Optimum Search Removal Guide

What is Optimum Search

Optimum Search is a browser hijacker that attaches itself to browsers and changes their settings. Because of its behaviour, many users may refer to it as a virus or malware, but browser hijackers are not malicious. They’re more like pests that disrupt your browsing. The hijacker will make changes to your browser’s settings and set its promoted page as the homepage and new tabs, as well as change your set search engine. These changes are performed without users’ explicit permission, and can be difficult to reverse while the hijacker is installed.

While hijackers are considered to be relatively harmless by themselves, they try to redirect users to certain websites, and not all of them will be safe. Hijackers aim to generate revenue, which is why they redirect users to those sites. However, those sites are not checked, meaning you could easily end up on one that’s hiding malware or promoting scams. To avoid being redirected to potentially malicious sites, delete Optimum Search.

In many cases, users are confused when they notice a hijacker installed. You, like most users, probably do not remember installing it. That’s likely because it installed via freeware bundles, meaning it came attached to some free program you installed. Those attached offers are permitted to install alongside the program, unless users manually deselect them. Most users do not, simply because they aren’t even aware of them being there. Continue reading to find out how you can prevent these unwanted offers.

How does a hijacker install?

A browser hijacker will install via freeware bundles. Sometimes users are tricked into thinking that a hijacker is a useful extension and download it themselves. But in most cases, hijackers are installed without users even noticing.

Programs available on those free download websites often have additional offers attached to them. They come attached to freeware as extra offers, and unless users manually deselect them, they will install alongside. Because they are set to install automatically, and users rarely pay enough attention to be able to deselect them, hijackers are quite widespread infections.

Fortunately, it’s not difficult to stop these installations. What you need to do next time you’re installing freeware is opt for Advanced (Custom) settings instead of Default. Those settings will show you if anything has been added, and if there is something, you will be able to deselect it/them. Just uncheck the boxes. Even if the offers may see useful at first, you should not allow them to install if they tried to sneak past you.

Should you uninstall Optimum Search

Optimum Search is advertised as a browser helper that will help search better. However, it’s nothing more than a browser hijacker that will try to redirect you to sponsored websites. In order to do that, it will first change your browser’s settings and set search.optimum.icu or a similar site as your homepage and new tabs. These changes can affect all popular browsers like Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Once the settings have been changed, do not waste your time trying to undo these changes while the hijacker is still installed.

You new homepage site looks like any other search website. It has a search engine box, and if you use it to search for something, you will be redirected to Google. There are no reasons to use some questionable website that redirects to Google when you can go to Google directly. The hijacker may also be able to insert sponsored content into search results. You could be redirected to all kinds of questionable websites, not all of which will be secure.

It should also be mentioned that hijackers also track users and collect information about their activities. It will track what you search for, what sites you visit, what ads you click on and your IP address. The information could also be shared with unknown third-parties.

Optimum Search removal

The easiest way to remove Optimum Search would be to use anti-spyware software because the program would do everything. You can also try to delete Optimum Search manually but you have to make sure all related files are deleted as well to prevent the hijacker from recovering. Once the hijacker is no longer installed, you can change your browser’s settings.