Cheetasearch.com

According to our researchers, users might allow Cheetasearch.com enter the system while installing suspicious software promoted on pop-ups and other ads. This application can hijack the Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome browsers. Once it settles in, the program could modify default preferences by replacing usual homepage, new tab page, or search engine. As a result, we categorized the threat as a browser hijacker. If you installed it unknowingly, we recommend removing it from the system. Trusting this search engine could be a mistake since it might show you similar malicious ads that got you installing the browser hijacker in the first place. If you want to learn more about risks while using the application, we encourage you to continue reading the text. Also, we are putting deletion instructions below the text and hope they will be of use to you.

It would not surprise us if you could not recall installing Cheetasearch.com. It appears to be that the search engine might be spread with other questionable software. As for such programs, they could be promoted on pop-up ads that may appear while surfing the Internet. Our specialists found out that these pop-ups might be generated by suspicious freeware, e.g. potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), adware, etc. It means that you may have already installed a couple of doubtful applications already. If that is the case, it is advisable to clean the system. To assist you in the task, you could install a trustworthy antimalware tool. It would help eliminate possible threats and guard the system against malware.

As it was mentioned in the beginning, the application might replace your homepage or search engine with Cheetasearch.com. Even if you want to, it might be difficult to change such settings. The browser hijacker modifies these preferences while altering specific files on the computer. For instance, if you browse with Google Chrome the application should modify files called Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data. It replaces some parts of the code lines within, e.g. the URL address for Google could be replaced with http://Cheetasearch.com. These files are located in the C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default directory, and if you open them with Notepad, it would be possible to see the changes yourself.

Using the search engine might be a bad idea because it could provide you potentially malicious content. While testing Cheetasearch.com we learned that it could show modified search results by injecting them with third-party advertisements. The software’s End User License Agreement states that these ads might belong to the application’s third-party partners and if the user interacts with them, they could redirect to other web pages. It is also said that the user is solely responsible for the consequences, so if anything goes wrong on such sites, the browser hijacker’s creators would not be responsible for it.

Probably, Cheetasearch.com developers do not review the content they promote. Thus, it is possible that some of the advertisements could lead to you websites, which may contain malicious software, e.g. Trojans, ransomware, viruses, and so on. Also, not all of them, but some part of web pages may distribute adware, PUPs, other browser hijackers, etc. The application might have lots of third-party partners, and it is hard to tell where you could be redirected. Consequently, there might be other possible risks as well. The question is if you want to take any chances with Cheetasearch.com?

If you do not think that it is worth to keep this search engine on the system, we can help you get rid of it. In fact, there are two option users can choose from. Firstly, it is not that difficult to erase the browser hijacker manually. You would have to either delete or slightly modify data mentioned in the instructions below this text. Then, users could install a reliable antimalware tool and use it to eliminate the software. Simply, use the scanning tool to detect the application on the system, wait till the process comes to an end, and click the removal button. Plus, if you need any help while deleting the threat, you could contact us via social media or leave us a message below the article.

Remove Cheetasearch.com

Internet Explorer

1. Press Windows Key+R, type regedit and click Enter.
2. Locate this particular path HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
3. Look for a Value Name that is titled as Start Page.
4. Right-Click the Start Page and click Modify.
5. Replace current Value Data by typing an URL address of a website you prefer, e.g., google.com and press OK.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open the Explorer (Windows Key+E) and navigate to this location C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Unique Mozilla user ID}
2. Find a file called Prefs.js and open it as a Notepad document.
3. Locate and delete this specific line: user_pref(“browser.startup.homepage”, “http://Cheetasearch.com”).
4. Press Ctrl+S and close the document.

Google Chrome

1. Open the Explorer.
2. Go to this location C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
3. Find and erase the following data: Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data.