Chrome Protect - Smart Search
Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are assessment reports for different malware threats which have been collected and analyzed by our research team. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards evaluate and rank threats using several metrics including real-world and potential risk factors, trends, frequency, prevalence, and persistence. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are updated regularly based on our research data and metrics and are useful for a wide range of computer users, from end users seeking solutions to remove malware from their systems to security experts analyzing threats.
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards display a variety of useful information, including:
Ranking: The ranking of a particular threat in EnigmaSoft’s Threat Database.
Severity Level: The determined severity level of an object, represented numerically, based on our risk modeling process and research, as explained in our Threat Assessment Criteria.
Infected Computers: The number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular threat detected on infected computers as reported by SpyHunter.
See also Threat Assessment Criteria.
| Threat Level: | 50 % (Medium) |
| Infected Computers: | 49 |
| First Seen: | January 25, 2019 |
| Last Seen: | June 5, 2023 |
| OS(es) Affected: | Windows |
The Chrome Protect - Smart Search promises to provide users with a more secure way to search the Web. Unfortunately, its actual capabilities fall short of these lofty goals. In fact, analysis of the application reveals that it is little more than another intrusive browser hijacker. Its functionality allows it to modify certain browser settings to promote and generate artificial traffic towards a sponsored address.
Users who have the Chrome Protect - Smart Search installed will soon notice that the typical homepage, new tab page, and default search engine have all been substituted with an unfamiliar address - browseprotect.co. The site belongs to a fake search engine that would otherwise fail to garner any attention from users.
So far, the fake engine has been observed to redirect the initiated searches through the legitimate Google search engine. However, users should keep in mind that dubious search engines are often noticed to cause redirect chains. In these cases, the user's search could be redirected through multiple dubious websites. The quality of the shown results could be very low. Furthermore, they may include various sponsored ads or links to untrustworthy third-party sites.
Fake search engines and their associated applications also may be equipped with data-tracking routines. They may collect both browsing-related information, as well as various device details and transmit them to a remote server.
