Deceiving domain - websearch.com

Websearch.com is a third-party search engine. The browser hijacker interferes with major browser settings such as the default search provider, homepage, new tab URL, and sets them as its own. Afterward, the users are forced to use the new settings unless they remove WebSearch from their computers and web browsers. This PUP can appear on any type of web browser app such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. The app can also insert bogus extensions and plug-ins into the browsers.

Afterward, WebSearch might start spamming the user with advertising content such as pop-ups, pop-unders, banners ads, and push rogue products and services. Continuously, the browser hijacker might get the victim involved in intrusive redirecting sessions some of which might force the user to land on a potentially infectious website. Last but not least, WebSearch virus can collect non-personal information that is related to the user's browsing sessions and use it for delivering targeted ads.

The main distribution tactics of WebSearch are "software bundling" when the app gets delivered in a freeware package from sources such as download.com, softonic.com, and cnet.com, getting infected through advertisements and hyperlinks that are found lurking on unsecured third-party web pages.

Name	websearch.com
Type	Browser hijacker/PUP
Activities	Changing the browser's default search provider, homepage, new tab URL, loading advertising content, redirecting the user to sponsored locations, collecting browsing-related data
Distribution	Software bundling is one of the main PUP distribution sources. Browser hijackers can also end up on the computer system through infected hyperlinks and advertisements

websearch.com violations

2CR-015: The domain has been signed as malicious by some AV engines, according to VirusTotal information

2CR-004: The browser hijacker changes major browser settings such as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab URL zone