Axisearch.com

Axisearch.com is a search site affiliated with FBDownloader, a Facebook photo-managing utility that's classified as a Potentially Unwanted Program. Examinations by malware researchers haven't turned up any major misbehavior on the part of Axisearch.com or its search results, but they have confirmed a series of recent browser hijacks that might force your browser to load this site. Axisearch.com hijackers may change your homepage, default new tab page or default search engine to promote Axisearch.com and usually will not be installed with visible toolbars or other browser add-ons. Conveniently thwarting this browser-domineering hijacker campaign requires using dependable anti-malware programs; preferably ones that are experienced in removing software that hides its components and attempts to resist deletion, like many other low and high-level PC threats.

Axisearch.com: an Incidental Browser Invasion

Having a search site like Axisearch.com promoted by unrelated software is one of the easiest ways to get traffic redirected to where you want it, but some threat designer apparently has decided that using FBDownloader to promote was insufficient. Late browser hijacker attacks that were confirmed only by October of 2013 have been seen forcing victims towards Axisearch.com, as well. While Axisearch.com doesn't have any unsafe content, malware researchers continue to recommend using all relevant browser security measures when browsing this site, as with any site with an uneven reputation.

Although Axisearch.com is closely affiliated with FBDownloader, downloading that PUP isn't a mandatory prerequisite for getting an Axisearch.com browser hijacker on your computer. Many victims of the current series of Axisearch.com hijacks have reported these issues occurring without their having installed any new software deliberately, and Axisearch.com hijackers don't appear to be formatted for displaying any kind of accompanying browser add-on. However, non-Chrome users may breathe a sigh of relief – since malware experts only have observed Axisearch.com hijacks in Google's Chrome browser, at this point.

Current attacks most commonly are structured as replacements for your default new tab page. However, such PC threats also may be able to redirect you to Axisearch.com from other sites or replace your homepage. As usual for such cases, you can't block these attacks by changing your browser's settings.

Breaking the Axis Up to Keep Your Browser in One Piece

Although malware researchers usually categorize browser hijackers as PUPs, they warn that the circumstantial evidence around Axisearch.com hijackers may be indicative of Axisearch.com hijacks being caused by multipurpose Trojans or other high-level PC threats. Symptoms that result in your browser loading Axisearch.com automatically, even without any other harm coming from the situation, always should be considered an invasion of your PC's security that should be staunched without delay.

Because Axisearch.com hijackers have shown that they intend to stop themselves from being removed, you shouldn't try to rely on normal uninstallation procedures, like your browser's add-on manager or the Windows Control Panel. Instead, anti-malware products should be used to make sure that you've deleted the Axisearch.com hijacker and any related threat, regardless of how major or minor the impact of these redirects is to your Web-browsing activities.