Do-search.com

Do-search.com is a search site that pulls content from the Yahoo Search to provide results, with no evidence of any additional inserted content or other modifications on the part of Do-search.com. Although Do-search.com is categorized as a non-hostile site, malware experts do have a note of caution for all readers: Do-search.com also has been part of a browser hijacker campaign that can redirect your browser to Do-search.com. Even when your destination ends up being a site that will not harm your PC, deleting a browser-hijacking program always is in your best interests, and the use of anti-malware utilities is especially recommended for cases where Do-search.com is difficult to identify or uninstall such software.

When Your Browser Doesn't Give You a Choice About Doing a Search from Do-search.com

Although many search site proprietors find it sufficiently profitable to 'borrow' the results of other sites, there comes an inevitable problem of encouraging people to visit such copycat search sites. In many unsavory cases, browser hijackers are treated as a solution to this problem, and Do-search.com is one of the newer examples of such PC threats being used to direct the flow of traffic to ends that are profitable – but not beneficial for the average Web surfer. Malware researchers haven't identified any explicit toolbars or other browser add-ons that are tied to these attacks, making exploitations and other deceitful installation methods more likely than usual.

Do-search.com hijacks may take on several formats in any of various browsers, with some of the most common implementations including:

• Hijacking your homepage to force your browser to load Do-search.com as the program launches.
• Redirecting any attempted Web searches on other sites to Do-search.com.
• Injecting Do-search.com-promoting content (such as hyperlinks) in Web pages that normally wouldn't have it.

Just as Do-search.com hijackers aren't installed through any individual browser add-on, they also may be designed to affect one or more than one type of Web browser. Even if you can avoid a Do-search.com hijack by switching your choice of browser, malware analysts warn that Do-search.com will continue to be a security issue until Do-search.com actually is removed from your computer.

Doing Your Web Searches Wherever You Feel is Best

Because of the potential variety in any Do-search.com browser hijacker-related infection, malware experts strongly suggest using qualified anti-malware software to delete a Do-search.com hijacker from your computer and block any future attacks that could result from its system changes. These changes may be implemented through the system Registry – and any improper editing of this file may run the risk of damaging your operating system. As a rule, you shouldn't assume that most Do-search.com hijackers will show either their files or any other components in formats that would be easily detectable, such as an explicit browser extension.

Although the distribution methods exploited by Do-search.com hijackers are far from confirmed, malware experts' previous experience with these low-level PC threats leads to the conclusion that bundled freeware installers may be the culprits. However, in a minority of browser-hijacking incidents, other kinds of threats also may be involved, such as Trojan downloaders like Zlob, Kuluoz or Chepvil.