Do you know what CrypSearch is?
CrypSearch might seem like a useful extension at first, but it is a potentially unwanted program, according to our research team. Based on what we have found, this search tool does not really find the best, most trustworthy search results, and because it does not offer any other service, it appears to be quite useless. Of course, our recommendation is that you remove CrypSearch from your Google Chrome browser – the only one compatible with the PUP – but if you are not sure if that is the move you want to make yourself, we strongly recommend that your continue reading this report. You will learn what kinds of risks you might face if you continue using the extension, and then you will be able to decide if you want to take risks or if you want to delete the suspicious add-on instead.
Did you visit crypsearch.com before downloading CrypSearch? This website offers access to the Privacy Policy that supports the PUP. According to the information at crypsearch.com/privacy-policy.html, personal information is not recorded or shared by the extension. However, third-party “advertisers and advertising networks” have the permission to place ads in the search results that are shown to you. Also, these parties can collect information about the computer, the used browser, and search history using their own web cookies. If you take this into account, it looks like CrypSearch works as an advertising tool. The download button on the official website of the PUP redirects to an installer on the Chrome Web Store at chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/crypsearch/jflbdgpbnmffamamiimbdgpfggddhcpc/. According to the information that is presented on this page, the PUP does not track your search history.
CrypSearch screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
That being said, if you install CrypSearch from the Chrome Web Store, you are first introduced to a pop-up that informs what kinds of privileges the PUP gets if you install it. The extension can “read and change your data on all crypsearch.com sites,” “replace the page you see when opening a new tab,” and “change your search settings to: crypsearch.com.” It seems that the creator of the PUP (CodePerform GmbH) can read your browsing history to some extent. If you install the PUP despite this warning, your new tab page and default search provider on Google Chrome are changed to crypsearch.com/search.php. The results shown via this engine, as you already know, can show advertisements, and that is the main reason we do not recommend trusting them. What if the parties that CodePerform is associated with are unreliable and can use the search tool to advertise misleading offers and expose you to links that route to malicious sites?
Now that you have more information about CrypSearch, you have to decide what you want to do about this potentially unwanted program. Do you want to remove it? If you do, you can follow the instructions below. After you eliminate the PUP, it is a good idea to inspect your system with a free malware scanner to check whether or not you have other threats to handle. If you do, it might be best to implement a legitimate anti-malware tool to take care of things automatically. You should also install such a tool if you decide not to delete CrypSearch. As you know, using this extension can be risky, and so you want to protect yourself as best as you can to ensure that you are safe in case you end up clicking the wrong link.
Remove CrypSearch from Google Chrome
- Open the browser and then tap Alt and F keys at the same time.
- In the Chrome menu, expand the More tools menu and click Extensions.
- Click the Remove button next to the undesirable extension.
- Open the Clear browsing data menu by tapping Ctrl, Shift and Delete keys at the same time.
- In the Advanced menu, select a time range + boxes and click Clear data.
In non-techie terms:
CrypSearch is presented as a search tool, but it is more than that. It works as an advertising tool as well, and if you install it onto your web browser, you are likely to discover that sponsored links and ads are injected into the search results that are shown to you. Because we cannot know who advertisers via the PUP, we cannot know whether or not the sponsored links can be trusted. Due to this, our recommendation is to delete CrypSearch. Removing this PUP is an easy task, and you should be able to follow the manual removal guide above without trouble even if you are inexperienced in this area. If you are not yet sure what to do, post questions and concerns in the comments area below. Our experts will address them shortly.