Home Malware Programs Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) Quick Searcher Chrome Extension

Quick Searcher Chrome Extension

Posted: October 23, 2017

Threat Metric

Ranking: 4,821
Threat Level: 1/10
Infected PCs: 4,052
First Seen: October 23, 2017
Last Seen: October 13, 2023
OS(es) Affected: Windows

The Quick Searcher Chrome Extension is a dubious browser add-on, which is only compatible with Google Chrome. Most strange extensions that researchers come across usually mess with the Chrome's configuration to change the new tab page or default search service provider. However, the Quick Searcher Chrome Extension is much different and threatening – it launches a CPU miner based on CoinHive to utilize the user's CPU resources to mine for a particular crypto-currency automatically. Naturally, the user gets nothing in return, while the authors of the Quick Searcher Chrome Extension reap in all the money that the miner harvests.

Usually, the CoinHive JS miner is used by particular websites in a legitimate manner, but this is the first time in which we see it being used by a browser extension. Because the miner is used by an extension that is running constantly, this means that the victim's CPU will mine for cryptocurrency for as long as Google Chrome is opened. The excessive use of CPU resources might reduce the system's overall performance, as well as cause other applications to work slowly or to not work at all.

The Quick Searcher Chrome Extension might be promoted via online ads, and users will need to install it manually. However, the download page of the Quick Searcher Chrome Extension might not mention anything about its cryptocurrency mining activities so that users might have no idea that they are about to 'lend' their CPU's resources to the developers of Quick Searcher. If you suspect that you might be running a browser extension, which also doubles as a CPU miner, then we advise you to deal with the issue as soon as possible. The removal of the Quick Searcher Chrome Extension can be carried out manually by removing the add-on for Chrome's settings, or automatically with the help of a suitable PC security tool.

Technical Details

Additional Information

The following URL's were detected:
searchsmart.bid
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