Default-Search.net

Default-Search.net is a search site that, while harmless to your PC, has been known to be involved in browser hijacks, which take over your Web browser and force it to load unwanted sites automatically. Default-Search.net hijacks may be the result of the installation of Trojans that modify your system settings maliciously, or unwanted programs that aren't threats to the same extent as other kind of threats. Because a Default-Search.net redirect may happen in differing circumstances, malware researchers consider the use of general anti-malware solutions for stopping Default-Search.net redirects, homepage hijacks and similar problems to be the best way to deal with these Web-browsing issues.

Why Your Default State No Longer is Up to You to Choose

Although search sites usually (if not always) aren't threatening to the PCs that visit them, some, like Default-Search.net, do benefit from the attacks and unnecessary browser changes of potentially risky software. With content that largely consists of redirects to the results of Yahoo Search, Default-Search.net doesn't have any clear ability to harm visitors. However, the browser hijackers promoting Default-Search.net may be considered a different story.

Default-Search.net hijackers may modify either your homepage or your default search engine settings to be locked to Default-Search.net, with other accompanying browser changes (pop-up advertisements, injected links or redirects while browsing other sites, for example) also being likely. Malware researchers still are acquiring samples of the software responsible for these browser changes, and warn that they may occur as the result of infection by threats, as well as by the installation of Potentially Unwanted Programs that usually are specialized in browser-related features.

However, a typical Default-Search.net browser hijacker may be installed through bundled freeware products distributed through generalized software sites and other resources with unoptimized security for their downloads. Although Default-Search.net hijacks may be marketed as advantages for your browser, malware researchers always rate any change of your browser that takes its controls out of the user's hands to be a liability, both in terms of performance and in terms of online safety.

Turning Your Default Search Back into Your Personal Decision

If you find it unavoidable to install programs that may include bundled PC threats like Default-Search.net hijackers, the file-scanning features of competent anti-malware programs often can detect these bundles. Being canny enough to look for any unusual optional installations during the install process also can save your browser from the most honest forms of browser hijackers, although not all Default-Search.net hijackers are guaranteed to ask for your permission. Loading Default-Search.net deliberately is not a danger to your PC, but malware researchers do consider it commendable to delete any toolbars or other PUPs that make these kinds of unwarranted changes to your Web-browsing experience.

In rare cases, Default-Search.net redirects also may be caused by threatening software, such as backdoor Trojans with multiple components and functions. Because these PC threats tend to include other attacks without overt symptoms, the use of strong anti-malware products and techniques is strongly suggested whenever your browser starts loading Default-Search.net without any signs of a PUP. Standard signs of a PUP include changes to your browser interface or advertisements sponsored by specific companies, whereas, in many cases, Trojans will not show many other symptoms besides a minor shift in your PC's resource usage.