Ectodermicyear Extension Removal Guide

Ectodermicyear Extension is a browser add-on for Google Chrome that was designed to change your browser’s homepage and new tab, and might also change the search provider.  Furthermore, if might also show ads while you browse the web. We have classified this extension as a browser hijacker and recommend that you remove it as soon as possible to avoid jeopardizing your computer’s security. This extension has been created by cybercriminals to generate ad revenue, so do not expect it to provide you with a safe and reliable service. To learn more about this malicious search engine, please read the whole article.

While this extension is for Google Chrome only, there is no information on whether it is hosted on the Chrome Web Store. We have checked the store and have not found it there, so we think that its creators must use deceptive download links of bundled software installers to distribute this hijacker. Needless to say, the distribution methods used are purposefully deceptive because tech savvy users would quickly catch on and see Ectodermicyear Extension for what it really is — a browser hijacker. So, its developers might have arranged certain websites to open a pop-up window to advertise this program. The same tactics could be used in promoting bundled software that will install this hijacker in addition to the primary software. Also bundled software featuring this hijacker might also be distributed on freeware hosting websites. Note that these kinds of malicious installers probably will not allow you to deselect the installation of Ectodermicyear Extension.

If your PC becomes infected with this hijacker, then all of your searches will first go through https://amiablesearch.com/ectodermicyear/?keyword= and then to a modified Yahoo search engine that will present you with search results that may feature promotional links. These links generate ad revenue when clicked, so some of them can be made to look very appealing to you.

This hijacker should, at the very least, collect some non-personally identifiable information about you. This information can include, but is not limited to, your browsing habits, pages viewed, search terms entered, approximate geographical location, browser version, and operating system type and version. The collection of this information is legal and is obtained using browser cookies, web beacons, and so on. It is used for geotargeting purposes in order to generate as much ad revenue as possible because this hijacker is all about making money for its developers and their advertising partners.

We recommend that you delete Ectodermicyear Extension in an effort to avoid being subjected to potentially malicious content. You should also get rid of it because it was designed to replace your search-related settings without your knowledge or content. Therefore, you should go to Chrome’s list of extensions, find Ectodermicyear Extension and remove. However, you may not see it in the list or it might go under a different name. So you might have to delete its files directly. See the guide below on how you can do that, but the problem is that its unique Chrome extension ID is not known, so doing that can be difficult. Therefore, you might want to get an anti-malware program to remove it from your PC for you. See the guide below on how you can get rid of it manually. If that fails then try an anti-malware program.

How to remove an extension from Google Chrome

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Press Alt+F.
3. Open More tools.
4. Select Extensions.
5. Find the unwanted extension.
6. Click Remove.

Delete extension files manually

1. Press Windows+E keys.
2. Type the following file paths in File Explorer’s address box and hit Enter.
   • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\[PROFILE]\Extensions\
   • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\[PROFILE]\Local Extension Settings\
   • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\[PROFILE]\Sync Extension Settings\
3. Locate the correct ID of the malicious extension.
4. Right-click the file and click Delete.

Reset Chrome settings to default

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Press Alt+F keys and open Settings.
3. Select Show advanced settings and click Reset settings.
4. Click Reset.