Description

An IE toolbar providing search features, and a homepage-/search-hijacker, targeted at the sites run by MyWay. (The same people as iWon.com, writers of the Aornum parasite.)

Variants

MySearch/MySearch was the first variant, targeted at mysearch.com.

MySearch/MyWay uses different filenames and is targeted at myway.com itself.

MySearch/MyWeb is a new variant targeted at mywebsearch.com.

Also known as

MyWay Speed Bar.

Distribution

The MySearch and MyWay variants have been bundled with Grokster, Morpheus, WeatherBug, and software from mgshareware.com. MySearch has also been installed by the FavoriteMan parasite.

The MyWeb variant is bundled with software (Popswatter, SmileyCentral, My Mail Stamp) from “Fun Web Products” (the same people as MyWay).

What it does

Advertising

No. (The search results may contain advertising, but the toolbar itself does not generate any.)

Privacy violation

No.

Security issues

In the MySearch MyWay variants, no. There is an update feature, but it prompts you before running code.

In the MyWeb variant, yes: it is installed by an ActiveX downloader control which stays around and can be used by web sites to install software from Fun Web Products without warning.

Stability problems

None known.

Removal

Open 'Add/Remove Programs' in the Control Panel. Select the 'My Search Bar' (MySearch variant), 'MyWay Speed Bar' (MyWay) or 'My Web Search Bar' (MyWeb) entry and click 'Remove'. For the MyWeb variant, be sure to also remove 'Fun Web Products Easy Installer'.

You can then reset your home page (Internet Options->General->Start Page) if it has been changed, and search settings (Internet Options->Programs->Reset web settings).