Home Malware Programs Browser Hijackers HightSearch

HightSearch

Posted: June 13, 2016

Threat Metric

Threat Level: 8/10
Infected PCs: 9
First Seen: June 13, 2016
Last Seen: February 14, 2020
OS(es) Affected: Windows

HightSearch is a highly suspicious Web extension that may hijack your Web clients. Its purpose is to change the configuration of the browsers automatically to benefit third-parties. This potentially harmful add-on may set Hightsearch.com as your homepage automatically. HightSearch also may redirect you to this platform whenever you open new tabs. This site seems to be a normal search engine, but you should not trust it because it may display manipulated results. The purpose is to transfer you towards sponsored pages. This way, the developers of the browser hijacker may receive certain pay-per-click commissions. The advice of the specialists is not to visit the promoted sites for security reasons. Unfortunately, it may not be an easy task to stay away from the affiliated domains because Hightsearch.com may become your default search provider as well. In this case, even if you type your terms in the address bar, the results may be manipulated. The unwanted extension may include sponsored links in Google and Bing as well. The browser hijacker may enter without the knowledge of the computer user. The most common tactic to accomplish this is known as bundling. If you download freeware from unverified sites and install it via the 'Quick' menu, it may load additional components besides itself. You should use the 'Custom' guide to make sure you do not install any unwanted applications in addition to the core one. Hightsearch.com is very similar to Google in terms of page layout. The color scheme of the logo is identical to the one of Google. The only difference is that the text above the search field in Hightsearch.com says 'Search.' The suspicious engine borrows some of its results from the databases of Google. However, most of the links you will find in the front position may be ads, which may lack any slogan suggesting so. If you use the dubious provider continuously, you may end up on threat-hosting platforms or fraudulent sites eventually. Once you perceive that your homepage has been replaced automatically, you should perform a scan of your PC with a leading security solution to delete the browser hijacker.

Related Posts

Loading...