Smooth Search Tab

The Smooth Search Tab is a Possibly Unwanted Program (PUP) that acts as a browse-hijacker application that takes over a particular browser setting to promote a fake search engine. While the Smooth Search Tab tries to entice users by offering them a clean tab look and a couple of useful links to popular websites. Its main goal, however, is, as we said, to drive artificial traffic to its promoted site.

Once installed, oftentimes through deceitful distribution methods such as bundling, the Smooth Search Tab will modify the homepage, new page tab, and the default search engine of the browser to open https://smoothsearch.online immediately. By simply starting the browser afterward, the user will already be generating traffic towards it. It should be noted that by itself, https://smoothsearch.online cannot provide any search results at all, which is why it may be considered as a fake engine. It takes every search query conducted in the browser and then redirects it through a legitimate search engine - Bing in this case.

It is recommended not to keep applications such as the Search Tab present on your device. Browser-hijackers can inject shady third-party applications among the displayed search results, while, simultaneously, collecting various data. Smooth Search Tab is no different, as it collects usage statistics, browser and operating system type, the exact time and date you use the search engine, visited websites, etc. The Search Tab also logs the device's IP address, the geolocation, and the ISP (Internet Service Provider).