Are your web searches being redirected to the https://searchpowerapp.com website? Then this could only mean one thing. There must be a browser extension or plug-in installed on your browser that is causing these redirects.
About the Searchpowerapp.com Browser Hijacker
Developed by a company based in the United Arab Emirates, Searchpowerapp.com is simply a website that users find on their browsers after installing a potentially unwanted application. Most of the time, this application remains unnoticed because it comes bundled with software packages as an optional program.
What Does Searchpowerapp.com Do?
Once installed, it modifies all browser settings, including that of Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. It will then change the default search engine, new tab address, and the homepage to hxxp://searchpowerapp.com/. What’s alarming is that these settings cannot be changed unless the PUP itself is terminated.
Once the changes have been applied, the PUP will start displaying sponsored search results. It is worth noting that some of these search results are fake, even if the PUP is using reputable search engines like Bing, Google, and Yahoo.
The moment you notice being redirected to searchpowerapp.com, you should immediately remove the PUP. Don’t worry because getting rid of the PUP is easy. We’ll be providing more instructions below.
But before we proceed, how do you think do the perpetrators or the people behind this strategy can benefit from doing so?
How the Developers of Searchpowerapp.com Take Advantage of Victims?
By redirecting victims to fake search results or sponsored sites, the perpetrators are able to make money. The ads allow the third-party sites and developers to accomplish their respective goals, which are to generate more interested in the products and services being offered and gain pay-per-click revenue.
In most cases, the following browsing information is also collected and sold to third parties:
- sites visited
- keywords
- search queries
- IP address
- search history
- links clicked
- installed programs
- cookie data
To make matters worse, this notorious PUP may also collect personal information of the victim, including the name, address, phone number, and email address. In other instances, data from social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter are also collected.
Though browser hijackers are not considered major security threats, cybersecurity professionals still recommend the removal of Searchpowerapp.com and other PUPs from your PC as soon as possible.
Extensions That Promote the Searchpowerapp.com Browser Hijacker
There are many browser-based programs that could promote the Searchpowerapp.com browser hijacker. Among the most popular examples are toolbars, browser extensions, and adware-type programs.
Among all programs, it is the Search Power tool that notoriously promotes the hijacker. It triggers browser extensions to change the default search engine, as well as the startup pages and new tabs to Searchpowerapp.com. You may only start noticing this tool once it starts triggering problems with searches and delivers unwanted ads and content on your screen.
Sometimes, warnings and notifications show up during the installation of a certain app. However, this Direct Search tool may also change the triggers in browsers, causing you to overlook pop-ups and instead allow any unwanted changes on your PC.
To avoid installing the Direct Search hijacker tool, avoid clicking on suspicious links, even if they are found on legit places online such as the Google Play Store.
Important Security Tip
For many businesses, pay-per-click is an important and effective monetization strategy. Major companies even use this including Facebook and Google. But then again, over the years, many have taken advantage of this strategy. And many users have since become more aware of the data being collected from them.
Even then, many PUPs still manage to make their way to devices and hide their data-gathering tactics, making sure victims don’t notice them. For this reason, experts recommend that each one of us should be very careful about the applications we install on our PCs. As much as possible, they want us to avoid third-party apps and install software only from official sources.
Now, if you cannot find what you are looking for from trusted sources, just avoid rushing the entire installation process. Check every step, decline any offers or deals, review the Privacy Policy, and make it a habit to opt for the Custom Installation option.
How to Remove the Searchpower.com Browser Hijacker
The entire searchpowerapp.com removal instructions should not be complicated. However, the steps may vary depending on the applications that have been affected by the browser hijacker. For instance, if the hijacker has changed the browser settings, you need to eliminate it via the browser itself. On the other hand, if it has changed the settings of a particular app, then you can make changes directly from the Control Panel.
Well, if you are not tech-savvy, you can choose to remove the browser hijacker using professional antivirus software that can effectively get rid of PUPs.
Should you decide to try the manual removal method, let the steps below be your guide:
Removing the Browser Hijacker from Google Chrome
- Launch Google Chrome.
- Access the menu icon located at the top right corner of the window.
- Choose Tools and click Extensions.
- Find Searchpowerapp.com and other suspicious plugins. Click the Trash icon beside them to delete.
- If the browser hijacker has changed your default search engine, click on the menu icon again and go to Settings.
- Scroll down to the Set pages section and find the Open a specific page or set of pages option. Click Set pages.
- A new window should now appear. Delete any malicious or suspicious site and enter your preferred URL.
- Restart your browser.
Removing Searchpowerapp.com from Windows
- Right-click on the Start menu and select Control Panel.
- Choose Uninstall a Program.
- Find the Searchpowerapp.com program and other unwanted programs. Uninstall them by clicking the Uninstall button.
- Hit OK to save the changes.
Wrapping Up
At this point, your PC should be free of the Searchpowerapp.com browser hijacker. If you are still having problems with it, do not hesitate to seek help from professionals. They can recommend strategies and methods that can protect your device against all sorts of online threats.
What other virus removal methods do you suggest? Share them with us in the comments!