PDFSearchio

If you work with PDF documents all the time, you probably try to convert other formats into PDFs, too. There are multiple tools out there that offer to help you with that, and PDFSearchio might like one of those tools. It is entirely up to you whether you want to use it or not, but it would be better if you remove PDFSearchio from your browser in case the extension wasn’t added intentionally. Our research team says that this program is a potentially unwanted application, and while potentially unwanted software is very far from a malicious infection, it can still cause various issues, so it shouldn’t be tolerated.

Such extensions that are often categorized as potentially unwanted programs can often be found on the Chrome Web Store. The same could be applied to PDFSearchio as well, but at the time of writing, the extension is already removed from the Chrome Web Store. Also, when we try to access the official homepage for the application via install.pdfsearchio.com, we get the 404 page not found error. This means that the extension is either deemed suspicious by Google, and it was removed, or the developers moved on really quickly to create something else.

If the official sources are no longer available, how can PDFSearchio still reach target systems? If this extension employed third-party distributors, those links might still be available. When it comes to potentially unwanted programs, they could employ multiple third-party distributors, and PDFSearchio could also be available on a variety of websites that often host freeware. What’s more, extensions could reach users through pop-ups, and those pop-ups can be initiated by random clicks on websites that you visit on a regular basis.

If you see that the page you frequent displays a lot of commercial ads and pop-ups, maybe you should reconsider visiting it. While such websites do not try to infect you with malware or anything like that, they also tend to have no say in what kind of apps or content is promoted on their advertising space. That’s how potentially unwanted programs manage to spread around, and users are often too distracted to notice that they allow the likes of PDFSearchio to enter their browsers willingly. Thus, if you want to avoid such applications, you should be more attentive and check all the pop-ups and notifications you see on your screen carefully.

Now, if PDFSearchio gets added to your browser, we ready to experience an even bigger onslaught of commercial offers. Sure, the extension may try to make you think that it can provide you with something useful, but seeing how it was removed from the Chrome Web Store already, the chances are that the service is rather redundant. Such extensions often employ reliable search engines to provide users with a “unique” search service, while in fact, they filter your search queries and log them by reading your browsing history. This kind of logging is also carried out with your authorization, but most of the users probably don’t realize that when extensions have information on their browsing habits, they can generate custom commercial content and then promote it.

Therefore, the longer extensions like PDFSearchio remain on your computer, the most commercial links you might encounter. Some of those links will be related to your likes and preferences, and you might feel more inclined to interact with them. Don’t do that because PDFSearchio cannot review the content it promotes. That’s the main issue with all such apps. They are often available for free, and they seem to be offering some useful service, but they can also be exploited by cybercriminals to promote their agenda.

The best way to remove PDFSearchio and everything associated with it from your browsing is by retting your browser to default settings. Some users may not be willing to do that, but please don’t forget that you might also have more unwanted apps, and that would delete them all together. Also, feel free to run a full system scan with the SpyHunter free scanner because you need to find other potentially unwanted programs (if any are installed). Should more programs be found, be sure to remove them, too. There are many ways to ensure your system’s safety, and investing in a licensed security tool is one of them.

How to Reset Chrome

1. Open your browser.
2. Press Alt+F and click Settings.
3. Scroll down and press Advanced.
4. Scroll down again and click Restore settings to their original defaults.
5. Press Reset settings to complete.