SearchMine is a browser hijacker that can affect Macs. It is a type of malware that changes the default homepage and search engine of your browser to searchmine.net without your permission. It can display unwanted ads in your browser, and it may even track your browsing activity. In this article, we will tell you how you can remove SearchMine from your Mac.
Where Did SearchMine Come From?
SearchMine could’ve been accidentally installed on your Mac through a variety of ways, such as clicking on a malicious link, downloading a file from an unknown source, or installing an app that is bundled with SearchMine. This can generally be avoided by onlydownloading files from legitimate sourcesand not clicking on any suspicious links.
How to Remove SearchMine From Your Mac
If your browser is automatically redirecting you to searchmine.net, it is likely that your Mac has been infected with SearchMine. There are several methods to remove SearchMine from your Mac, depending on how it was installed in the first place.
Check for Any Malicious Profiles
System administrators use configuration profiles to manage computer settings remotely and centrally. These profiles can also be used by malware to give the attacker full control over a user’s Mac. If you think your Mac has been infected with SearchMine via a malicious configuration profile, you may remove it by following these steps:
Remove Any Unwanted Login Items
There is a chance that SearchMine might be automatically loading up when you boot up your Mac. This can be fixed by disabling any suspicious Login Items that might be opening on startup. To remove any unwanted login items, follow these steps:
Delete Any Traces of SearchMine
To prevent SearchMine from running in the background, it is essential to remove any related processes byusing the Finder to delete the files. You can do so by following these steps:
Clear SearchMine From Your Safari Settings
SearchMine can also change your Safari settings, redirect your search queries to its own search engine, and install adware on your Mac. To remove SearchMine from your Safari settings, you may follow these steps:
This will clear Safari’s cache, but this might also log you out of some websites since login information is usually stored in the browser’s cache.
SearchMine could also be redirecting your search results by altering Safari’s Homepage settings and through malicious extensions. You can revert this by following these steps:
If SearchMine has infected Chrome on your Mac, you can fix it byremoving malicious extensionsand resetting the browser. You can reset Chrome by typingchrome://settings/in the address bar and clicking on theResetbutton.
Remove SearchMine From Your Mac and Start Browsing the Web Securely
If you do download a file that contains SearchMine, it is important to remove it immediately. It is important to be cautious about what you download. Only download files from legitimate sources, such as the App Store or websites that you trust. If you are not sure if a file is safe, don’t download it.
