Do you know what Search.bt-cmf.com is?
Search.bt-cmf.com might look like a safe and useful search engine, but nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that it can replace your browser’s homepage address secretly and, therefore, we have classified it as a browser hijacker. Furthermore, its search results can feature unsafe links to promoted websites. These sites can potentially redirect you to malicious websites. Therefore, you ought to remove this hijacker as soon as the opportunity arises. To find out more about this malicious search engine, read the information presented in the following paragraphs.
Before we discuss how this search engine works and shady features, we want to introduce you to its distribution methods, so that you could avoid getting it if you have not already. Our cyber security experts have found that Search.bt-cmf.com is a product of the infamous Polarity Technologies company that is also responsible for releasing hijackers such as Search.instantnewsnow.co, Search.searchfana.com, and Search.searchytdvta.com. This shady company is dedicated to creating browser hijackers which generate them advertising revenue because it is evident that is their only purpose. Researchers say that Search.bt-cmf.com’s creators distribute it via bundled software installers. This particular hijacker does not appear to have a browser extension, so we assume that the developers have arranged this hijacker to be distributed through bundled software installed hosted on freeware distributing websites. If that is the case, then you can get this hijacker onto your PC when installing a program from such a site. However, this hijacker can be injected into your browser without your knowledge or approval.
Search.bt-cmf.com has a toolbar at the top of the window that features links to game-related websites. It also promotes Amazon, Wall-Mart, Gmail, and other popular websites and services in a banner ad below the search bar. Still, we have found that it redirects all entered search queries to a modified Yahoo search engine. Therefore, you might see modified search results that can contain links to various promoted websites that can potentially subject you to malicious software downloads, scam sites, and so on because there is no telling what this hijacker can promote. The bottom line is that this search engine can jeopardize your system’s security, so we recommend you not to use it.
Search.bt-cmf.com screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Our researchers say that Search.bt-cmf.com can collect some non-personally identifiable information about you and use it for personalizing the search results and ads you see. Therefore, it can collect information such as your browser type, operating system type, IP address, Internet Service Provider (ISP,) search history, entered search terms, and so on automatically. Search.bt-cmf.com is compatible with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Researchers say that the bundled installers should replace the homepage addresses of these browser’s only and also change the new tab page of Chrome. The aim is to make you use this hijacker as a regular search engine in order to make money of featured ads and promoted links.
Search.bt-cmf.com is just one of thousands of search engines that lurks in the shadows o the Internet ready to replace your browser’s homepage address to generate ad revenue for its developers. Unfortunately, its distribution method is malicious, and the same can be said about some of its promoted links. Therefore, we advise that you remove it from your PC as soon as the opportunity arises.
How to change the homepage address
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Launch the browser.
- Press Alt+T and click Internet Options.
- Erase Search.bt-cmf.com Enter a new URL.
- Click OK.
Google Chrome
- Launch the browser.
- Press Alt+F keys.
- Select Settings.
- Click Set pages.
- Erase Search.bt-cmf.com
- Enter a new URL
- Click OK.
Mozilla Firefox
- Launch the browser.
- Press Alt+T.
- Click Options and select General.
- Erase Search.bt-cmf.com and enter a new address.
In non-techie terms:
Search.bt-cmf.com is a malicious search engine that we classified as a browser hijacker. It pretends to be a legitimate search engine, but you can get it accidentally as its developers employ a deceptive distribution tactic. Its search results can feature ads and promoted links that can subject you to malicious content, so if you want to keep your PC out of harm’s way, see the guide above on how to replace the homepage address of your respective browser.