake search engines.
In the particular case of Topsafetabsearch.com, it must be said that it was not classified as a browser hijacker for anything. It is bundled with malicious installers featured on freeware distributing websites and set to replace your browser’s homepage address and new tab page without your knowledge or consent while you install the bundle. Evidently, it is a deceptive, malicious distribution method and given what it does after it enters your browser, we advise you to get rid of it.
How to remove Topsafetabsearch.com
We hope that you found this article useful. As you can see, Topsafetabsearch.com is one undesirable search engine that poses as legitimate but is, in fact, a browser hijacker hat shows modified search results containing links to shady websites. Also, it can collect anonymous and personal information and use it to advance its agenda. If you want to get rid of it, then feel free to make use of the removal guide presented below.
Removal Instructions
Google Chrome
- Press Windows+E keys.
- Enter C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default in the address line and hit Enter.
- Find Preferences, Secure Preferences and Web Data files.
- Right-click each of them and click Delete.
- Empty the Recycle Bin.
Mozilla Firefox
- Press Windows+E keys.
- Type C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles in the address box and hit Enter.
- Enter the {Unique ID} folder
- Find prefs.js and open it with Notepad.
- Find and replace http://topsafetabsearch.com in the user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://topsafetabsearch.com"); string.
- Save and Close.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Press Windows+R keys.
- Type regedit in the box and click OK.
- Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
- Find the Start Page registry string.
- Right-click it and click Modify.
- Enter a new homepage address.
tested removal of Topsafetabsearch.com*
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