Is there a way to prevent installers from changing the default search engine in Chrome? Answers to a similar question talk about a "Protector" feature in development versions from 2011, but I can't find any recent references to such a feature:
Any advice for recent release versions of Chrome?
Chrome 25 is adding two new features to prevent silent extension installs. From the Chrome blog post:
Extensions installed by third party programs using external extension deployment options will be disabled by default. When a third party program installs an extension, the Chrome menu will be badged, and users can click through the Chrome menu to see a dialog containing an option to enable the extension or to remove it from their computer.
In addition, all extensions previously installed using external deployment options will be automatically disabled. Chrome will show a one-time prompt to allow the re-enabling of any of the extensions.
I don't know if this will block all search engine hijacks but it will go a long way to stopping a lot of them.
Protecting your system with the right software will prevent browser hijacking. Something such as Spybot will immunise your system and all installed browsers to prevent this type of malicious attack (Spyware Browser Hijacking).
Other than 3rd party protection, it is a case of using all in-browser configurations possible to prevent external access to change your default search engine (and similar).
