‘Related Searches’ Pop-Up

The 'Related Searches' pop-up is a symptom of a browser modification by Potentially Unwanted Programs, which promote extra search results for purposes of their own profits. Because tolerating a 'Related Searches' pop-up has no advantages for your browser, malware researchers find it preferable to remove any software associated with this issue. An individual 'Related Searches' pop-up isn't necessarily threatening, but the unwanted display of additional search links may expose you to potentially harmful Web content, such as phishing attacks, fraudulent security warnings and attempts to install threats onto your PC.

When Your Searches Come Up with More Than You Wanted

The 'Related Searches' pop-up is a general symptom that may be associated with multiple browsers, though adware and search engine-themed browser toolbars are the products most likely to make use of the 'Related Searches' pop-up. Whereas some types of unwanted software, such as browser hijackers, prefer to redirect their users to new websites, software utilizing the 'Related Searches' pop-up merely will inject new results into a Web page. The affected Web page isn't necessarily related to this software, and, in most cases, malware researchers found that the popularly-used search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo Search were among the most widely targeted.

Just like its appearance may be related to different applications, a 'Related Searches' pop-up also may be used to display different advertising links. In the least threatening cases, the 'Related Searches' pop-up may content itself with the display of unwanted advertisements or sponsored links for other websites, although these aren't especially likely to adhere to your requested search terms. However, malware experts also see these types of browser changes used to advertise for the following PC threats:

• Attacks that track privileged information by providing fake prize giveaways, surveys and other plausible excuses to request your information – a practice known as 'phishing.'
• Fraudulent update prompts, system warnings and online system scans that try to install unwanted or threatening software onto your PC. The majority of these attacks require your consent, but may be disguised to look like legitimate updates from prominent companies, such as Adobe. A minority of them also may include exploits to install their payloads automatically.

Untangling Your Browser's Relationship with the 'Related Searches' Pop-Up

As a rule, letting a 'Related Searches' pop-up add extra search results to any online search you might make is a process with no benefits to your browser, along with the aforementioned security risks. The symptoms related to a 'Related Searches' pop-up may be suppressible by switching your Web browser to a different brand or by reinstalling your browser completely. However, malware experts suggest removing the associated Potentially Unwanted Program, which is best for your PC's long term health.

Although PUPs causing the 'Related Searches' pop-up may have flexible formats, many of them will try to block any attempts at uninstallation. Unless there's new interference from other PC threats, reliable anti-malware and anti-adware programs should be able to remove the 'Related Searches' pop-up-related program during any standard system scan. Happily, many of them also have good rates of detection for the multiple-program bundles that may install this unwanted software. For PC users who haven't learned the lesson of avoiding untrusted download sources that regularly distribute PUPs, scanning all downloaded software is a good fallback defense.