Iconomize.com is a legitimate tool specializing in making desktop shortcut icons for your favourite websites. Malware experts, however, consider it a PUP (potentially unwanted program) and adware because it shows some malicious traits. Iconomize.com’s removal is then recommended.
Why Iconomize.com Is Considered a PUP
Iconomize.com does exist as a legitimate website offering useful features such as making shortcuts for your most visited websites.
According to their website, “Our Installers make it easy for users to just click and get what they need without the learning curve.”
The tool, however, does show some malicious traits. Users have complained that regardless of what they are trying to search on the Web, their search is being altered to “www1:iconomize/redirect/facebook”.
Other users never installed Iconomize.com willingly.
Iconomize.com is capable of installing itself on users’ computers without their consent. Once inside the system, it may start redirecting users to unwanted websites in order to gain traffic for third party sponsoring websites. It may also start generating multiple pop-up ads that will interrupt the users’ browsing routine. Clicking these ads may also redirect users to potentially corrupted websites that may further infect their systems.
In addition, Iconomize.com may collect personally identifiable information (such as login information, IP addresses, browsing habits, etc.) in order to share it with these same third parties.
How Does Iconomize.com Infiltrate Your PC?
Iconomize.com may be manually downloaded simply by visiting its official website. It may, however, be bundled with other freeware you download from the Web, and if you miss to disable the bundling during the installation, Iconomize.com will enter your system automatically.
Installing free programs from the Web bring risks to your system which is why it’s important that you always watch out the installation of any program closely. Never accept the “recommended” settings, uncheck all features you are not familiar with and opt for custom installation instead.
Should You Remove Iconomize.com?
As explained above, Iconomize.com does offer useful features that may save time and hassle. However, its negatives outweigh its positives as it collects personal information from you and redirect you to unwanted pages which may be infected with more and dangerous viruses.
In order to keep your system protected, therefore, we recommend you to remove Iconomize.com in case you already have it.
Before you remove it, make sure you install a well-trusted anti-malware tool which will perform a full system scan and will remove all malicious components completely from your PC.