What is Topsecuritytabsearch.com?
You may be given the impression that Topsecuritytabsearch.com is a legitimate lesser-known search engine, but you would be mistaken. In reality, it is a browser hijacker, a type of malware that you ought to remove as soon as possible. First, it hijacks the browser settings and changes the homepage address, and, second, forces you to view various promotional links of unverifiable legitimacy. Also, it configured to collect information about you personalize the advertising campaign. Evidently, this search engine is bad news and might cause you a lot of trouble. To learn more about it, please continue reading.
What does Topsecuritytabsearch.com do?
Topsecuritytabsearch.com looks like it is a regular search engine with additional gimmicky features that include links to sites such as Facebook, Gmail, Amazon, and so on. However, it is set to become your browsers homepage via malicious and legitimate means, and because some of its distribution methods are illegal, we have classified it as a browser hijacker. We will discuss the distribution methods in greater detail in the next section. If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, then this hijacker can be set as its homepage address. The aim of the game is to make you use Topsecuritytabsearch.com as a regular search engine with the goal of generating advertising revenue. Indeed, this hijacker is part of a larger web monetization scheme that involves many more hijackers that include Search.funtvtabplussearch.com, Search.funsecuritytabsearch.com, and Snjsearch.com.
Like the hijackers mentioned above, Topsecuritytabsearch.com is set to redirect the search queries that you have entered in its search box to a server at http://extsearch.maxwebsearch.com which redirects them to a modified search Yahoo.com engine. Take note that the modified Yahoo search results may contain links to various shady websites of unverified legitimacy. As a result, your computer’s security may be jeopardized because there is no way to determine whether the links are safe to enter and will not get your computer infected with dangerous malware, such as ransomware or other kinds of Trojans.
Another issue we have with this hijacker is its information collection practices. Our security analysts have found that, like the hijackers released before it, it is set to collect information about you that includes your IP address and, by extension, your location, web browser type, time of visit to the site, and pages visited via this hijacker. Topsecuritytabsearch.com comes with an accompanying browser extension called TopsSecurityTab which is also used to collect information. The privacy policy states “We may collect personal information at various times when you use our website or plugin.” However, it goes on to state that “Your participation is voluntary and you have the choice not to disclose any information that we request.” So when you use this hijacker and its browser extension, you may be asked to provide certain personal information and if you do, then it will be used for marketing, advertising, and other questionable purposes.
Where does Topsecuritytabsearch.com come from?
We have reason to believe that the collected information will be misused because both Topsecuritytabsearch.com and TopsSecurityTab were developed by Imali Media, a company dedicated to producing money-making search engines. Our security experts have revealed that Imali Media has set up a website dedicated to distributing TopsSecurityTab. The website is found at Topsecuritytab.com, and the website states that by changing your search engine, you will get the necessary security tools to protect you from whatever bogyman is currently trending. Furthermore, you can get it from the Chrome Web Store if you use this browser. These two distribution channels are entirely legitimate, but now, let us move on to the malicious ones. Researchers say that this hijacker is promoted via adware, such as SwiftSearch and TermTrident. Clicking their ads initiates the automatic yet invisible download and installation of TopsSecurityTab. Lastly, we have found that the extension can be bundled with third-party software that is featured on various borderline-legitimate freeware hosting sites.
How do I remove Topsecuritytabsearch.com?
The analysis performed at Anti-spyware-101.com concluded that Topsecuritytabsearch.com is a browser hijacker that must be deleted. Therefore, if you want to get rid of it, we suggest that you make use of the removal guide provided that the end of this article. We also recommend scanning your system with an anti-malware program to ensure that no malware has made its way on your PC.
Removal Instructions
Google Chrome
- Simultaneously press Alt+F.
- Click More tools and select Extensions.
- Find TopsSecurityTab.
- Click the Remove button.
- Close the browser.
- Then, simultaneously press Windows+E keys.
- Enter C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default in the address box.
- Open Preferences, Secure Preferences and Web Data files with Notepad.
- Replace all strings with http://Topsecuritytabsearch.com to your desired homepage address.
Mozilla Firefox
- Simultaneously press Ctrl+Shift+A.
- Click Extensions.
- Remove TopsSecurityTab.
- Close the browser.
- Then, simultaneously press Windows+E keys.
- Go to C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Unique Mozilla user ID} in the address box.
- Open prefs.js with Notepad.
- Replace Topsecuritytabsearch.com in user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://Topsecuritytabsearch.com"); with your desired search engine's URL.
tested removal of Topsecuritytabsearch.com*
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