LookSmart Search is a questionable search engine that has features of the browser hijacker

LookSmart search is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that spreads bundled with free programs and can enter the system unnoticed. Once inside, this browser hijacker[1] can alter Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer or other web browsers' settings. As a result, browser's startup page and default search engine will be replaced with My.looksmart.me.
| Summary | |
| Name | My.looksmart.me (LookSmart Search Engine) |
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Danger level | Medium. Hijacker cannot cause direct damage to the system, but it can take control over the targeted web browser and promote potentially dangerous content. |
| Symptoms | Changed homepage, built-in search engine, new tab URL address, redirects to questionable sites, an increased amount of ads. |
| Distribution methods | Freeware and shareware bundles. |
| To remove My.looksmart.me, install FortectIntego and run a full system scan | |
Due to ability enter the system unnoticed in the software package, the program is sometimes referred to as My.looksmart.me virus. However, it' too harsh term to describe a browser hijacker. Potentially unwanted programs cannot cause direct damage to the computer, but they might redirect users to malware-laden websites or trick into installing other PUPs. Hence, this search tool should not be kept on the system.
As we have mentioned in the beginning, LookSmart Search Engine can be spread bundled with various free applications that you can download from various freeware[2] or shareware websites. Therefore, if you have recently installed some freeware, it may have brought PUP to the machine.
On the affected machine, LookSmart virus might complete these tasks:
- alter Windows Registry;
- modify browser’s settings (Firefox, Chrome, Explorer, etc.);
- set hxxps://my.looksmart.me/ default search engine, new tab URL address, and homepage;
- provide altered search results;
- redirect to questionable websites;
- display aggressive ads;
- collect and share information about users;
- revert attempts to remove my.looksmart.me.

The appearance of My.looksmart.me causes countless browsing-related problems and might increase user’s chances to encounter serious cyber threats. Hijacker’s ability fill search results page with sponsored links is not only unfair but might be dangerous too.
Once you click on a search link, you might end up on a useless third-party site which has nothing in common with the content you looked for. What is worse, this site might be used for phishing or spreading malware. Hence, My.looksmart.me redirect tendencies are one of the most dangerous features of the browser hijacker.

However, at the moment of writing, the search engine does not seem working properly. It does not display any search results once you enter your queries. Though, if you click “The Easy Button” you will be redirected to Google Doodles page. It's hard to explain this activity. It seems that authors of the hijacker wanted to give a sense of credibility by giving fake assumptions that My.looksmart.me is a safe search tool.
The same redirect problem exists with ads. My.looksmart.me browser hijacker might display ads that promote bogus software, misleading shopping offers or even malware-laden ads. Such potentially unwanted programs often are used by cyber criminals. Therefore, you should not click any of them and get rid of the hijacker immediately.

The main page of the search engine does not include Privacy Policy, Terms of Use and any other information about the developers. The lack of these documents raises suspicion that developers are not reliable and might not treat information about you properly. Hence, you should remove LookSmart Me Search engine to avoid privacy-related issues.
For My.looksmart.me removal, you can use FortectIntego or another anti-malware software. However, if you prefer manual removal option, you can follow the guide at the end of the article.

A questionable search tool spreads in software bundles
This bogus search tool does not have an official download site and cannot be download directly. However, it spreads bundled with freeware and shareware. Hence, the My.looksmart.me hijack might occur if you do not pay attention to software installation.
Security specialists from LesVirus.fr[3] remind that you always have to “unpack” free programs before clicking “Install” button. For that, you have to choose Custom/Advanced settings instead of Quick/Recommended. These settings disclose third-party optional downloads and lets rejecting their installation.
Instructions on how to eliminate My.looksmart.me from Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers
To remove LookSmart from your startup page, you have to uninstall suspicious browser add-ons and programs that may have been installed without your knowledge. Keep in mind that browser hijackers barely spread alone. Hence, other PUPs may have been installed from the same software bundle. For this reason, you have to uninstall other questionable programs or browser add-ons.
Additionally, you have to reset each of the affected web browsers. The lack of privacy policy does not mean that cookies or other tracking technologies were not installed. It goes without saying that you should stop LookSmart Me or its affiliates from tracking your clicks and other browsing-related information. The instructions below will guide you through this procedure.
However, if manual elimination guide seems complicated, you can speed up My.looksmart.me removal by scanning the system with professional anti-malware software. This method ensures that all hijacker-related components are wiped out entirely.
Uninstall from Windows
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.

Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.

Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).

Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.

- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Reset Internet Explorer
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.

Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.

Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.

Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.

Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.

Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.

Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.

Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.

Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.

- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.

Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.

Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.

Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.

Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.

Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.

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