Ask Toolbar in Your Browser is a Malware: Microsoft

ByAdarsh Verma June 15, 2015March 24, 2022 Updated onMarch 24, 2022

ask toolbar malware microsoft

The vintage Ask toolbar that you can spot in your computer’s web browser has now been termed as threat to your PC as Microsoft has said that it can limit the amount of control you have over your search. This has been made clear as an update to Microsoft’s Malware Protection Center Site earlier this week.

While installing some software, you must have come across various toolbars that are “advised” by the software vendors to install. This is a pretty common feature in browsers like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox. Most of the times these toolbars are an unnecessary clutter in your browser and I think nobody has ever done anything productive from them.

Older versions of Ask toolbar has now been declared a malware by Microsoft. The Redmond said that Microsoft’s security software will terminate it on sight.

In an advisory from Microsoft, the company said: “Older versions of software can restrict or limit your control over your search provider. It can prevent you from disabling or modifying your search provider. This software poses a high threat to your PC.”

The Ask Toolbar creates tons of files and folders when installed in your computer and it can interfere with your rights to control your browser’s settings. Now anti-malware and antivirus software like Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender can detect the Ask toolbar and remove it from your PC.

On the other hand, Ask confirmed to The Register that their current toolbar is “fully complaint” with Microsoft’s policies and it should update automatically to the latest version as you open your web browser.

Currently Ask has 0.26 per cent of the global search engine market and majority of this comes as each Java update to your PC asks if you are willing to install Ask’s toolbar.

Do you have Ask toolbar installed in your web browser? Tell us in comments below.

Adarsh Verma

Fossbytes co-founder and an aspiring entrepreneur who keeps a close eye on open source, tech giants, and security.
Get in touch with him by sending an email — [email protected]