How to remove bing.com browser hijacker from Mac?
Feb 23, 2009 Question: Q: Mac 'Registry' cleaner Ok, I know Mac OS X doesn't have a 'registry', but is there an app similar to Windows Registry cleaners that will do a cleanup and some housekeeping on my system? I've had my iMac since last July and use it frequently, and it's just starting to get a bit slower than it was when new.
What is bing.com?
bing.com is a well-known, legitimate search engine owned by Microsoft and is not associated with any viruses, malware, and so on. Despite this, many browser hijackers, potentially unwanted applications (PUAs), promote bing.com to give the impression of legitimacy. Typically, users install apps of this type unintentionally. Once installed, they modify browser settings, deliver ads, and collect data relating to users' browsing activity.
Most browser-hijacking apps target popular browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer. When installed, they stealthily assign the default search engine, homepage, and new tab URL to bing.com. Some unwanted apps even add a URL extension to the shortcut targets of each affected browser. These changes force users to visit bing.com when they open a browser/new tab and attempt to search. Another downside of having a browser hijacked by these unwanted apps is that they are often installed with so-called 'helper objects'. These are installed as extensions, plug-ins, or add-ons, and prevent users from changing the settings assigned by browser hijackers. Therefore, 'helper objects' reassign settings when attempts are made to change them. Redirects to bing.com pose no threats to browsing safety, privacy, etc., however, browser hijackers can cause issues, regardless of the legitimacy of the promoted search engine. Furthermore, PUAs often feed users with intrusive advertisements (pop-ups, banners, coupons, surveys, and so on) that usually conceal underlying content of any website. If clicked, they might redirect to untrustworthy, deceptive websites, thus potentially leading to installation of adware or even malware. Another downside of browser-hijacking PUAs is that most gather browsing-related data (IP addresses, search queries, URLs of visited websites, geo-locations, etc.). Developers share this information with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals). Some of the collected data might include personal details. Therefore, data tracking apps can cause privacy or browsing safety issues. We recommend that you uninstall all unwanted, unknown apps from browsers immediately.
| Name | browser-hijacking applications |
| Threat Type | Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Symptoms | Your Mac became slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you get redirected to shady websites. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers, torrent file downloads. |
| Damage | Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites, loss of private information. |
| Removal | To eliminate browser-hijacking applications our malware researchers recommend scanning your computer with Combo Cleaner. |
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Most PUAs of this type (browser hijackers) are promoted as providing 'useful' tools or features, however, these are merely attempts by their developers to trick people into downloading/installing them. Generally, these apps are designed only to generate revenue for and deliver no real value for regular users. Some examples of other websites promoted by browser hijackers include search.hogwarin.com, search-me.club, and mysearchency.com.
How did bing.com install on my computer?
In most cases, browser hijackers infiltrate systems without direct user permission - they are installed when software developers use a deceptive marketing method called 'bundling' or through other (clicked) intrusive advertisements. Bundling is used to trick users into installing unwanted apps (such as browser hijackers) together with regular software. Software developers hide these apps in 'Custom', 'Advanced' and other options/settings of the installation/download processes. They do not disclose information about additionally-included apps. Furthermore, many users skip installation/download steps without checking settings, thus leading to inadvertent installations.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Be careful when browsing the web and downloading/installing software, especially freeware (free software). Do not download apps from unofficial websites, using third party software downloaders/installers, or other similar sources. Check all available 'Custom', 'Advanced', and other settings/options when installing or downloading software. Deselect offers to download/install various apps, change browser settings, and so on, and only then complete the process. Be careful with ads displayed on dubious websites. Clicking them might cause redirects to other unwanted/untrustworthy sites. If you are continually redirected to pornography, gambling, adult dating, or other suspicious websites, check the list of installed applications/browser plug-ins, add-ons or extensions and remove any suspicious entries immediately. The same applies to programs installed on your operating system. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan withCombo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.
Example of a browser-hijacking software installer that promotes bing.com:
Instant automatic removal of browser-hijacking applications:Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced computer skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of browser-hijacking applications. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for MacBy downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Free scanner checks if your computer is infected. To remove malware, you have to purchase the full version of Combo Cleaner.
Quick menu:
- STEP 1. Remove browser hijacker related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove bing.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove browser hijackers from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove bing.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove browser redirects to bing.com using Combo Cleaner:
bing.com redirect removal:
Remove bing.com-related potentially unwanted applications from your 'Applications' folder:
Click the Finder icon. In the Finder window, select 'Applications'. In the applications folder, look for 'MPlayerX', 'NicePlayer', or other suspicious applications and drag them to the Trash. After removing the potentially unwanted application(s) that cause online ads, scan your Mac for any remaining unwanted components.
Free scanner checks if your computer is infected. To remove malware, you have to purchase the full version of Combo Cleaner.
Remove browser-hijacking applications related files and folders:
Click the Finder icon, from the menu bar, choose Go, and click Go to Folder...
Check for adware-generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchAgents
In the “LaunchAgents” folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - “installmac.AppRemoval.plist”, “myppes.download.plist”, “mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist”, “kuklorest.update.plist”, etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the same string.
Check for adware-generated files in the /Library/Application Support folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/Application Support
In the “Application Support” folder, look for any recently-added suspicious folders. For example, “MplayerX” or “NicePlayer”, and move these folders to the Trash.
Check for adware-generated files in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder:
In the Go to Folder bar, type: ~/Library/LaunchAgents
In the “LaunchAgents” folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - “installmac.AppRemoval.plist”, “myppes.download.plist”, “mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist”, “kuklorest.update.plist”, etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the same string.
Check for adware-generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchDaemons
In the “LaunchDaemons” folder, look for recently-added suspicious files. For example, “com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist”, “com.myppes.net-preferences.plist”, 'com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist”, “com.avickUpd.plist”, etc., and move them to the Trash.
Scan your Mac with Combo Cleaner:
If you have followed all the steps in the correct order you Mac should be clean of infections. To be sure your system is not infected run a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus. Download it HERE. After downloading the file double click combocleaner.dmg installer, in the opened window drag and drop Combo Cleaner icon on top of the Applications icon. Now open your launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon. Wait until Combo Cleaner updates it's virus definition database and click 'Start Combo Scan' button.
Combo Cleaner will scan your Mac for malware infections. If the antivirus scan displays 'no threats found' - this means that you can continue with the removal guide, otherwise it's recommended to remove any found infections before continuing.
Mac Cleaner Default Search
After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.
browser-hijacking applications homepage and default Internet search engine removal from Internet browsers:
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Remove browser-hijacking applications related Safari extensions:
Open Safari browser. From the menu bar, select 'Safari' and click 'Preferences...'.
In the preferences window, select 'Extensions' and look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions. When located, click the 'Uninstall' button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Safari browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.
Change your homepage:
In the 'Preferences' window, select the 'General' tab. To set your homepage, type the preferred website URL (for example: www.google.com) in the Homepage field. You can also click the “Set to Current Page” button if you wish to set your homepage to the website you are currently visiting.
Change your default search engine:
In the 'Preferences' window, select the 'Search' tab. Here you will find a drop-down menu labelled 'Search engine:' Simply select your preferred search engine from the drop-down list.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Remove browser-hijacking applications related Mozilla Firefox add-ons:
Open your Mozilla Firefox browser. At the top right corner of the screen, click the 'Open Menu' (three horizontal lines) button. From the opened menu, choose 'Add-ons'.
Choose the 'Extensions' tab and look for any recently-installed suspicious add-ons. When located, click the 'Remove' button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Mozilla Firefox browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.
Change your homepage:
To change your homepage, click the 'Open Menu' (three horizontal lines) button and choose 'Preferences' from the drop-down menu. To set your homepage, type the preferred website URL (for example: www.google.com) in the Homepage Page.
Change default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type 'about:config' and click the 'I'll be careful, I promise!' button.
In the 'Search:' field, type the name of the browser hijacker. Right click on each of the found preferences and click 'Reset' from the drop-down menu.
Free Computer Cleaner Mac
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Remove browser-hijacking applications related Google Chrome add-ons:
Open Google Chrome and click the 'Chrome menu' (three horizontal lines) button located in the top-right corner of the browser window. From the drop-down menu, choose 'More Tools' and select 'Extensions'.
In the 'Extensions' window, look for any recently-installed suspicious add-ons. When located, click the 'Trash' button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Google Chrome browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.
Change your homepage:
Click the 'Chrome menu' (three horizontal lines) button and choose 'Settings'. In the 'On Startup' section, click the 'Set pages' link near to the 'Open a specific page or set of pages' option. Remove the URL of the browser hijacker (for example trovi.com) and enter your preferred URL (for example, google.com).
Change default search engine:
Best Free Mac Cleaner
Click the 'Chrome menu' (three horizontal lines) button and choose 'Settings'. In the 'Search' section, click the 'Manage search engines...' button. In the opened window, remove the unwanted Internet search engine by clicking the 'X' button next to it. Select your preferred Internet search engine from the list and click the 'Make default' button next to it.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.