Direct Search – What is it?

“Direct Search” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is distributed as a plugin for your web browser. It is typically spread as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to browse some certain details, for example, about sporting activity events, make your browser much more secure, allow downloading of any kind of web video, et cetera.

However, the “Direct Search” plugin is rather useless since all such functions are currently integrated to your browser and/or Windows. Such advertising and marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. However often even expert users are getting caught on such an appeal. In particular instances, this hijacker is dispersed along with free tools.

How harmful is Direct Search hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, Direct Search hijacker is additionally fairly hazardous for web browser use. It modifies your search engine to its specific – Search-direct.net, and also changes your background, adding its watermark on your wallpaper (or, occasionally, altering it to default with the mentioned symptom).

Apart from viewable modifications done by Direct Search hijacker, you may notice that many of your search questions are redirecting to the dubious websites, filled with links and advertisements – so-called doorway websites. Such sites can have web links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting increases if you try to start Google search page by force.

But all these actions are much more annoying than truly harmful. The biggest danger, particularly for individuals who have a great deal of confidential information in their browsers, is installed in information collecting functions. Cookie files, chats, often-visited sites, as well as other activities are easily collected by Direct Search hijacker.