Do you know what Search.packageintransit.com is?
Search.packageintransit.com is a search engine that is distributed with a browser add-on called Package in Transit that is available for the three most popular browsers. However, we have classified this search engine as a browser hijacker and recommend that you remove it because it was designed to hijack your browser’s search-related settings to force you to use Search.packageintransit.com for searching the web. It provides users with modified search results that can feature certain promotions and ads of unreliable nature. This short description includes information about how this hijacker functions, how it is distributed, and what dangers it poses. Let us begin our analysis with how this hijacker works.
This hijacker works like any other search engine, but it redirects all search queries to a custom Yahoo search engine. This search engine can include promoted links in its search results. Our malware analysts have concluded that this hijacker works a bit differently with each browser. It comes with an accompanying browser extension called Package In Transit for Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer, and simply named Package for Mozilla Firefox. If you use Firefox, then this the browser extension will change the default search engine address to Search.packageintransit.com. However, if you use Internet Explorer or Chrome, then it will replace the homepage address and new tab page. The reason why Package In Transit changes these settings is to force you to use Search.packageintransit.com and generate its developers advertising revenue.
While Package In Transit is promoted as an application for tracking your package sent by mail, the reality is that it is just a charade as its real purpose is generating averting revenue. Search.packageintransit.com has a toolbar that is more for show than anything else. The toolbar features links to YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo, Facebook, and a news site at http://news.mynewswire.co. All of these sites are safe to access. However, the links promoted in the search results might not. Therefore, we do not recommend that you use this hijacker as a regular search engine.
Search.packageintransit.com screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
We also want to inform you that this particular browser hijacker was configured to gather certain information about you. Malware analysts say that Search.packageintransit.com can automatically collect information about you such as your IP address, ISP, browsing history, search queries, browser type, and operating system type. All of the collected information is of non-personal nature, so it does not spy on you per se. However, this information is used to show personalized search results and advertisements, among other things. Therefore, you might not want to use this search engine.
Now let us discuss this hijacker’s origins. Malware analysts have found that Search.packageintransit.com is yet another hijacker by Polarity Technologies, a browser hijacker creator responsible for releasing dozens of hijackers that include the likes of Search.searchlen.com, Search.searchlttrn.com, and Search.yourpackagesnow.com. This company is dedicated to making these kinds of search engines that are actually clones of each other. They all work in a similar manner, and all of them are similarly unreliable.
As far as Search.packageintransit.com’s distribution methods are concerned. We have found that this new hijacker is disseminated via its very own distribution website at http://packageintransit.com/Packages? that hosts its accompanying browser extension. On top of that, researchers have concluded that the extension is also featured on the Chrome Web Store. However, the extension is by no means legitimate, and we hope that it will be pulled down from the Chrome Web Store soon. As with all Polarity Technologies’ hijackers, this one too is probably distributed via malicious software bundles set to install this hijacker secretly when you run the installer.
We hope that you found this particular article informative. There is no doubt that Search.packageintransit.com is a highly malicious browser hijacker set to replace your browser’s search-related settings. Furthermore, it shows questionable search results, so we recommend that you remove it to prevent this hijacker from jeopardizing your privacy and security.
Uninstall Package In Transit from Control Panel
Windows XP
- Open the Start menu.
- Click Control Panel.
- Select Add or Remove Programs.
- Find Package In Transit and highlight it.
- Click the Remove button.
Windows 7/Vista
- Open the Start menu and select Control Panel.
- Click Uninstall a program.
- Find Package In Transit and right-click it.
- Click Uninstall.
Windows 8/8.1
- Open the Charm bar and select Settings.
- Click Control Panel and click Uninstall a program.
- Find Package In Transit and right-click it.
- Click Uninstall.
Windows 10
- Right-click the Start menu.
- Go to Programs and Features.
- Find Package In Transit and right-click it.
- Click Uninstall.
Remove Package In Transit from the browser
Google Chrome
- Launch the browser.
- Press Alt+F.
- Select More tools.
- Click Extensions.
- Locate Package In Transit.
- Click Remove.
Mozilla Firefox
- Launch the browser.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+A.
- Choose Extensions.
- Locate Package.
- Click Remove.
In non-techie terms:
Search.packageintransit.com might look like a regular search engine, but your cyber security experts have classified it as a browser hijacker that was designed to hijacker your browser’s homepage address, new tab page and search engine setting. Its objective is to show you modified search results with ads that generate revenue. However, the ads can come from shady sources, so we recommend that you remove it from your browser.