SearchLock – What is it?

“SearchLock” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is distributed as a plugin for your web browser. It is typically marketed as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that aids to browse some particular information, for example, about sporting activity events, make your browser a lot more secure, allow downloading of any kind of web video, and so on.

Nonetheless, the “SearchLock” plugin is pretty pointless because all such features are currently embedded to your web browser and/or system. Such marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. But in some cases even qualified users are getting caught on such a lure. In specific situations, this hijacker is spread together with free programs.

How harmful is SearchLock hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, SearchLock hijacker is additionally fairly hazardous for browser usage. It alters your search engine to its particular – Searchlock.com, and also alters your background, putting its watermark on your wallpaper (or, occasionally, altering it to default with the mentioned symptom).

Besides aesthetic alterations done by SearchLock hijacker, you might observe that several of your search inquiries are redirecting to the dubious websites, full of web links and promotions – so-called doorway sites. Such websites can have web links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting increases if you try to open Google search page by force.

But all these activities are far more irritating than truly dangerous. The main risk, particularly for people who have a huge amount of secret information in their internet browsers, is installed in information collecting functionalities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited sites, as well as various other activities are simply gathered by SearchLock hijacker.