History-Cleaner Hijacker
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: | 3 |
| First Seen: | March 10, 2022 |
| Last Seen: | February 4, 2023 |
| OS(es) Affected: | Windows |
The name of the History-Cleaner browser extension may suggest that it is there to help users wipe their browsing history more easily. Unfortunately, after analyzing it, cybersecurity researchers have determined that History-Cleaner is a browser hijacker application that aims to take control over important browser settings. Like most applications of this type, it does so to promote a sponsored address.
Indeed, after the History-Cleaner Hijacker has been installed, users will notice that their browser's usual homepage, new tab page, and default search engine have all been changed. Instead of the normal page that users have set, all three settings would now begin opening and redirecting to history-cleaner.xyz, which is the address of a fake search engine. Such engines are typically incapable of producing search results on their own, and history-cleaner.xyz is not an exception. It has been confirmed that it redirects and takes results from the legitimate Bing search engine. Users should keep in mind that this may not always be the case, as most dubious search engines change their behavior based on a set of different parameters, such as IP address and geolocation.
At the same time, the History-Cleaner Hijacker may be silently spying on the user's browsing activities and transmitting the acquired information to its operators. Intrusive PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) such as this one, are often capable of also harvesting numerous device details or even sensitive information, such as banking and payment data from the affected Web browsers.
