What is WebSearch Adware?
Researchers with security firm Securelist published a report focused on browser extension threats and browser hijackers. Among all the threats examined in more detail, the WebSearch adware stood out as the most prominent.
According to the data published by Securelist, WebSearch was "encountered" by nearly 877 thousand unique users. The detections for it are usually heuristic and flag the adware not as a virus, but as AdWare.Script.WebSearch.gen or a similar string, depending on the specific anti-malware tool used.
The most common method WebSearch is distributed is through platforms, tools and extensions that claim to function as document converters, for example, tools that convert Office documents to PDF.
As with most browser hijhackers, WebSearch changes the home page of the browser it installs into. The default search engine is also swapped out to search dot myway dot com. This is done because the myway search engine can record and store user search queries. Result pages generated through it will aggressively promote sponsored links as well.
Securelist reports that the extension has been taken down from the official Chrome Web Store, but like so many other browser hijackers, it can still be encountered through many websites that offer file-sharing or free download services.
