Deceiving domain - Searchengage.com

Searchengage.com is a website that is closely related to a browser hijacking, as well as two of potentially unwanted applications - Search Engage and Search Solutions. Initially, these two apps were available to download on Google Web Store, as well as other official sources. However, due to users' complaints about suspicious app behavior, they were quickly eliminated from the official stores.

Nevertheless, users may still find Searchengage.com set as their homepage and a new tab URL after the infiltration of another potentially unwanted program, or the mentioned extensions. Typically, PUPs are distributed via third-party software installers, so users often don't notice the entry point.

Searchengage.com also uses an inadequate amount of user tracking, and may also share the information with third-parties:

We may collect information from you that may identify you, such as your name, address, email address, and telephone number and anonymous Information, such as the number of your page views, link clicks, and login times. Your information may be kept in an identifiable format, or in an aggregate format which means that you cannot reasonably be identified from it.

Searchengage.com also does not protect its users with a secure protocol, and instead uses the insecure HTTP connection. This endangers the website's users, as the attackers may steal the information typed into the site.

Name Searchengage.com
Type Browser hijacker
Developer Cro-bit Ltd
Related browser extensions Search Engage and Search Solutions
Deceptors
  • Insecure HTTP connection used on the site
  • Recognized as malicious by Kaspersky AV vendor (Virus Total results)
  • Tracks inadequate amount of information about users
  • Redirects users to Yahoo, but provides with non-organic search results
  • Imitates Google's search engine by using similar color palette 

Searchengage.com violations

ACR-014: Searchengage.com's search engine imitates Google's color palette with the intent to deceive users

Searchengage.com's search engine imitates Google's color palette with the intent to deceive users

2CR-015: SearchEngage.com is marked as malicious by at least one AV vendor

SearchEngage.com is marked as malicious by at least one AV vendor