SearchsmartDS Search
The SearchsmartDS Search program is published by InfoSpace Holdings LLC. (formerly InfoSpace LLC.) on the Chrome Web Store under the category 'Search Tools.' The SearchsmartDS Search Chrome extension is promoted to deliver alternative search functionality and protect your privacy. You might think that SearchsmartDS Search is similar to DuckDuckGo and IxQuick, but you would be wrong. The SearchsmartDS Search extension is known to change the primary search aggregator in Google Chrome to Search.searchsmart.bid. Typing in the Omnibox triggers loading a box with search suggestions from SearchsmartDS Search that lead Web surfers to h[tt]p://search.searchsmart[.]bid/?q=[search terms] and then to h[tt]ps://www.webcrawler[.]com/serp?q=[search terms].
The SearchsmartDS Search is an ad-supported product that is designed to reroute the Web traffic to Webcrawler.com and targeted promotional materials. Interestingly, the Privacy Policy on Search.searchsmart.bid/search/PRIVACY/ and the 'About Us' page on Search.searchsmart.bid/search/ABOUTUS/ does not mention the brand 'SearchsmartDS Search' as both are copies from pages associated with the Chumsearch.com browser hijacker. The name of the SearchsmartDS Search extension and its functionality remind of the TV Stream Now New Tab application that we covered on in July 2017. The TV Stream Now New Tab is known to promote the MySearch DS-1 software by APN, LLC., also seen as MySearch toolbar. The reality is that Search.searchsmart.bid features the same layout as Search.mysafesearch.net and Hidemysearch.com (clones: Yoursafersearch.com, Saferqueries.com). The domains and browser extensions created by InfoSpace Holdings LLC serve a simple goal - diver users to search engines and marketing materials that compete with Google.com and related content. PC users who are not fond of unwanted browser redirects and do not like the features at Webcrawler.com may want to remove the SearchsmartDS Search extension. The SearchsmartDS Search application is deemed as a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) by InfoSpace, which may apply undesired changes to the Omnibox in Google Chrome.
