TopSecurityTabSearch.com is the primary web address of a browser hijacker. Imali Media Ltd. is the company creator of that unwanted program. An extension related to the hijacker, with similar capabilities, exists. Every search query you make will be filtered by this redirect and from the domain of another hijacker named SafeFinder. The unwanted software can alter your browser settings, and change the homepage, search engine, and new tab to Search.TopSecurityTabSearch.com. Advertisements may show when you browse. To remove the hijacker and its files, you should read the whole article.
Threat Summary
| Name | TopSecurityTabSearch.com |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, PUP |
| Short Description | All browsers on your computer could be affected. The hijacker can redirect you and filter each of your searches. |
| Symptoms | Browser settings which are switched are the homepage, search engine and new tab, browser plugins and a toolbar. You could see third party content and advertisements. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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TopSecurityTabSearch.com – Delivery
TopSecurityTabSearch.com can use a few effective tactics for delivering itself to your browsers. Third-party installations are usually the main source. Software bundles, including freeware install setups, might place the hijacker inside your machine. By default, the setups might have additional components set for installing. Browser settings can be changed without prior notification, so the unwanted program can get inside your computer without you realize. Avoiding installations of that kind, you have to find a Custom or an Advanced setting menu in a setup.
TopSecurityTabSearch.com can get delivered to your computer system via advertising content, like banners, pop-ups and many other advertisement types, apparently. The hijacker could also be delivered through dubious websites which are hosting lots of redirecting links. These websites could be partnered up with TopSecurityTabSearch.com. Browsers that can be affected are: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari and Mozilla Firefox.
TopSecurityTabSearch.com – Analysis
TopSecurityTabSearch.com is the primary online domain and the search engine of a browser hijacker which has almost the same name – Top Security Tab. The company Imali Media Ltd. created it. That company is known to have produced many more browser redirect programs in the past.
You can see a screenshot of the main web page here:
The TopSecurityTabSearch.com page consists of just a search bar, links redirecting to different services, some of which are wrapped in as buttons. Some buttons are located below the search bar, and some other ones are on top of the page inside a toolbar. You can see that in the picture above this paragraph. Know that this page switches the search engine of all browsers you have on your PC, including the new tab setting, and the home page.
From the toolbar above, if you click on the “Repair Computer Errors” button, you will land on the following page:
That redirect is present in many more browsers and the Plus Network hijacker is a prime example of that. The ReImagePlus software, which is also known as ReImage Repair is a notorious rogue security program.
If any software related to TopSecurityTabSearch.com is on your PC, or you have the related browser extension installed, then you will see many changes to your browsers. The extension can push advertisements, display more third-party content and land you on suspicious websites. Such sites could be partnered with TopSecurityTabSearch.com.
In the above image, you can see the search results page of TopSecurityTabSearch.com. You will notice that you get redirected to the one of Yahoo. More reputable search engines might begin showing the results of your searches from the unwanted redirect. That is a trick used so you might trust the redirect more. And this trick is effective as people still fall victim to such browser hijacker software. Each of your search queries will send data over the following redirect:
Via the Safe Finder service, the TopSecurityTabSearch.com browser hijacker collects and transmits information about you to related servers of the redirect. The information is being stored there.
The search engines are inter-related somehow, and it is possible they disclose all information related to you between one another. They might be affiliates or partners. You should be very careful with their websites and search engines that mainly redirect users. Do not give your personal details to such websites.
TopSecurityTabSearch.com – Privacy Policy
The Privacy Policy of the TopSecurityTabSearch.com site is that of the Imali Media Ltd company. The policy of Safe Finder is also active as you should have anticipated. The policies of both hijackers state that information is collected about you, because if you make any interaction with their sites is like giving them automatic permission for data collection. TopSecurityTabSearch.com gathers both personally and non-personally identifying information. Partners and third parties can also receive all of that information, too.
You can preview the Privacy Policy of Imali Media right here:
According to the Policy, different types of information are being gathered.
Information, collected by Imali Media from each visitor:
- Your IP (internet protocol) address
- The type of browser you use
- The time at which you visited the site
- Which pages you visited throughout the site
Information you provide that can be collected:
- Your name
- Your email address
- Country of origin
- Your nickname
- Telephone number
- Website
- Company
- Job title
Information collected when you download and install the plugin:
- Demographic information
- Your gender
- Your age
- Occupation
- Household income
- Zip code
- Your country
- Mobile telephone number
- Your E-mail address
As stated inside the policy, some of the information may also be obtained if you complete or fill a subscription form, questionnaire or any contest entry form.
Information collected automatically from the plugin:
- Searches you perform using Imali Media domains
- The ways in which you use various features
- Pages you view on those domains
- Page view count
- Impressions and clicks
The information enumerated above, that is automatically gathered will be kept on servers of the Imali Media company and might get disclosed to their partners. The information will be acquired, when you enter the site of the hijacker from your browser and if you have the related plug-in set. Cookies accumulate that type of information.
Check the quote below, taken from the policy which is about the external links hosted on the site:
Our Site includes links to other third party Web sites (such as Google, Facebook, Youtube etc.) whose privacy practices may differ from those of Browsing Product. Our service may also be linked to sites or services operated by the Browsing Product affiliates or third parties, and may carry advertisements or offer content, functionality, games, rewards programs, newsletters, contests or sweepstakes, or applications developed and maintained by third parties including, any online store.
From the above quote it becomes apparent that Imali Media wants to say that whichever link, redirect or extra piece of content you come across, via their hijacker, is virtually not their fault. Despite that, the privacy policies of the sites which host the content will be active. Thus, those websites will be responsible for that content, if we accept that the statement from the above quote is true.
Do not click on anything hosted on those websites. Also, be careful whenever you use search engines, and what you seek for from search bars. Consider, that in this case the Safe Finder platform gathers further information about you and your online habits.
Remove TopSecurityTabSearch.com Fully
To remove TopSecurityTabSearch.com manually from your computer, follow the step-by-step removal guide provided below. In case the manual removal does not get rid of the hijacker and all of its files completely, you should search for and remove any leftovers with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such software can keep your computer secure in the future.
- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove TopSecurityTabSearch.com from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for TopSecurityTabSearch.com with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall TopSecurityTabSearch.com and related software from Windows
Uninstall Steps for Windows 11
Uninstall Steps for Windows 10 and Older Versions
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:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 4: Clean Any registries, Created by TopSecurityTabSearch.com on Your PC.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by TopSecurityTabSearch.com there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Video Removal Guide for TopSecurityTabSearch.com (Windows).
Get rid of TopSecurityTabSearch.com from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall TopSecurityTabSearch.com and remove related files and objects
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to TopSecurityTabSearch.com. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove TopSecurityTabSearch.com via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove TopSecurityTabSearch.com files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as TopSecurityTabSearch.com, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Video Removal Guide for TopSecurityTabSearch.com (Mac)
Remove TopSecurityTabSearch.com from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: 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.
Erase TopSecurityTabSearch.com from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window:
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: 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.
Uninstall TopSecurityTabSearch.com from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Remove TopSecurityTabSearch.com from Safari
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the TopSecurityTabSearch.com will be removed.
Eliminate TopSecurityTabSearch.com from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: 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'.
Step 5: 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.
Remove Push Notifications from Your Browsers
Turn Off Push Notifications from Google Chrome
To disable any Push Notices from Google Chrome browser, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Go to Settings in Chrome.
Step 2: In Settings, select “Advanced Settings”:
Step 3: Click “Content Settings”:
Step 4: Open “Notifications”:
Step 5: Click the three dots and choose Block, Edit or Remove options:
Remove Push Notifications on Firefox
Step 1: Go to Firefox Options.
Step 2: Go to “Settings”, type “notifications” in the search bar and click "Settings":
Step 3: Click “Remove” on any site you wish notifications gone and click “Save Changes”
Stop Push Notifications on Opera
Step 1: In Opera, press ALT+P to go to Settings.
Step 2: In Setting search, type “Content” to go to Content Settings.
Step 3: Open Notifications:
Step 4: Do the same as you did with Google Chrome (explained below):
Eliminate Push Notifications on Safari
Step 1: Open Safari Preferences.
Step 2: Choose the domain from where you like push pop-ups gone and change to "Deny" from "Allow".
TopSecurityTabSearch.com-FAQ
What Is TopSecurityTabSearch.com?
The TopSecurityTabSearch.com threat is adware or browser redirect virus.
It may slow your computer down significantly and display advertisements. The main idea is for your information to likely get stolen or more ads to appear on your device.
The creators of such unwanted apps work with pay-per-click schemes to get your computer to visit risky or different types of websites that may generate them funds. This is why they do not even care what types of websites show up on the ads. This makes their unwanted software indirectly risky for your OS.
What Are the Symptoms of TopSecurityTabSearch.com?
There are several symptoms to look for when this particular threat and also unwanted apps in general are active:
Symptom #1: Your computer may become slow and have poor performance in general.
Symptom #2: You have toolbars, add-ons or extensions on your web browsers that you don't remember adding.
Symptom #3: You see all types of ads, like ad-supported search results, pop-ups and redirects to randomly appear.
Symptom #4: You see installed apps on your Mac running automatically and you do not remember installing them.
Symptom #5: You see suspicious processes running in your Task Manager.
If you see one or more of those symptoms, then security experts recommend that you check your computer for viruses.
What Types of Unwanted Programs Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the threats that can currently affect your device can be rogue antivirus software, adware, browser hijackers, clickers, fake optimizers and any forms of PUPs.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like TopSecurityTabSearch.com?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your email passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activities with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these recommendations, your network and all devices will become significantly more secure against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
How Does TopSecurityTabSearch.com Work?
Once installed, TopSecurityTabSearch.com can collect data using trackers. This data is about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. It is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties.
TopSecurityTabSearch.com can also download other malicious software onto your computer, such as viruses and spyware, which can be used to steal your personal information and show risky ads, that may redirect to virus sites or scams.
Is TopSecurityTabSearch.com Malware?
The truth is that PUPs (adware, browser hijackers) are not viruses, but may be just as dangerous since they may show you and redirect you to malware websites and scam pages.
Many security experts classify potentially unwanted programs as malware. This is because of the unwanted effects that PUPs can cause, such as displaying intrusive ads and collecting user data without the user’s knowledge or consent.
About the TopSecurityTabSearch.com Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this TopSecurityTabSearch.com how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific, adware-related problem, and restore your browser and computer system.
How did we conduct the research on TopSecurityTabSearch.com?
Please note that our research is based on independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware, adware, and browser hijacker definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the TopSecurityTabSearch.com threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.