Do you know what Cranchit is?
If you have the desire to surf the web in an efficient manner, Cranchit is NOT the extension you want. Yes, it claims to offer the best way to search the web and provide you with optimized search results, but what you might not realize is that this PUP (potentially unwanted program) serves no one but its creator and the associated partners. While you can find what you are looking for using this search tool, that is only because it redirects to Yahoo Search. Besides showing you normal search results, the PUP also injects sponsored links, which are likely to include advertisements. So, do you want to face suspicious, unpredictable ads every time you surf the web? If you do not, you have your reason to delete Cranchit. Besides that, the extension is not useful in any other way, and so removing it should not be postponed.
Webcoapps is the creator of Cranchit. It is also the creator of SearchOpedia, SearchConverter, and all other suspicious search tools that claim to offer the same thing. Every single PUP from this family has the same description on a dedicated Chrome Web Store installer page. The PUP we are discussing in this report can be found at chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cranchit/ijolklmkkccgnicbgehainefpijfhmlc. If you use this installer, you are immediately informed that browsing history is read by the PUP, and that it also changes the search settings. According to our researchers, the default search provider is replaced with feed.cranchit.com, and the New Tab page is replaced with portal.cranchit.com. Of course, if you have used a different source for installation, all of this might be news to you when you launch the browser. In any case, there are some things you might not know.
Cranchit screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
For one, did you know that Cranchit uses tracking cookies to gather information about you and your browsing activities? Did you know that information that is collected can be shared with parties you know nothing about? Did you know that the PUP is primarily an advertising tool that exploits the reputable Yahoo Search just to confuse users? Yes, when you enter search keywords into the address bar (or into the search box on portal.cranchit.com), and you are redirected via feed.cranchit.com, you end up on Yahoo Search. While you might think that the results are normal and harmless, no one really knows how safe or dangerous it is for you to interact with them. That is because we cannot say what kinds of links the PUP could introduce to you every time. Of course, because there is a risk that you could face potentially unreliable links, we suggest that you delete the potentially unwanted program.
Do not think that removing Cranchit is hard because it is not. Once you find the extension’s entry within your browser, all you have to do is click ‘Remove.’ Of course, we also suggest that you clear browsing data just in case undesirable cookies have been placed to track your browsing activity. A manual removal guide is right below this paragraph. Another option is automated removal. Have you considered employing a trusted anti-malware tool to help you delete Cranchit? Perhaps this is not the best reason to employ it. However, if there are other threats, and if you know that your system is vulnerable – which puts it on target for serious malware – implementing legitimate anti-malware software is the responsible thing to do.
Delete Cranchit from Google Chrome
- Launch the browser.
- Enter chrome://extensions right into the address field at the top.
- In the Extensions menu, Remove the PUP.
- Enter chrome://settings/clearBrowserData into the address field.
- Move to the Advanced menu.
- Select a time range and choose boxes.
- Click Clear data and restart the browser.
In non-techie terms:
Cranchit might not look like a dangerous search tool, and perhaps it is not. However, it is known that this PUP redirects searches to Yahoo Search, where sponsored links are injected. Search modifying extensions are not rare, but that does not mean that we have to ignore them. Instead, we have to eliminate them. You can delete Cranchit using the guide shown above, but you also can install a trusted anti-malware program to eliminate it automatically. This is what we recommend doing if you are struggling with manual removal or if you understand the risks of leaving your operating system unprotected.