Searchp.icu

Searchp.icu is a fake search engine that is being promoted through a browser hijacker application. This is a common tactic because users are extremely unlikely to use such a search engine intentionally. After all, fake engines do not have the capacity to produce any search results on their own and instead redirect to a legitimate engine to do the work for them. As such, their contribution to the user experience on the device is not only bringing zero improvements but in fact, it contributes to its deterioration actively.

One of the major symptoms that a browser hijacker has managed to sneak itself onto the user's device is that certain browser settings will be modified to suit the needs of the application almost immediately. Users will notice that their normal homepage, new page tab, and the default search engine have all been changed to now open the http://searchp.icu. The culprit is a browser extension named 'PlaySearchNow.' Keep in mind that the extension may have been installed through a scheme called 'bundling.' This is a popular tactic among PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) that hides their installation by injecting it into the installation process of another freeware program.

It is strongly recommended to remove any potential PUPs as soon as you notice the first signs of their activity. Most applications of this type are designed to spy on the user's browsing activities with all collected data being uploaded to a remote server. The creators of the browser hijacker or PUP could then attempt to sell the information to third parties.