iStart123.com is a legitimate website categorized as a browser hijacker as it alters the default browser and home page without your approval. It is also considered a potentially unwanted program (PUP).
Why Is iStart123.com Considered a PUP?
iStart123.com is not malicious and does not put your PC at risk by itself. It does enhance your search experience by providing additional search capabilities and short links to popular websites and social media channels.
In addition to its advantages, however, iStart123.com has several features that may disturb your overall browsing experience and may expose your system to threats:
- iStart123.com will replace your default home page to its own after its installation.
- The search results it presents to you, may be manipulated.
- If you click on a link from its search results, you may run into a malicious website, which will expose your system to possible viruses and other threats.
- iStart123.com uses cookies to track your personally and non-personally identifying information such as email address, usernames, IP address, operating system etc. That information is not only tracked, but recorded as well, and may be then shared with third parties for advertising purposes.
Having iStart123.com as your default browser means you agree to its Privacy Policy which clearly states the above features and more. And, although it may be of help to you at some point, it opens a backdoor to any external threats. Lastly, you probably don’t feel comfortable knowing that your every move online is being “watched,” recorded and possibly shared with advertising agencies, do you?
Browser hijackers like iStart123.com aim to generate traffic and revenue either for their websites or third parties. Thus, the search results by such search engines should not be trusted as they may intentionally redirect you to certain links for their benefit.
How Does iStart123.com End up on Your PC?
There are two ways of iStart123.com entering your system – you can either manually set it up as your default browser via its official website, or it may enter your PC via another free program you download from the Web. This method is called “bundling.” The bundling is clearly stated throughout the installation process, giving you information on what else you will get by downloading that particular freeware, and allowing you to disallow the additional features. The creators behind these browser hijackers, however, rely on the fact that users are quite negligent when downloading programs from the Web, and rarely pay attention to what they agree to.
Thus, the only way to always be safe when installing freeware from the Web is to choose the “advanced” or “custom” options. Do not bluntly accept the recommended features and installation options.
Should You Remove iStart123.com?
It’s best to do so. Just to be on the safe side, make sure you get rid of iStart123.com should you already have it on your PC. Remove it manually, by following our experts’ instructions below or by trusting a legitimate anti-malware program.