Gomeo

Gomeo is an online search engine with a poor reputation, as well as a browser hijacker that redirects you towards said website. Gomeo attacks can be caused by many different types of infections, but the most probable source of Gomeo hijacks is a recent variant of the TDSS Rootkit. Although Gomeo hasn't been caught causing deliberate harm to your computer, the use of rootkit-installed browser hijackers and misleading marketing techniques makes Gomeo an untrustworthy website that should be avoided. Gomeo hijackers may also be accompanied by other problems, most noticeably a reduction in your browser's responsiveness, and you should delete Gomeo infections with anti-rootkit software whenever you get the chance to do so.

Gomeo: the UK Site with a Less Than Outstanding History

Gomeo pretends to be an innocent and useful website that helps you search the web, a la Google or Bing. Unlike Gomeo's legitimate competitors, however, Gomeo makes use of infections to force your web browser towards Gomeo's own website. Gomeo results may be inaccurate, malicious, or altered to provide affiliate-based revenue to Gomeo, and you're better off using a different search engine. Independent sources have also noted that Gomeo uses deceptive marketing tactics which may indicate links to rogue security software and other types of scamware.

The source of most Gomeo browser hijacks is the TDL3 Rootkit, a new version of TDSS Rootkit that infects your PC secretly and remains active without so much as a new memory process or file to make itself visible. TDL3 Rootkit infections can do more than just redirect you to Gomeo, such as:

• You may find that various security programs will refuse to run or crash with strange error messages. This is a sign that TDL3 Rootkit is stopping these programs so that you will not be able to remove Gomeo or the original rootkit.
• In rare instances, TDL3 Rootkits can even cause Windows to crash into a dreaded Blue Screen of Death. This error is caused by an unforeseen interaction with a specific Windows patch that has since been yanked off of Microsoft's website.

Noticing When You've Got a Gomeo Problem

Gomeo web browser hijacks can show up in several ways, although always with the primary impetus to shove you towards the Gomeo search engine, regardless of your feelings about it. Most victims of Gomeo attacks report that the redirects trigger whenever they try to click a link. Others reported Gomeo hijacks only when clicking links from specific websites, such as Google's search results.

However, any browser hijacker, including a Gomeo infection, can redirect your browser without requiring any interaction from you in the first place. You may also see your homepage set to Gomeo, notice unusual error screens that block security-related websites or be plagued by additional links that are inserted into otherwise harmless websites.

Allowing TDL3 Rootkits or the Gomeo hijacker to stay on your PC is highly inadvisable since this will make your computer vulnerable to other attacks. Since finding a rootkit, let alone removing it, is almost legendarily difficult to do by hand, you should use a good anti-rootkit or general security program to clean Gomeo and other threats out of your computer.