2Search Spyware – How It Works, How to Get Rid of It

The Internet Patrol default featured image
Share the knowledge

2Search is the name of a spyware (although some would argue that it’s adware) product which hijacks your web browser, redirecting it from the site you want to another site. 2Search has been recently found to be employing a particularly devious and nasty tactic. According to Webroot, 2Search is managing to insert fake Google results in a Google search, enticing you to visit that link, which you think is a legitimate result for the search you entered. Nasty!

And as if that isn’t slimy enough, the good researchers at Webroot found that those Google results in turn lead to eBay listings (we’ve all seen legitimate, if not annoying, eBay listings are results to Google searches), and they believe that the products listed on eBay are likely to be more spyware.

The bad guys are doing this because, explains Paul Piccard, Director of Threat Research for Webroot, “If you had a Web site that said, “‘Hey, get your spyware here,’ no one would go to it. So they look for ways to confuse or fool the user and make sure they are willing to download the spyware.”

Of course, you weren’t really willing to download it. And so if you have it, you probably want to know how to get rid of it. You can find all sorts of instructions with this Google search for how to remove 2search. If you aren’t sure whether you have it, you’ll find information about how to determine that, too.

Get New Internet Patrol Articles by Email!

The Internet Patrol is completely free, and reader-supported. Your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP.

CashApp us Square Cash app link

Venmo us Venmo link

Paypal us Paypal link

 


Share the knowledge

4 thoughts on “2Search Spyware – How It Works, How to Get Rid of It

  1. can’t you see, that it must be the spyware companies who make the threats or there wud be no need for spyware. they have to generate spyware in order for their product to sell, spyware removal should be free. al of it should be free. bollocks to having to pay to fix wot u have alreayd paid for. its all a con, i wudnt be surprised if microsoft wernt in on it somehow!

  2. No 1 product removes all spyware/adware/malware. Even the better rated products do a
    poor job. I use 5 or more products to get maximum spyware/adware/malware removal. Why
    can’t someone make a product that does it all – & not charge an arm & a leg for it ??

  3. I would recommend staying far away from spyware doctor for removing 2search. I installed spware doctor and found it useless in removing spyware. It will list lavasoft ad-aware 6 as a high threat and doesnt find much else.

  4. Thanks for the Google link on how to remove 2search. But if you are infected with it, and it works as you say, how would one know the results are legit?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.