Motorsports Start
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.
| Ranking: | 4,098 |
| Threat Level: | 50 % (Medium) |
| Infected Computers: | 821 |
| First Seen: | October 7, 2022 |
| Last Seen: | September 23, 2023 |
| OS(es) Affected: | Windows |
The Motorsports Start is a browser extension geared toward racing and motorsports fans. It claims to provide relevant and timely updates and news coverage, as well as convenient links to useful motorsports-related sources. Unfortunately, installing the application quickly reveals that its true nature is that of a browser hijacker.
Indeed, users who install Motorsports Start will notice that their browsers have subsequently started to frequently redirect to an unfamiliar Web address. As a result of Motorsports Start's intrusive actions, the affected browser's homepage, new tab page, and default search engine would all be changed to now open search.nstart.online, a fake search engine.
Fake engines cannot produce results on their own. They function by further redirecting the users' search queries to additional engines. For example, search.nstart.online has been observed taking results from the legitimate Bing search engine, but that may not always be the case. Many fake engines modify their behavior based on factors such as the users' IP address, geolocation and possibly others.
Users should keep in mind that adware, browser hijackers, or other PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) often have data-harvesting capabilities. While installed on the device, these applications may continuously spy on the users' browsing activities, collect device details, or even extract sensitive account credentials, banking info, payment numbers, and more from the browsers' autofill data.
