Free Download Seeker

Free Download Seeker is supposed to be a Google Chrome extension that “lets you choose default web and software search engines with a click”; however, we have discovered that this is just another useless adware application that may put your virtual security at risk. The only real function this extension has is that it fills your computer screen with rather annoying third-party advertisements. Not only do these ads ruin your normal browsing routine, but they may also present a threat by exposing you to potentially harmful websites. Having such an ad-supported program on board is bad news in several ways. This application may spy on you, target you with tailored ads, and might also hijack trustworthy advertisements. On top of all that, it may also hijack your browser home page and set it to load a potentially unreliable search engine. If this would not be enough for you to remove Free Download Seeker right now, let us tell you in more detail what we have found out about this malware infection.

You may have been able to download this browser extension through its official webpage at freedownloadsseeker.com previously; however, this page is no longer available. This is rather suspicious and does not convince us about Free Download Seeker being a reliable and useful program at all. So if you cannot download it anymore from its promotional site, there has to be another way for it to be able to spread on the web. Reports show that this adware might be found in freeware bundles. You may know already that bundling is the most frequently used methods to distribute adware applications, browser hijackers as well as potentially unwanted programs. It is possible to end up with such an infectious package if you click on unreliable third-party ads, for instance. These ads may come from an adware program that infected your computer previously or you may encounter them when visiting shady file-sharing websites, such as torrent and shareware sites.

It is possible that you originally want to download and install a new free tool, such as a toolbar or other software and you end up with a whole package of malware infections instead. That is why you should stick to official websites when it comes to downloading software. Because when you allow such infections onto your PC, deleting Free Download Seeker will not be enough for you to restore the security of your computer. You will need to hunt down all possible infections. You can find the usual and less dangerous adware programs, browser hijackers, and potentially unwanted programs if you go through the list of installed programs in Control Panel, check the running process list via Task Manager, and check the list of extensions in your browsers. But, if you want to detect more vicious malware infections, such as backdoors, keyloggers, and Trojan ransomware programs, you need to be an expert user to be able to do so. That is why we suggest that you use a free online tool, for example, a reliable malware scanner to identify all the threats so that you understand what you and your computer are facing really.

This application may not even function as it promises, but, instead, it may flood your screen with useless third-party advertisements. Cyber criminals can easily exploit such adware programs as their security is rather low. Practically, anyone can pose as a third party to use such a tool to promote their websites. Since this program can spy on you and collect even personally identifiable information about you, sharing this with criminals can have unfortunate consequences. You may be tricked by seeing customized advertisements that you will be more inclined to click on. However, be prepared to land on unreliable or malicious websites if you do so. You should never click on any ads if this or any other adware application may be on board because even legitimate advertisements may become traps. Sometimes it is enough to click on a corrupt ad to drop a nasty infection or a whole bundle onto your system. But you may also get redirected to dangerous websites or open new tab pages with unsafe content. You may not be able to tell that you have landed on a fake website that is run by crooks. And, this is how a lot of unsuspecting users get scammed, too. We believe that you want to stay out of trouble and such security-related issues; therefore, we recommend that you remove Free Download Seeker ASAP.

Since this adware does not simply use an extension to display potentially unsafe ads, but it also hijacks your browser’s home page and sets it to search.strtpoint.com. It is not necessarily enough to remove this unwanted extension. You need to know that this promoted search engine should not be trusted; it may present to you modified search results pages containing potentially harmful third-party ads and sponsored links. We suggest that you reset your browser to make sure that all changes are undone. We have found that after reset, there might remain some leftover files which also require removal. Since it is possible that there might be other versions of this adware that can affect the other major browsers as well, we have included instructions for all of them on a just in case basis. If you want to protect your PC properly, we advise you to employ a trustworthy anti-malware program.

How to remove Free Download Seeker from browsers

Google Chrome

1. Tap Alt+F and choose Settings.
2. At the bottom, click Show advanced settings.
3. At the bottom, click Reset settings.
4. Press Reset in the pop-up.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Tap Alt+H and open Troubleshooting Information.
2. Press Refresh Firefox and click Refresh Firefox again.
3. Click Finish.

Internet Explorer

1. Tap Alt+T and select Internet Options.
2. Click on the Advanced tab and press Reset.
3. Select the Delete personal settings checkbox.
4. Press Reset and press Close.

Leftover removal

1. Press Win+E.
2. Locate the following directories and remove any folder or file related to Free Download Seeker:
   %ProgramFiles%
   %AppData%
   %ProgramData%
   %LocalAppData%
3. Empty your Recycle Bin.