Do you know what Safeplex Search is?
Safeplex Search is a potentially unwanted program that works as an extension on the Chrome and Firefox browsers. Such apps usually are supposed to improve your web browsing experience, but when they enter your computer unexpectedly, they cause more confusion than do any good.
Hence, if you didn’t plan to have Safeplex Search, it would be for the best to delete Safeplex Search from your browser today. What’s more, this should be a good chance to scan your computer with a security tool of your choice and see whether you have more potential intruders on-board.
We can actually look at the official description of this application to get a better picture of what this app can do. The description says that with Safeplex Search, you should “easily detect harmful online threats & experience safe custom web browsing.” When you think about it, it’s not such a bad deal. After all, there are tons of things that might threaten us when we browse the web. And it would be nice to have a watchdog that would help us to avoid multiple threats. But the question here is whether that “watchdog” is that reliable in the first place.
Let’s look at the list of permissions you have to give to Safeplex Search when it gets added to your browser. First, this app gets permission to “read and change your data on all search.yahoo.com sites and safeplexsearhc.com.” It says that you need to authorize this so the app could function properly, but who can ensure that the app wouldn’t modify your data in a way that would later expose you to potential malware threats? Of course, no one is trying to say that this program is here to infect you with malware, but we have to be ready for the worst-case scenario.
Safeplex Search screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Another thing Safeplex Search can do is read your browsing history. It says that monitoring your browsing history allows this app to “create a personalized user experience based on the referring source.” So, it means that Safeplex Search employs tracking cookies to find out more about your likes and preferences. When the app knows enough about you, it can generate custom commercial content that you might be willing to interact with. Unfortunately, Safeplex Search does not review that content. Therefore, if a malevolent third party decides to make use of the extension to promote its dangerous content to you, you might fall into a very nasty trap.
Finally, Safeplex Search requires you to change your default search engine to safeplexsearch.com. It would seem that with this, the app can provide you with an original search service. However, during our research, we have found that Safeplex Search actually redirects all of your search queries to modified Yahoo! Search results. It doesn’t mean that the results you see on your screen are invalid. It just means that they could be adjusted based on the information this extension has collected about it, and they might be slightly biased.
Why would Safeplex Search do that? This application is distributed for free, but it needs to make a living somehow. Thus, such apps usually employ a pay-per-click system to make money for their owners. It means that each time you click a link provided by Safeplex Search, you make money for its developers. It is a well-known tactic, and frankly, there is nothing illegal about it. However, we have to remember that such applications could be easily exploited by malevolent third parties, and thus, we have to be cautious when we interact with the content provided by Safeplex Search and other similar extensions.
Once again, if you didn’t intend to have this extension, it’s about time to remove it. Simply remove Safeplex Search via your browser’s menu. If you don’t know how to do it, please follow the manual removal guidelines below. Also, after manual removal, you should run a full system scan with the security tool of your choice. Let’s not forget that there might be more potential intruders on your system. Thus, you need to terminate all the unwanted apps as soon as possible. If necessary, do not hesitate to invest in a licensed antispyware tool.
How to Delete Safeplex Search
Firefox
- Press Alt+T and select Add-ons.
- Press Extensions and locate Safeplex Search on the list.
- Click the Three Dot icon and choose Remove.
Chrome
- Press Alt+F and go to More tools.
- Open Extensions and find Safeplex Search on the list.
- Click the Remove button.
In non-techie terms:
Safeplex Search is not a malicious computer infection, but this browser extension might enter your computer accidentally. If you do not want this app on your system, feel free to remove Safeplex Search today. By removing unnecessary browser extensions, you will prevent potential personal information leaks and perhaps a malware infection, too. If you want to know whether you have more unwanted applications installed, you can always scan your computer with a powerful security application.