Search.searchquickm.com may look like a reliable and safe search engine, but the reality is that it is a browser hijacker whose job is to replace your browser’s homepage address secretly. Its developers want you to use it to search the Internet and view the dozens of ads and promotional links included among the search results. These links can redirect to malicious websites. Therefore, since this hijacker can replace your homepage secretly to show shady search results, we suggest that you remove this search engine from your PC as soon as the opportunity arises.
Search.searchquickm.com is a typical browser hijacker that was created for the sole purpose of hijacking your browser’s homepage address in order to serve you promotional links and ads in its Yahoo-based search results. Indeed, this hijacker does not have its own algorithm, so it is no surprise that it uses Yahoo to deliver you searches. Still, that does not mean that the search results are safe. We think that Search.searchquickm.com can modify Yahoo’s searches to include additional links that promote certain content. The links probably generate ad revenue when clicked, so the developers have a vested interest in keeping the clicks coming. We want to point out, however, that the content this hijacker may promote can actually be of malicious nature and get your computer infected with serious malware such as spyware, Trojans, ransomware, adware, fake anti-malware programs, and so on.
Search.searchquickm.com can collect information about you to customize and personalize the advertising campaign so that it could bring more ad revenue. According to this hijacker’s privacy policy, Search.searchquickm.com can collect non-personally identifiable information such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address, Internet Service Provider (ISP,) search terms, browsing history, browser type, operating system type, and approximate geographical location. This hijacker can obtain this information automatically via browser cookies, web beacons, and pixels. The collection of this information is legal, but you might not want to share it with an unknown entity that can use this information to tailor advertisements that can later jeopardize your PC’s security.
We want to note that Search.searchquickm.com was created by Polarity Technologies, a company allegedly based in Cyprus. This company is known only by its releases of similar browser hijackers that include Search.yourmapscenter.com, Search.yourinterestscenter.com, and Search.searchlttrn.com. All of this company’s hijackers are quite similar in their appearance and functionality as they are mostly clones of each other.
Now let us discuss how this new hijacker is currently being disseminated. We have found that Search.searchquickm.com comes bundled with third-party software that is featured on several websites that distribute free software. The websites in question are Filewon.com, Filewin.com, Malavida.es, and Descargar.es. These sites are dedicated to distributing free software and are apt to feature additional content bundled with their featured programs. The installers are said to have been configured to inject Search.searchquickm.com while installing the main software. Furthermore, some installers may hide the presence of this hijacker and may not allow you to deselect its installation from the custom settings menu.
All things considered, this search engine is highly unreliable in that it not only replaces the homepage but also featured potentially dangerous commercial ads in its search results and collects information about you to personalize the ads. Therefore, we recommend that you remove this hijacker as soon as the opportunity arises.
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