Searchy.online

Searchy.online is not a search engine for you if you hate receiving tailored advertisements and do not want to take any unnecessary risks. The reason we believe it could be risky to surf the Internet with this tool is because it may show users not just annoying, but also possibly dangerous third-party advertising content. However, users do not have to put up with such behavior as there are safer search engines to use, e.g. Google, Yahoo, and other. We doubt you will miss Searchy.online because the application cannot offer any unique features to enhance your browsing. Apparently, it might be using modified versions of other search engines to gather the results. Plus, our researchers learned it could hijack users browser by changing his default search provider or homepage; thus, it was decided to categorize it as a browser hijacker. Consequently, we urge you not to waste any time with such suspicious application and eliminate it faster. If you need any help with this task, you should check the instructions located below since they could guide you through the deletion process.

Searchy.online might be spread with unreliable browser extensions, e.g. Iloveplay Search. According to our specialists, such plugins could be distributed through untrustworthy file-sharing web pages or pop-ups ads. Instead of downloading software from various file-sharing web pages we would advise using legitimate sources. As for users who encountered the browser hijacker while clicking suspicious pop-up ads, we would advise not only to be more careful with such advertisements in the future but also check the system for other potential threats since doubtful ads could be shown by other untrustworthy application that could have entered the system without you noticing it.

What changes when Searchy.online hijacks the user’s browser? First of all, we should mention the application is currently compatible only with Google Chrome, so it may not work on different browsers. Researchers who tested the threat say it should change Google Chrome’s default search provider and homepage. Some users might not notice both of these changes right away as the browser hijacker should redirect the user to another search engine when a search is initiated. For example, you could be redirected to a modified version of Google, Yahoo, Yandex, etc., without realizing you landed there because of Searchy.online. Therefore, probably the most visible difference is the replaced homepage.

Furthermore, as we said earlier in the text the tool is not advisable not just because of the browser preferences it changes, but because of the unreliable search results it could show you. Even though the threat redirects you to a different search engine, there is a chance it might be modified, and so the results you receive might be altered too. While the employed search engine is gathering the results, the browser hijacker could modify them by injecting “advertising tailored to your interests.” According to the software’s Privacy Policy statements, showing tailored ads is one of the reasons the application may gather particular information about the user (e.g. gender, geographic location from IP address, visited web pages, clicked ads, and so on.), and share it with advertisers or ad networks “for purposes of delivering relevant ads.”

Since there is not knowing where the mentioned advertising content could come from and Searchy.online creators take no responsibility for third-party content, we believe it might be that some of the ads may appear to be dangerous. For instance, they could advertise other browser hijackers, potentially unwanted applications, adware, suspicious browser extensions or threats created for malicious intentions, e.g., infect your system, extort money from you, etc. This is why we would advise you to stay away from any suspicious ads you might see while searching the Internet with Searchy.online, although if you cannot stand such content, you should simply erase the threat. As promised you will find removal instructions slightly below this text. In case they appear to be difficult, you should use a trustworthy antimalware tool instead. A legitimate antimalware tool could detect other possibly dangerous programs on the computer, and it could help you erase them all at once with a single mouse click.

Remove Searchy.online

Google Chrome

1. Click Windows key+E.
2. Find the listed directory: C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
3. Locate the following files:
   Preferences
   Secure Preferences
   Web Data
4. Right-click them separately and press Delete.
5. Leave the Explorer.
6. Empty Recycle bin.