Sear4m.xyz

Sear4m.xyz is a search site that has been the subject of a recent browser-hijacking campaign. Computer users experienced hijacked search engine settings for specific browsers across multiple systems, forcing the automatic loading of Sear4m.xyz. While malware analysts found no evidence of Sear4m.xyz hosting unsafe content, you still should take care to disinfect PCs showing symptoms of a search hijacker and stop the spread of this threat to other machines.

How a Lightly-Seared Browser may Turn Contagious

Sear4m.xyz is one of an innumerable count of search engine Websites that scrape results from other sources or disguise advertising content as being search results. By itself, this behavior isn't worth placing Sear4m.xyz in the same classification as Websites that host threats or intentional attacks against the Web surfers' PCs. However, a new browser-hijacking campaign for Chrome has begun forcing Web surfers into loading Sear4m.xyz regardless of their wishes, with strategies similar to the attacks of some Trojans.

Sear4m.xyz hijackers may install themselves using the format of Chrome extensions but don't display themselves in the Chrome's extension menu. They may modify the browser by locking its search engine or homepage to Sear4m.xyz, although some PC users have reported being able to reset these changes manually without removing the Sear4m.xyz search program. Because they target Chrome, Google's account-synchronization feature also can reproduce the symptoms of Sear4m.xyz hijackers unintentionally, making it seem as if Sear4m.xyz hijackers are 'infecting' other systems using the same account.

The End of the Line for an End of the Alphabet Hijacker

Sear4m.xyz is unusually script-heavy and shows some signs of including misleading search results, but is not a threatening domain. However, any search hijacker puts you at a higher risk for threats loaded in your browser, which is why removing a Sear4m.xyz hijacker always is preferable. PC users at risk for Sear4m.xyz hijackings should stay aware of their Google account settings and, if necessary, disable any sync features that could allow any negative symptoms to affect multiple machines.

Note that uninstalling Chrome may not delete the Sear4m.xyz hijacker extension or any synchronization issues occurring through your Google account, which may let Sear4m.xyz hijackings continue after you reinstall your browser. To remove a Sear4m.xyz hijacker permanently, reboot your PC, launch Safe Mode and verify that no browsers are running. Most anti-malware applications should be capable of detecting concealed Sear4m.xyz hijackers and removing them without any qualms.

The installation techniques for Sear4m.xyz hijackers are still under research. However, malware experts often find that such attacks against Chrome, which include adware just as much as search hijackers, may be the result of a bundler like SoftwareBundler:Win32/Tillail. Bundlers merge multiple installation routines into a single file, and may include mislabeled files or misleading installation options that could install a Sear4m.xyz hijacker automatically.