Have you noticed that every time you make search queries in Google, you get results from Yahoo Search even after you change browser settings? That means that your browser has been infected with the Yahoo Search Redirect virus that can track you and potentially harm your Mac. Read on to learn how to remove Yahoo Search Redirect from Mac.
What Is Yahoo Search Redirect?
Yahoo Redirect is not actually a virus. It’s a browser hijacker. This type of malware modifies a user’s web browser settings, such as the homepage, default search engine, the bookmarks list, and the new tab page without their permission. Browser hijackers force your browser to display pop-up advertising, blinking boxes, banners, and in-text links. Yahoo Redirect also automatically redirects you to sponsored links, web pages, and sales platforms to generate traffic for them.
Although Yahoo is a well-known search engine, what you see in your browser are not proper Yahoo search results because browser hijackers bring you the results they want. Hijacking applications are usually involved in aggressive online ad campaigns that rely on sponsored ad positioning or PPC advertising. They bring money to the people who created them based on the number of clicks and redirects they get.
H2: Why Should You Remove Yahoo Redirect from Your Mac?
Such programs are regarded as potentially unwanted (PUP). They interrupt normal web browsing and interfere with search results to show you sponsored content. They can’t actually harm your Mac long term, but they are annoying. Besides, PUPs slow your Mac down and consume resources like RAM, CPU, and network bandwidth. Moreover, they can steal your data, such as IP address, browsing history, recently visited websites, and more. Then they use this data to show you ads you are more likely to click on. So it’s best to remove the Yahoo virus as soon as possible.
How Did It Get on My Mac?
Potentially unwanted programs like Yahoo Search Redirect are distributed using 2 ways: bundling and malvertising.
Bundling occurs when users download and install freeware from free software download websites. Browser hijackers can be bundled with other software downloads as optional programs, and users install them unwillingly. Such programs are often bundled with PDF creators, download managers, video recorders, and video streaming software.
Malvertising is used by malicious websites that display pop-up advertising, offering you to download updates to your system or promote contests and surveys. When inexperienced internet users click on those ads, they download malware.
If you want to avoid such issues, you should never download any software programs from websites using their download managers. Be cautious and don’t click on any ads or links that pop up on a website. Pay attention to warnings when your web browser informs you that a website you are trying to reach is dangerous.
How to Remove Yahoo Search Redirect from Mac
If you have encountered Yahoo Search Redirect, you can remove it manually or automatically, using a good antimalware tool. If you install it on your Mac, it will scan your system automatically and warn you when you download any malware. That’s the easiest way to remove the potentially unwanted software from your Mac.
But you can also clear your system from Yahoo Redirect manually. Just follow these steps.
Check the Processes
- Go to the Finder bar and expand the GO menu. Then choose Utilities.
- Double-click on Activity Monitor and search for a suspicious process, using your intuition. Examine the list and focus on resource-intensive items that are unfamiliar to you.
- When you notice the process that you think is causing issues, you should click on it and quit it using the X button (it’s at the top left of the Activity Monitor screen).
Remove Malicious Apps
- Select the Applications folder from the expanded Go list.
- Review the list of apps installed on your Mac and look for entries that clearly don’t belong there. You should look for programs that you don’t remember downloading and whose installation time co-occurred with the issues.
- When you identify the malicious application, right-click it. After that move it to trash.
- After that right-click on the Trash icon and choose Empty Trash to delete its contents.
Uninstall Malicious Extensions from Browsers
Yahoo Redirect virus takes over all your browsers’ settings, so you’ll need to restore them to their default values.
Safari
- Launch the Safari browser and choose Preferences in the drop-down list in the Safari menu. You’ll see a window with multiple features.
- Go to the General tab. Type the address of your preferred start-up page in the Homepage field.
- Click on Extensions. Read the items from the list and search for suspicious entries that don’t look like genuine programs.
- If you spot any, select them and click on the Uninstall button on the right to remove them.
- Select the Search tab and choose your preferred search engine from the drop-down list.
Firefox
- Launch Firefox. Then type the words: about : addons in the location bar.
- Select Extensions and try to identify suspicious ones. If you find them, remove them.
- After that, type the phrase: about : preferences in the location bar and select the Search and Home categories. Set your preferred search engine and homepage.
Chrome
- First, type chrome://settings to go to the browser’s settings pages.
- Select On start-up to set your preferred homepage.
- Click on Search Engine and set your preferred one.
- Type this: chrome://extensions.
- Search through the list of the installed extensions and remove those that look suspicious to you.
Final Word
Yahoo Search Redirect is a browser hijacker that has no connection to the Yahoo search engine. It adjusts your browser settings and changes default search engines to Yahoo to show you sponsored web pages and pop-up advertising. Its creators just earn money when you click on ads and sponsored links. This malware also slows down your Mac, monitors your online activity, and may steal your data in the process. That’s why you’ll need to take measures to remove it manually or automatically using special malware removal tools.