Bestsearch2016.com

You may be given the impression that Bestsearch2016.com is a safe and reliable search engine, but that is just a cover as this search engine is nothing more than a browser hijacker. It is dedicated to replacing your browser’s homepage address and showing you ads and featuring promotional links in its search results. Since it is distributed in a way that changes your browser’s homepage without your knowledge or approval, we classified it as a browser hijacker and, therefore, recommend that you remove it as soon as the opportunity arises. Now, if you have it on your PC and you are unable to use is, then that is because it does not work. To find out more about it, please read this whole article.

While this browser hijacker is not popular, it is still being distributed in one way or another. Unfortunately, we do not know how it spreads, but one thing is for sure — it is definitely distributed bundled with other software. It seems that Bestsearch2016.com does not have its own browser add-on, but, nevertheless, it does not need one to be distributed either. We think that it is most likely distributed with the help of malicious software installers that inject this hijacker into your web browser directly. Indeed, while installing other software, the malicious installers can inject this hijacker into your browser secretly. Hence, the installer will not allow you to deselect its installation or inform you about it contains a search engine that is about to be installed automatically.

A browser hijacker would not be a browser hijacker if it did not hijack your browser’s settings. In the case of Bestsearch2016.com, it hijacks the homepage of Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox and both the homepage and new tab page of Google Chrome. Now, the aim is to compel you to start using it to conduct your online searches willingly. As mentioned, it does not work (probably due to some technical issues) so it will not process the search queries you enter into its search box. However, it can start working at any time, and if it does, then we want to inform you that it can pose a threat to your computer’s security.

Evidently, this fake search engine is dedicated to hijacking your browser’s homepage to make you use it and view and click its promotional links included in the search results. While most of the search results should be safe to click, there is s small chance that some of them can be malicious in nature and redirect you to infected websites that feature downloads of malicious software or websites that try to extract personal information such as logins, passwords, banking credentials, and so on. In any case, this hijacker could severely compromise your computer’s security, so it would be best not to use it.

However, there is another aspect we want to cover before drawing the final conclusion, we want to discuss the issues regarding this hijacker’s privacy policy or the lack thereof, rather. Indeed, Bestsearch2016.com does not have neither a privacy policy nor an EULA or any other legal document for that matter. Nevertheless, we want to point out that this fictitious search engine should collect non-personally identifiable information about you automatically. This non-personal, anonymous information should include your browsing history, entered search queries, IP address, Internet Service Provider, and so on. This and other information should be used to customize the advertising campaign and tailor it for each unique user in an effort to generate more advertising revenue because it is required of you to click the ads in order for this hijacker’s developers to get paid.

In conclusion, Bestsearch2016.com is a fictitious search engine that poses as safe, but it is definitely not safe at all. Currently, it does not work, but it is distributed nonetheless, and you can get it accidentally when installing a shady software bundle that will also secretly install this hijacker. If you use it to search the web, then be warned that it might feature promotional links in its search results, and the might not be safe to click. Therefore, we suggest that you remove Bestsearch2016.com.

How to get rid of this browser hijacker

Google Chrome

1. Simultaneously press Windows+E keys.
2. In the File Explorer’s address bar, type C:\Users\{User name}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default and hit Enter.
3. Locate Preferences, Secure Preferences and Web Data files.
4. Delete them or open with Notepad and replace http://bestsearch2016.com with your preferred homepage address.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Simultaneously press Windows+E keys.
2. In the File Explorer’s address bar, type C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles and hit Enter.
3. Go to {Unique ID} folder.
4. Locate prefs.js and open it with Notepad.
5. Find and replace http://bestsearch2016.com in the user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://bestsearch2016.com"); string.
6. Save and Close.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

1. Simultaneously press Windows+R keys.
2. Type regedit in the box and hit Enter.
3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
4. Find the Start Page registry string.
5. Right-click it and click Modify.
6. In the Value data line, erase http://bestsearch2016.com.
7. Enter a new homepage address and click OK.