Berta Bilbao

Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.

More Posts

Search.secure-dm.com is the main domain of the browser hijacker named Secure Download Manager. The developer of that program is called SaferBrowser. That company is notorious for making heaps of browser hijackers. The undesired application alters the new tab window, homepage, and search engine for all of your browsers software. A toolbar can be put on the new page of your browsers. An add-on tied to this hijacker can install as well. You can see redirects. To remove the hijacker, you should read this article carefully.

Threat Summary

Name	Search.secure-dm.com
Type	Browser Hijacker, PUP
Short Description	The hijacker can change the homepage, search engine and new tab on every browser application you use.
Symptoms	The homepage, search engine and new tab of all your browsers will be changed to Search.secure-dm.com. You will be redirected and might see advertising content.
Distribution Method	Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by Search.secure-dm.com Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join Our Forum to Discuss Search.secure-dm.com.

Search.secure-dm.com – Delivery Ways

Secure Download Manager has various ways of delivery. Third-party installer setups are one of the most widely-spread ones. Without prior notification, freeware, and bundle packages could put the hijacker on your computer machine. Installation setups like those could be set by default to install additive content. Avoiding any undesired content from being installed, is manageable if you find Custom or Advanced options in the setup from where to deselect that content.

Secure Download Manager could be delivered through a browser extension. Plug-ins and add-ons associated with the hijacker might be found around the Internet and utilized as another way of delivery. Social media networks and file-share services could be used to deliver install setups containing the hijacker application. The browser hijacker redirect might pop up from redirect links or advertisements spread by suspicious websites. Browsers that can get affected are: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari.

Search.secure-dm.com – A Closer Look

Search.secure-dm.com is the primary search page and default URL address for a browser hijacker called Secure Download Manager. The website claims to give its users a unique download manager that monitors your downloads and offers security. The toolbar placed on the top of the main page could be used to access sites which are related. Be careful with the redirect links, as there are bulks of advertisements which could spread from them. The default search engine for your browser programs is going to load the Search.secure-dm.com page instead, when the hijacker has affected them.

The new search engine looks like the following:

Whenever this hijacker gets installed on your computer system, you will be redirected to the search engine related to it. Other browser settings will get modified from the unwanted program, such as your homepage, new tab, including themes and a few other ones. The developer of the hijacker is the company that goes by the name of SaferBrowser. You can notice that SaferBrowser made a lot of redirects with browser hijacking capabilities.

Any browser extensions tied to this hijacker could be placed inside your browser applications and alter the new tab window, homepage, and the default search setting. That is obviously observed with all of the redirects flooding your Web pages when you are surfing the Web space. Data of different kinds will be gathered from you and will be sent to servers of the Search.secure-dm.com site owners. Third party partners or affiliates could get their hands on that data, too.

The extension could do the following:

• Read and change all your data on the websites you visit
• Manage your apps, extensions, and themes

The Search.secure-dm.com page is used to filter every single search query that you make through its servers. Sponsored content, along with targeted advertisements could be displayed after you do a search or when you are browsing casually. The advertising content can of different types, and presented as in-text links, pop-ups, pop-unders, or similar adverts.

The above snapshot displays the redirect’s function for the search results of the Search.secure-dm.com page. That redirect link is a sub-domain for the hijacker in question and only appears for a split second. Every one of your search queries will be filtered, and all data acquired from them is going to a sub-domain for storage and analysis. Then, you will witness the search results page of a reputable search engine. In the below screenshot you can see an example of Yahoo’s search results page:

You should be very careful when entering data inside search bars, especially if it contains personal information and such, regarding credentials, account details, etc. Continue reading to find out what exactly information is being acquired from you.

Search.secure-dm.com – Privacy Policy

In the Privacy Policy of Search.secure-dm.com is specified that both personally and non-personally identifying information will be collected by the hijacker in question. The company SaferBrowser has not made changes to the Privacy Policy of its software with browser hijacking capabilities since the beginning of this year. Information that is obtained about you and your browsing habits could be disclosed to third party businesses and partners of SaferBrowser’s owners.

The policy states that the following information is collected:

• Search queries and all data you type in searches
• Search data and specifics of searches
• Country of residence, home address
• URLs and clicks
• IP address
• Browser (version and type)
• Name, education, interests
• Communications preferences
• Telephone number
• Operating System (plus other related data)

You can view the policy from the image below:

Reading the policy through unveils a statement of how using a service or an application connected to the Search.secure-dm.com website is considered as your consent for data collection. The SaferBrowser company acquires information from you and your online activity. The website uses browser cookies, and other tracking technologies, such as Web beacons, to gather more information.

Remove Search.secure-dm.com Fully

To remove Search.secure-dm.com manually from your computer, follow the step-by-step removal instructions given below. In case the manual removal does not get rid of the browser hijacker entirely, you should search for and remove any leftover items with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such software helps keep your computer secure in the future.

Note! Your computer system may be affected by Search.secure-dm.com or other threats.
Scan Your PC with SpyHunter
SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as Search.secure-dm.com.
Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.

To remove Search.secure-dm.com follow these steps:

1. Uninstall malicious programs from Windows

OFFER

Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!

We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter

Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria

How to Uninstall malicious programs from Windows:

Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:

Hold the Windows Logo Button and “R” on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear (fig.1).

In the field type in “appwiz.cpl” and press ENTER (fig.2).

This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC.
Select the program that you want to remove, and press “Uninstall” (fig.3).

Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.

2. Clean your Browser and Registry from Search.secure-dm.com

Remove Search.secure-dm.com by cleaning your Browser and Registry.

Remove an extension from Mozilla FirefoxRemove an extension from Google Chrome Remove an extension from Internet Explorer Remove an extension from Microsoft Edge Fix registry entries created by Search.secure-dm.com on your PC.

Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window

Select the “Add-ons” icon from the menu.

Select the unwanted extension and click “Remove“

After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red “X” button at the top right corner and start it again.

Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu

Move the cursor over “Tools” and then from the extended menu choose “Extensions“

From the opened “Extensions” menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its “Remove” button.

After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red “X” button at the top right corner and start it again.

Start Internet Explorer:

Click on the gear icon labeled ‘Tools’ to open the drop menu and select ‘Manage Add-ons’

In the ‘Manage Add-ons’ window.

Select the extension you want to remove and then click ‘Disable’. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click ‘Disable’.

After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red ‘X’ button located at the top right corner and start it again.

Start Edge

Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.

From the drop menu select “Extensions”.

Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.

Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.

Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.

IMPORTANT!
Before starting the Automatic Removal below, please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.

Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs

3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

Scan your PC and Remove Search.secure-dm.com with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data

1. Install SpyHunter to scan for Search.secure-dm.com and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove Search.secure-dm.com. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.

Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.

Download

Malware Removal Tool

It is recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.

Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.

Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.

Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.

Step 2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.

Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.

Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future

IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup .

SOS Online Backup

Berta Bilbao

Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.

More Posts

Berta Bilbao

Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.

More Posts