Do you know what StreamSearchs is?
StreamSearchs isn’t too sophisticated of an application. It is a Chrome browser extension, and it comes forth with promises to provide you with a seamless browsing experience. However, we are forced to label this extension as a potentially unwanted program because some users may add it accidentally. It all depends on the route this application takes to reach you. There is nothing malicious about it, but if the program is there even if you don’t want it, what’s the point in tolerating it? Remove StreamSearchs right now and then scan your computer with the SpyHunter free scanner.
The reason we encourage users to scan their computers with licensed antispyware products is that such applications like StreamSearchs are bound to travel in packs. Perhaps you might not add another extension immediately, but there could be a program that you installed recently, or some random app that has come uninvited, too. If you tend to download programs from file-sharing websites, it is very likely that there are multiple unnecessary applications installed, and it would be wise to remove them all.
StreamSearchs screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Now, as far as StreamSearchs is concerned, this extension comes from a big group of similar apps, and they all are practically identical. Due to this, we know that this app is not malicious or anything, but there are times when it could be exploited by cybercriminals to expose unsuspecting users to potentially harmful content. For one, it wouldn’t be wise to blame StreamSearchs for it because the extension doesn’t try to cause you harm. It’s just that it’s not sophisticated enough to review the content it promotes, and in the worst-case scenario, it could be exploited by malevolent third parties.
Some users also think that StreamSearchs is more like a browser hijacker. That’s because the application modifies your default search engine settings. When you are not aware of the impending changes, you might think that the extension did it behind your back. However, you AGREE to the modifications the moment you add it. Even if you are not aware of the fact that you click the Add to Chrome button, you still authorize the modifications, and with that, StreamSearchs can do the following:
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Read your browsing history
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Change your search settings to: feed.streamsearchs.com
When a browser extension can read your browsing history, it can collect information on the websites you visit and the search keywords that you use. It cannot collect personally identifiable information because it is not that sophisticated. However, the data it gathers can help StreamSearchs generate commercial ads that are customized to your likes and preferences. In a sense, it’s not such a bad thing because it might help you find something you need faster. However, as it was mentioned, StreamSearchs isn’t sophisticated enough, and thus, it cannot review the content it promotes.
If you interact with those ads, you do it at your own expense. If you land on a dangerous website, you wouldn’t be able to blame StreamSearchs for it because clearly, the extension washes its figurative hands off it with its Privacy Policy. In other words, it is not responsible for whatever happens when you interact with third-party content.
Of course, all of that could be avoided if you didn’t add StreamSearchs to your browser. Although it is possible to get this extension from its official sources (like the main homepage or the Chrome Web Store), it is far more often that users get it through websites that offer free content. Those websites also display a lot of ads that promote StreamSearchs and other similar applications. When users unwittingly interact with such ads, unwanted applications slither in.
As for the app removal, you can simply reset your browser to default, and StreamSearchs will be gone. The same applies to all the other apps from the same category. On the other hand, if you’re not sure which programs you need to remove, you can employ a security tool and run a full system scan.
For the most part, it is possible to remove unwanted programs manually, but if you don’t want to deal with it, leave it to the security tool of your choice.
How to Remove StreamSearchs
- Open Chrome and press Alt+F.
- Click Settings on the drop-down menu.
- Scroll down and click Advanced.
- Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Press Reset settings.
In non-techie terms:
StreamSearchs is supposed to improve your browser’s performance, but the app could easily be unwanted, too. If that’s really the case, remove StreamSearchs right now, and then make sure you don’t install similar applications without reading the installation wizard or the notification box on your browser carefully. For more information, please feel free to leave us a comment.