Art And Weather Browser Extension
While exploring suspicious websites, our research team came across the Art And Weather browser extension. Marketed as a tool for displaying browser wallpapers and offering convenient weather forecasts, our investigation unveiled intriguing details.
Upon scrutinizing this extension, we uncovered its underlying behavior of altering browser settings to promote the artandweather.co counterfeit search engine through redirects. Consequently, Art And Weather falls under the category of browser-hijacking software.
Browser hijackers function by designating promoted website addresses as homepages, default search engines, and URLs for new tabs and windows in web browsers.
Art And Weather follows suit by implementing these alterations. Consequently, with the installation of this extension, the opening of new browser tabs or windows, as well as initiating search queries via the URL bar, results in redirects to the artandweather.co website.
Counterfeit search engines typically lack the capability to generate authentic search results, leading them to redirect users to legitimate search engines. Artandweather.co aligns with this pattern; during our research, it redirected to the Bing search engine (bing.com). It's worth noting that redirect destinations could vary due to factors such as user location.
Typically, browser-hijacking software employs tactics to ensure its persistence, making it challenging for users to restore their browser settings.
Furthermore, Art And Weather is equipped with data-tracking functionalities. The scope of targeted information encompasses visited URLs, accessed pages, search queries, login credentials, internet cookies, personally identifiable information, financial data, and more. This gathered data might be sold to third parties or exploited for profit in various ways.
What Are Browser Hijackers and Why Should You Do Your Best to Avoid Them?
Browser hijackers are malicious software or unwanted programs that modify web browser settings without the user's consent to promote certain websites, alter search engine preferences, and display unwanted ads. They are designed to redirect users to specific websites, often for advertising or to gather user data. Browser hijackers can be quite disruptive and invasive, significantly affecting the browsing experience and potentially compromising user privacy and security.
Here's why you should do your best to avoid browser hijackers:
Unwanted Modifications: Browser hijackers alter your browser's homepage, default search engine, new tab page, and even the URL bar search. This can lead to constant redirection to unwanted websites and disrupt your usual browsing habits.
Search Engine Manipulation: Hijackers often force users to use a specific search engine that might provide inaccurate or biased search results. This can hinder your ability to find relevant and reliable information.
Increased Advertisements: Browser hijackers inject numerous ads into websites you visit, which can be highly intrusive and distracting. These ads are typically used to generate revenue for the hijacker's operators.
Data Collection: Many browser hijackers collect your browsing history, search queries, and other personal information. This data can be sold to third parties or used for targeted advertising, compromising your privacy.
Security Risks: Browser hijackers can expose your system to security vulnerabilities. Since they modify browser settings and inject code into web pages, they can weaken your browser's security defenses and potentially expose you to malware or phishing attacks.
Difficult to Remove: Some browser hijackers are persistent and challenging to remove. They may reinstall themselves even after being deleted, making it frustrating for users to regain control of their browsers.
Performance Impact: Browser hijackers can slow down your browser and overall system performance due to the additional resources required to display ads and perform unauthorized actions.
