GiftHulk Virus

Posted: June 21, 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:	5/10
Infected PCs:	62

First Seen:	June 18, 2013
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Gifthulk.com is a loyalty program site that claims to reward its users with points for performing ordinary online activities. While this may be harmless enough, SpywareRemove.com malware experts also have noted recent attacks by a GiftHulk Virus that automatically redirect your searches to GiftHulk's search engine – most likely via unwanted installations of the GiftHulk Toolbar. Search results promoted by the Gifthulk.com usually are not dangerous to your PC but may contain unmarked advertising links that have questionable relevance to your search terms. Any form of the GiftHulk Virus, including browser hijackers and other PC threats involved in redirecting you to Gifthulk.com without your consent, should be treated as harmful, and anti-malware products should be deployed to remove a the GiftHulk Virus as soon as the GiftHulk Virus is identified.

The Unhappy Surprise Under the GiftHulk Virus's Wrapping Paper

The GiftHulk Virus is associated with a site that offers free monetary compensation merely for doing what you always do on the Internet – social network, shop and use search engines. SpywareRemove.com malware researchers haven't seen any clear indications of fraud in this suspicious business model, but do note that Gifthulk.com has been known to abuse e-mail invitation protocols by spamming mass-mailed messages arbitrarily. Nonetheless, the most significant danger related to Gifthulk.com is the confirmed presence of at least one form of GiftHulk Virus, which functions as a browser hijacker that redirects your searches to a search engine sub-domain of Gifthulk.com.

This sub-domain, Search.gifthulk.com, doesn't appear to be used to distribute PC threats, and SpywareRemove.com malware researchers estimate that the GiftHulk Virus's attacks merely are attempts to profit from redirecting traffic to the search engine. However, they did take note of the inclusion of potentially unrelated or sponsored websites in Gifthulk's search results, which, unlike those of most reputable search engines, are not clearly marked as separate from your regular results.

Smashing the Computer Gift that You Didn't Want in the First Place

Although the GiftHulk Virus is defined primarily by its search redirects, a GiftHulk Virus also may include some other side effects such as changes to your homepage, keyword links or pop-ups, and usually will affect more than one type of browser. At this time, SpywareRemove.com malware researchers classify the GiftHulk Virus as a low-level threat and don't rate Gifthulk.com as a potential infection vector, but they do suggest removing the GiftHulk Virus with an appropriate level of haste. Anti-malware products always should be used to delete the GiftHulk Virus and similar PC threats, even those that promote non-hostile websites.

As usual, browser security changes may be able to block the attacks of a GiftHulk Virus, but shouldn't be considered as an alternative to the actual removal of a GiftHulk Virus from your PC. Even when its major symptoms are blocked, PC threats like the GiftHulk Virus endanger your PC security and always should be eliminated thoroughly.

Search.gifthulk.com

GiftHulk Virus

Threat Metric

The Unhappy Surprise Under the GiftHulk Virus's Wrapping Paper

Smashing the Computer Gift that You Didn't Want in the First Place

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