Conf-search.com

Conf-search.com is a dubious search engine that is being promoted via a browser hijacker application. The main targets of the application appear to be Mac users. As most browser hijackers, this one also relies on underhanded tactics to spread itself. Most users do not even notice that an additional program is being installed on their Macs, due to a popular scheme known as bundling or because the application was disguised as an installer/updater for another product. Applications that exhibit such deceptive behavior are classified as PUPs and should generally be removed as soon as possible. 

After establishing itself on the system, the Conf-search.com browser hijacker will proceed to take control over certain browser settings. In most cases, these are the homepage, new tab page and the default search engine. By modifying the settings to open the conf-search.com address, the PUP ensures that maximum artificial traffic would be generated towards the questionable engine. Indeed, as a result of the hijacker's activities, whenever the users open their browser, start a new tab, or try to search something via the URL bar, they would be taken to the promoted address immediately. 

Fake search engines usually cannot produce any results on their own, or at best can deliver skewed or unusable results. That is why they take the user's searches and redirect them to another, legitimate search engine. Conf-search.com, in particular, has been observed to redirect to either search.yahoo.com or Google, based on the user geolocation. 

Users should keep in mind that a common aspect of PUPs is data collection. These applications might spy on the user's browsing habits and harvest information including visited sites, clicked URLs and conducted searches. Some device details also may be tracked - IP address, geolocation, ISP, etc.