Searchgoose – What is it?

“Searchgoose” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is distributed as a plugin for your web browser. It is usually spread as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to browse some special information, as an example, about sporting activity events, make your web browser a lot more secure, enable downloading of any video, et cetera. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

However, the “Searchgoose” plugin is pretty ineffective due to the fact that all such features are currently integrated to your browser and/or Windows. Such marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, such as pensioners or schoolchildren. But often even expert users are getting caught on such an attraction. In specific instances, this hijacker is spread together with free programs.

How harmful is Searchgoose hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, Searchgoose hijacker is additionally considerably unsafe for browser utilization. It transforms your search engine to its specific – Searchgoose.com, and likewise changes your background, adding its watermark on your background image (or, sometimes, changing it to default with the mentioned sign).

Apart from aesthetic changes done by Searchgoose hijacker, you might discover that several of your search queries are redirecting to the uncertain web pages, full of links and ads – so-called doorway sites. Such websites can contain web links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting increases if you attempt to open Google search page by force.

However all these activities are far more bothersome than truly dangerous. The biggest risk, primarily for people who have a lot of confidential information in their internet browsers, is embedded in information collecting functionalities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited sites, as well as other activities are simply collected by Searchgoose hijacker.