Free Internet Security

Browser Helper Objects also commonly known as BHOs are components of Internet Explorer which is the browser by Microsoft.

BHOs are like add-ins that provide the capability of expanding the functionality of the Internet Explorer and allow developers across the globe to add new and improved features to the Internet Explorer browser.

The BHOs are similar to the Add-ons that we observer in Mozilla Firefox.

Now a days we find BHOs for most of the web based applications.

For example we would have BHO for Yahoo messenger, MSN messenger, Skype, etc. These BHOs allow the user to have extended functionality from the browser and makes it easier to navigate through those sites via the use of BHOs directly from their web browser.

BHOs are nothing but DLLs that are installed on the system and have the access to all kinds of browsing activities that you perform through the browser.

Initially when Microsoft launched BHOs, it was for all good purpose only. But the hackers around the world found a malicious way of using BHOs and they soon started being used as spyware that will spy on your online activates and use them to their advantage.

The malicious use of BHOs include hijacking of the user’s browser, changing of the home page, changing of the user’s default search engine, changing internet explorer properties, etc.

Up until Windows XP SP2, the BHOs were not visible once they were installed and it was very difficult to get rid of them once installed. But in Windows XP SP2 and beyond, there is an option in the internet explorer that would allow the users to manage the BHOs that have been installed on the system. This option can be reached at by going to tools -> Manage Add ons.

If you are concerned about BHOs after reading this, it is best either to switch to a different browser or using other tools available from Microsoft like the malware removal tool or the BHODaemon to manage and control the installation of these malicious malware.