Searchgol

Posted: September 24, 2013

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	143

First Seen:	September 24, 2013
Last Seen:	June 21, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Searchgol is a search site that pulls its search results from the Yahoo search engine. While not unsafe to your PC, Searchgol has been associated with the browser hijacks of various low-level PC threats interested in boosting Searchgol.com traffic without bothering with anything resembling an ordinary marketing plan. Even if Searchgol will not attack your computer, any Searchgol pop-ups, search redirects to Searchgol or any other recurring attacks involving this site always should be considered evidence of a threat that SpywareRemove.com malware research team could consider best dealt with through the use of a trustworthy anti-malware scanner.

Going to Searchgol... Even if You'd Rather Go Elsewhere

As a search site, Searchgol trips over the very first hurdle by being incapable of providing search results that are unique to Searchgol as a website. Instead of finding independent results, Searchgol displays results borrowed from Yahoo Search – leading to the obvious question of why anyone would go to Searchgol instead of just navigating to Yahoo. Other than these borrowed search results and a set of oddly broad privacy policies, Searchgol has little in the way of content, but neither is Searchgol a danger to your PC – even if you do happen to load Searchgol with a completely unprotected browser, which SpywareRemove.com malware experts never would recommend.

SpywareRemove.com malware analysts noted that Searchgol does not appear to insert any additional advertisements or other content that would lead to these results being less accurate (or safe) than usual. However, what does cause a collectively raised brow amongst malware researchers is Searchgol's association with browser hijacks and similar attacks that modify your browser to promote Searchgol. The most common form of these attacks for a search site like Searchgol usually is a simple browser redirect from searches at other websites. However, the same PC threats also may be responsible for creating pop-ups, injecting text links, disabling some browser security features or changing your homepage – with or without a visible browser add-on being involved in the process.

Telling Searchgol to Go Away for Good

Although many search engine hijackers are disguised as one of many different flavors of browser toolbars, SpywareRemove.com malware researchers haven't found any browser add-on products that promote Searchgol as either a primary or secondary function. It can at least be thanked that being redirected to Searchgol regularly is a very obvious symptom that's difficult to miss, unlike the minimal symptoms associated with higher level PC threats than browser hijackers.

Deleting hidden semi-malicious programs like ones that redirect you to Searchgol or other sites usually will require you to use anti-malware programs, both to delete all concealed files and to undo any settings modifications that have been made in the meantime. Searchgol hijacks are not linked to any one browser and should be expected to be able to attack all major browser brands, including Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Opera.

Technical Details

Additional Information

The following URL's were detected:

jonesisted.website