Do you know what SearchBip is?
SearchBip is a browser extension for Google Chrome. This extension is there to supposedly improve your web search experience. You must have heard this line many times before. But why then, do we have to cover this application on our site? Well, that is because SearchBip is categorized as a potentially unwanted program. It means that there is nothing inherently malicious about the app, but it could exhibit certain behavioral patterns that can be deemed to be undesirable. If that is the case, you can remove SearchBip from your system following the instructions below.
Potentially unwanted programs like SearchBip are far from malicious infections, and they can be often found at official freeware distribution sites. For instance, there is a page for SearchBip at the Chrome Web Store. This proves that the application isn’t malicious, but there’s nothing much written about it, too. The official website for the application via get.searchbip.com says that if you “like youtube for video, Wikipedia for knowledge and maps for localization, SearchBip gathers them all in one place so you can have access to your best Search Engines.” In a sense, this application works like a bookmark within your browser. However, the question is whether you really need a third-party app to provide you with such service.
What’s more, it wouldn’t be unheard of, if this application entered your system unexpectedly. Now, what we mean by that is that SearchBip could reach you through third-party sources. For instance, if you tend to download programs from file-sharing websites, or if you often visit online gaming sites and video streaming pages, you are bound to be exposed to tons of unfamiliar third-party content. In some cases, the content may reach you through pop-ups and redirects.
SearchBip screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Usually, it is possible to close the pop-up windows, but users are too engrossed into doing whatever they’ve been up to, and they fail to realize that they can just click the red X button at the top right. Instead, even if they do not mean to, users end up interacting with the notifications that are present on the pop-up. Those notifications usually ask you to add SearchBip to your browser. If you happen to click the Add button accidentally, you automatically agree to add the extension, and you also give your permission for the app to change various settings on your browser.
As far as we know, the application is bound to read your browsing history, and it will also change your search settings to searchbip.com. Now, it might seem that with these modifications the app can provide you with relevant search results. But that is mostly because the application collects info on your browsing history, and so it can target your likes and preferences. Of course, it cannot steal personal information because it is not a genuine malware app, but it can learn about the websites you frequent and it can also figure out what you usually search online for.
With this information at hand, SearchBip can generate custom commercial content and embed it among the search results that you get through its search engine. Of course, you can choose to avoid interacting with sponsored content, but a lot of users do not realize the potential threats behind such things. The main problem here is that SearchBip does not review the content it displays. Some of the outgoing links could lead you to dangerous websites, and this could be a start of a serious malware infection.
Needless to say, malware infection is the worst-case scenario that can start with SearchBip, but it shouldn’t be overlooked just because it isn’t common. In fact, if you didn’t plan to have this application, you should remove SearchBip right now. Lucky for you, manual app removal is very simple. On the other hand, if you don’t want to deal with this on your own, you can invest in a licensed antispyware tool that will terminate this application, and it will also locate and remove other potentially unwanted apps that could be present on your system. Aside from investing in a legitimate security application, you should learn to avoid suspicious websites that are bound to be part of freeware distribution networks.
How to Remove SearchBip
- Open Chrome and press Alt+F.
- Click Settings on the drop-down menu.
- Scroll down and select Advanced.
- Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Click Reset settings.
In non-techie terms:
SearchBip may not be a direct computer security threat, but this potentially unwanted application shouldn’t be ignored. When a program enters your system uninvited, you should remove it right away. Therefore, if you didn’t want to have SearchBip, use the removal instructions above to get rid of the app. If you don’t want to do it manually, you can also remove the app automatically with a security tool of your choice.