Do you know what BestPDFSearch is?
BestPDFSearch is a Chrome extension that is categorized as a potentially unwanted program. This extension comes with certain functions that are supposed to enhance your browsing experience. However, it is very often than users complain about the app, saying they have no idea how this app got there.
Although it might seem that this application was added to the browser behind the user’s back, that’s not exactly true. Such extensions need the user’s permission to be added to the target browser. Hence, maybe you weren’t attentive, but this app didn’t slither into the system behind your back.
What’s more, BestPDFSearch has several official channels it can use to reach Chrome users. Like most of the potentially unwanted programs, it has an official homepage. The main portal can be accessed via portal.bestpdfsearch.com. The layout of the website is very similar to that of AllConvertersSearch, so we can assume that both apps were made by the same people. Also, BestPDFSearch can be found on the Chrome Web Store. With that, we can see that the application can be found out in the open, and it doesn’t try to hide its presence. So, it’s really hard to say that it is a malicious infection. Users might not be aware of the fact they add it themselves, but it’s not like BestPDFSearch is hiding either.
All the official descriptions of this application make it seem as though it is a useful tool. For instance, it says that this “product lets you browse the web and get easy access to search, images, videos and news.” In other words, it is “a single purpose extension.” It is actually the same promotional line we have read about many other Chrome extensions we have recently discussed on our site. It shows that there is a continuous onslaught of these apps, and users have to be careful if they want to avoid them.
BestPDFSearch screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
It’s sometimes hard to discern whether something like BestPDFSearch is dangerous or not. After all, the app presents itself as a useful tool, and you might think that it indeed enriches your browsing experience. However, by installing the app, you also change your default search settings, and if you are not aware of it, you might think that you got infected with a browser hijacker or something.
What’s more, BestPDFSearch is bound to read your browsing history, thus collecting data on your likes and preferences. Such extensions may say that they’re here to give you some service, but they’re also there to promote third-party content. Since these apps come for free, they have to cover their development and distribution costs somehow, and advertising is how they do it. Please note that this kind of practice isn’t malicious. Tons of websites and applications employ third-party ads to promote all sorts of content, but the question here is who gets to use the advertising space offered by BestPDFSearch.
There is always a possibility of malicious exploitation. For the most part, users might be redirected to unreliable websites that are involved in online marketing schemes. Maybe users would be pushed into purchasing unnecessary products, or maybe someone might ask them to participate in a random survey. Users should refrain from doing that because giving away their personal information is never a good idea. Information is a commodity, and someone could, later on, sell that information!
Also, in the worst-case scenario (which is not that common, by the way), BestPDFSearch could also be misused by dangerous people who distribute malware. Therefore, rather than tolerating these apps, you should remove them at once.
Browser extensions are easy to remove. You can delete them via the Extensions menu, but some of the tracking cookies might remain. If you want to get rid of BestPDFSearch completely, how about resetting your browser to default? You can follow the guidelines at the bottom of this entry, or you can simply use a licensed security application that will remove BestPDFSearch along with all the other unwanted apps that are bound to be present on your PC.
To avoid dealing with similar issues in the future, review your web browsing habits, and invest in a security tool of your choice. Your cybersecurity is in your hands.
How to Delete BestPDFSearch
- Open Chrome.
- Press Alt+F and click Settings.
- Press Advanced at the bottom of the page.
- Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Press Reset settings.
In non-techie terms:
BestPDFSearch will change your browser’s settings, and it will look like an intrusive modification. Fear not, you haven’t been infected with malware. It’s just a potentially unwanted program you must have accidentally added to your browser. You can remove BestPDFSearch manually or automatically. Choose the option that is more convenient for you, and then you will be able to resume your normal browsing habits. Also, don’t forget to get yourself a powerful antispyware tool.