Anyone familiar with the blekko redirect thing?
Well, i downloaded this alarm clock app last night and i noticed i got some other program called blekko along with it that changed all my homepages on my browsers. I figured this was a safe download, as i got it from a trusted site ive used several times. I ran malwarbytes and removed the only threat that it found, and i changed all my homepages back to normal. My question is, how can i be sure that i have completely removed this program? I know things like this usually have a nasty habit of leaving behind some extra stuff. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
June 22, 2012
2 Comments • Newest first
thank you for the information.
Specialized programs designed to find the "extra stuff" left behind are how you find and remove traces of malware.
You did that when you ran Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
You should also be running a regular anti-virus scanner which is optimized to find a slightly different range of threats so that you're fully covered.
If both Malwarebytes and your normal anti-virus scan pass your computer as clean, then you've found anything left behind.
However, "blekko" is a "grey area".
Some consider it a valid, valuable service, others consider it the depths of malware.
Its stated purpose is to provide search results without all the commercialized crap Google loads its search results down with, such as "sponsored links" and others that have paid Google for higher priority in search listings.
I haven't paid much attention to it so far, but apparently they're doing deals with software companies to include their software and "search toolbars" bundled with the companies software. I found one reference to Firefox having some dealings with them even.
Bottom line, it's apparently not a harmful thing, but not something I'd want spammed onto my computer without telling me first.