RunSpeedCheck

The RunSpeedCheck software is promoted as a tool that can measure your Internet speed and an integrated enhanced search functionality. You may click on advertisements about RunSpeedCheck that will redirect you to hxxps://install.runspeedcheck[.]com/?pid=11111. The official page for RunSpeedCheck offers a download link for a version suited to Google Chrome only. Web surfers are provided with a pop-up window that loads the Chrome Web Store page from hxxps://chrome.google[.]com/webstore/detail/runspeedcheck/npedfajfjdbafnipamnhoiepnonjbhih. The RunSpeedCheck browser extension requires the following privileges to work in Google Chrome:

• Read and change all your data on the websites you visit.
• Change your search settings to feed.runspeedcheck.com.
• Manage your apps, extension, and themes.

PC users should note that the RunSpeedCheck browser extension changes the default search provider to Feed.runspeedcheck.com. That means all searches conducted in the Omnibox are rerouted to hxxps:/feed.runspeedcheck.com, and then you are shown results at hxxps://search.yahoo[.]com/?type=YHS_RSC_100&guccounter=1. Installing the RunSpeedCheck extension means that you agree to receive services from third parties like Yahoo and marketing companies as stated at runspeedcheck.com/privacy and runspeedcheck.com/terms. You are likely to notice that the RunSpeedCheck extension is shown with an icon in the navigation panel, but it lacks interface. The extension icon is used to display a small drop-down menu that features instructions on how to initiate the Internet speed test. However, our analysis of RunSpeedCheck showed that no Internet speed test is provided to the users. Following the on-screen instructions by RunSpeedCheck leads users to hxxps://test.runspeedcheck[.]com/?q=go, which hosts a blank page.

It appears that the RunSpeedCheck browser extension requires access to your Web site data and search settings so that it can push targeted commercials and show sponsored search results via Yahoo. PC users who are not provided with the Internet speed test they expect from the RunSpeedCheck extension and experience unwanted redirects to Yahoo may want to remove the RunSpeedCheck extension. PC security analysts perceive the RunSpeedCheck software to be a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP). You can remove the RunSpeedCheck application and other unwanted extensions from your Web browser with help from a trusted cybersecurity scanner.