Search.searchyffff.com

Our researchers report Search.searchyffff.com is one of the many browser hijackers created by an untrustworthy publisher called Polarity Technologies Ltd. Just like other search engines before it, the recently developed tool seems to be unreliable since it could show users modified search results. Therefore, if you did not put it as your default homepage knowingly, we recommend getting rid of it without any delays. Users who prefer to have a search tool for their homepage should pick a more reliable one, for example, google.com, yahoo.com, and so on. However, the browser hijacker’s appearance might make it difficult to do so; thus, if you wish to place another site for your start page you may have to eliminate the threat as it is shown in the instructions available at the end of the article. For users who are looking for more information about Search.searchyffff.com, we would advise reading the rest of this article.

The application could affect Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer homepages. If you have a couple or all of these browsers, the threat should affect the one that is recognized as your default browsing application. Search.searchyffff.com looks more or less like any other search engine. It offers a search box in the middle of the page, a couple of icons leading to popular web pages below it, and a toolbar providing a second search box and more icons leading to various websites. Inserting a keyword in either of the available search boxes redirects you to search.yahoo.com. Our researchers think it is a modified Yahoo version, which might mean the hijacker could alter the results by placing additional content with them.

According to the Privacy Policy document located on Search.searchyffff.com, the application can gather various information related to the user’s browsing habits, for example, visited web pages, clicked ads, search keywords, etc. One of the statements found on the same document explains that “This information may be shared with third-party applications that use Search Data to function, or to offer you more customized information, advertising and service.” Consequently, we believe the search engine might be showing third-party advertising content among the displayed results, for example, pop-ups, banners, and so on. The problem is, we do not think such advertisements could be trusted. Especially, if they come from “third-party advertising networks and advertisers.”

It seems Search.searchyffff.com End User License Agreement document claims Polarity has no responsibility to you or the third party. Because of this, we think it is entirely possible the browser hijacker’s creators do not review third-party ads their product could advertise or take any responsibility for such content. If this is true, it is possible the advertisements displayed along with the search results may originate from possibly malicious web pages. Since most of them might be clickable interaction with this content could result in redirection to these potentially harmful websites. There you could find offers to install more browser hijackers, or threats alike, such as adware, potentially unwanted programs, etc. In the worst case scenario, you may end up on a site that might distribute malware or seek to steal your private data.

Because of the risks we just described we advise you to stay away from any suspicious advertisements you might see while searching the Internet with Search.searchyffff.com or better yet exchange this unreliable search engine with a more trustworthy one. It might seem like a difficult task, but our researchers assure us that it is enough to reset the affected browser and the threat should disappear. The other way to remove it from the browser is to employ a reliable antimalware tool. You would only need to set it to scan the system, and the tool would identify the hijacker along with other possible threats. To erase the detections click the deletion button and all of them should be taken care of right away.

Remove Search.searchyffff.com

Internet Explorer

1. Open the browser and click Alt+X.
2. Choose Internet Options.
3. Open the Advanced tab.
4. Click Reset, choose Delete personal settings and pick Reset again.
5. Press Close.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Launch the browser.
2. Press the Help icon (top-left corner).
3. Select Troubleshooting information and wait till new tab opens.
4. Look at the right side and click Refresh Firefox.
5. Press Refresh Firefox again and select Finish.

Google Chrome

1. Open browser and press Alt+F.
2. Select Settings and then slide down.
3. Choose Show advanced settings and scroll below.
4. Click Reset Settings and select the Reset button.