Secure Search

The Secure Search browser extension from Lp.securesearch.online and securesearch.online is promoted as a security extension for your Internet client. You may not have heard of Secure Search before considering that at the time of writing, the extension is recorded to be in active use by 51 people. The marketing pitch for the Secure Search extension on the Chrome Web Store (chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-search/pighdeelcfelhelmgdeiigfcppbcjenm) reads:

'Keep your search secure and history private with Secure Search the anonymous, fully secure (SSL) search engine and privacy extension.
Secure Search helps you keep your search secure & history private with Secure Search the anonymous, fully secure (SSL) Search.hr - search engine.'

Web surfers might stumble upon the Secure Search browser extension if they click on commercials, banners, and promotional images that link to Lp.securesearch.online where there is little to no information on what Secure Search does. Moreover, securesearch.online offers a simple promotional wallpaper. If you click on the central logo that says 'SECURE SEACRH' it would bring up an invitation to install the aforementioned extension. Users will not find positive reviews on the Chrome Webs store page for Secure Search as of the time of research. The Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for Secure Search are supposed to be published on search.hr/legal/TOS.pdf and search.hr/legal/privacy.pdf, but they are empty and bring up a '404- Not Found' error report. The Secure Search appears to modify the user's primary search provider and new tab page so that you are brought to search.hr, which we have mentioned in our reports from June 10th, 2017. The Secure Search extension may connect to several clones of Search.hr found on:

• searchcontrolsettings[.]bid
• searchcontrolsettings[.]club
• searchcontrolsettings[.]space
• start.searchcontrolsettings[.]top
• searchcontrolsettings[.]us
• searchengaged[.]com

The Secure Search extension is not a favorite when it comes to privacy, considering the site search.hr functions as a redirect-gateway to search.yahoo.com. Additionally, the Secure Search application requires access to the data you exchange with all sites you visit. An in-depth analysis of Secure Search revealed it might not protect users efficiently. The code of Secure Search has been found published under another brand named BitCro Search as well. The BitCro Search extension has its own page on the Chrome Web Store at chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bitcro-search/ikjlhfpogkbbandehalaomlighiajcdi. However, at this time, the BitCro Search extension is designed to interact with lp.bitcrosearch.com and bitcrosearch.com. Both apps, BitCro Search, and Secure Search may change the user's search and new tab settings to search.hr and perform browser redirects to search.yahoo.com. The comments sections for BitCro Search and Secure Search include the same comment from 'Yahoo Search Partner:'

'Good luck from your Yahoo Search Partner! :)'

The 'Yahoo Search Partner' account on Google+ is not managed by Yahoo and has nothing to do with services by Yahoo. However, the developers of the BitCro Search and Secure Search extensions appear to reroute users to search.yahoo.com and claim ad revenue. The BitCro Search and Secure Search extensions might collect non-personally identifiable data like your Internet searches, downloads log, browsing history, downloads log and IP address to help advertisers at search.yahoo.com show related advertisements. The questionable marketing strategy, lack of information, and contact details allow computer security researchers to classify Secure Search and its clones as Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs). Your connection to search.hr may be encrypted, but that does not mean your input on the site is not recorded, and the BitCro Search and the Secure Search software does not collect any information about your online activity. PC users may want to remove Secure Search with an anti-spyware instrument and seek a better alternative.