Do you know what MusicStreamSearch is?
Do you think about your virtual security every time you download something new? We hope that you do, and MusicStreamSearch proves the importance of that. This extension appears to be harmless at first, but once it is installed, the user finds the default search provider on Chrome changed, and they are exposed to a search tool that cannot be trusted. Have you figured that all by yourself already? If you have, you might be most interested in the fourth paragraph of our report and the guide below it. If you are not sure what the big deal is, you might want to continue reading. You will learn about the extension, why it is classified as a PUP (potentially unwanted program), and why deleting MusicStreamSearch is recommended. As always, if you want to learn anything else, the comments section is open.
There is a good chance that you downloaded MusicStreamSearch from the Chrome Web Store. The installer at chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/musicstreamsearch/iniikfkjnpiciagnlieilpiokoejmidp does not make the PUP sound amazing. In fact, it is simply stated that the extension offers an allegedly optimized search service. The exact same description can be found attached to the installers of such PUPs as RadioSearches, AllMoviesSearch, and StreaminSearchs. They are clones of MusicStreamSearch, but we cannot confirm whether one creator is responsible for them all. Although these PUPs are available for download on the Chrome Web Store, it is also possible that they could be promoted by bundled downloaders. If you have downloaded the suspicious extension in a peculiar way or attached to other suspicious extensions, scan your system immediately. Perhaps there are threats that you need to remove.
MusicStreamSearch screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Although MusicStreamSearch has a website – portal.musicstreamsearch.com – that offers a calculator, a PDF converter, and also currency converters, when we tested the PUP, this website was not used. Instead, feed.musicstreamsearch.com was set as the default search provider. Anyway, both of them redirect to Yahoo Search. Those who are used to this search engine might not bat an eyelash at this, and they might assume that the results presented via search.yahoo.com are normal. That is not exactly the case. When MusicStreamSearch redirects, it also adds its own results, which belong to third-party advertising partners. Not much is known about them, which is why trusting their ads is kind of risky. Moreover, did you know that non-personally identifiable and personally identifiable can be collected by the PUP and used to aid the partners? The Privacy Policy shares that. If you are not happy with any of this – and considering that services are useless, who would be – perhaps you now understand why deleting the suspicious extension is advised.
In conclusion, you might have been convinced that MusicStreamSearch can be useful. However, we know that this extension does not offer useful services, that it hijacks the browser, that it redirects to a popular search engine to show modified results, that it works with unknown advertisers, and that it records personal users’ data. These are the reasons we identify it as a PUP – potentially unwanted program. So, how do you remove PUPs? You can use the guide below, but if other threats exist, it might be time for a legitimate anti-malware program that could remove MusicStreamSearch and all other threats automatically.
Delete MusicStreamSearch from Google Chrome
- Launch the browser and then tap Alt+F keys.
- Click More tools and then Extensions.
- Find the extension that you identify as a PUP and choose Remove.
- Tap Ctrl+Shift+Delete keys to open the Clear browsing data menu.
- At the top, click the Advanced tab.
- Pick a time range and select the boxes you want.
- Click the Clear data button below.
In non-techie terms:
Extensions like MusicStreamSearch prove how careful people need to be with everything that they install. Even a seemingly harmless extension could end up being a tool for data retrieval and advertising. It certainly has nothing to do with music streaming, and while it redirects searches to Yahoo Search, the results cannot be modified. The creator of this well-respected search engine has nothing to do with any of that. It is the creator of the PUP that modifies the results. If you do not want to deal with ads that belong to unknown parties, and if you do not want the extension to collect data about you, we recommend deleting it right away. What about the services offered by the extension? They are not useful, and so deleting MusicStreamSearch is something that you should not postpone. If you are interested in doing that yourself, follow the guide above. If you need help getting rid of additional threats, employ anti-malware software.