Searchitnow.info Redirect (Mac)

How to remove searchitnow.info browser hijacker from Mac?

What is searchitnow.info?

searchitnow.info (goto-searchitnow.global.ssl.fastly.net) is a fake search engine that falsely claims to generate improved results and, therefore, enhances the browsing experience. Its appearance barely differs from legitimate Internet search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and so on. Therefore, many users believe that this site is also legitimate and useful, however, developers promote it using rogue downloaders/installers that modify browser options without consent. In addition, searchitnow.info continually tracks browsing activity by gathering sensitive information.

Rogue set-ups infiltrate Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome, assigning goto-searchitnow.global.ssl.fastly.net (which redirects users to searchitnow.info) as the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options. Furthermore, these set-ups install a number of "helper objects" - third party applications and browser plug-ins (at time of research, one of these distributed extensions was Mac Protector). Therefore, users are unable to revert browser settings. "Helper objects" continue the work of set-ups - they reassign browser settings when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, as long as "helper objects" are installed, returning browsers to their previous states is impossible and users are forced to visit searchitnow.info when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar. This significantly diminishes the web browsing experience. As mentioned above, searchitnow.info (and "helper objects") record information relating to browsing activity. The information typically includes personal details that developers share with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals). These people misuse private information to generate revenue. Therefore, information tracking can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. If you encounter redirects to searchitnow.info, immediately eliminate all dubious applications/browser plug-ins (such as Mac Protector) and never return to this website.

Threat Summary:

Name	Mac Protector browser hijacker
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.
Malware Removal (Mac)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited three days free trial available.

searchitnow.info shares many similarities with dozens of other fake web search engines, such as smartsearch.pw, search.opengross.com, search-mate.com, and g-search.pro As with searchitnow.info, these sites also promise to enhance the browsing experience, but their only purpose is to generate revenue for the developers. By delivering fake promises to generate improved results and provide other "useful features" (quick access to popular websites, weather forecasts, currency exchange rates, etc.), fake search engines attempt to give the impression of legitimacy. They deliver no real value for regular users, cause unwanted redirects, and gather sensitive information. Some are also designed to generate fake results and intrusive advertisements (leading to untrustworthy sites). Therefore, using any fake web search engine might lead to system infections.

How did searchitnow.info install on my computer?

searchitnow.info is promoted using deceptive download/installation set-ups. This marketing method is called "bundling". Developers are aware that many users rush download/installation processes and skip steps. Therefore, all information regarding modification of browser settings is hidden within "Custom/Advanced" options (or other sections) of the download/installation processes. By rushing and skipping steps, many users inadvertently grant set-ups permission to modify options, expose their systems to risk of various infections, and compromise their privacy.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) are also distributed using the "bundling" method and intrusive advertisements (which lead to malicious websites and execute scripts that stealthily download and install malware). Therefore, to prevent PUP infiltration, be very cautious when downloading/installing software and browsing the Internet in general. Ensure that you carefully analyze each step of the download/installation processes and opt-out of all third party applications. Software should be downloaded from official sources only, using direct download links. Third party downloaders/installers are monetized by "bundling" PUPs, and thus using them is not recommended. Developers invest time and resources into intrusive ad design, thereby making them seem legitimate. Once clicked, however, they redirect to dubious websites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, and so on). Most are delivered by adware-type programs. Therefore, if you encounter dubious redirects, check the list of installed apps/add-ons and eliminate any suspicious entries. The key to computer safety is caution. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.

Fake Adobe Flash Player installer promoting SearchItNow (searchitnow.info) browser hijacker:

Deceptive website promoting this fake Adobe Flash Player installer:

Screenshot of a Mac Protector helper object extension in Safari web browser:

Instant automatic Mac malware removal: 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 Mac malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for Mac By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited three days free trial available.

Quick menu:

• What is searchitnow.info?
• STEP 1. Remove searchitnow.info related files and folders from OSX.
• STEP 2. Remove searchitnow.info redirect from Safari.
• STEP 3. Remove searchitnow.info browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove searchitnow.info homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.

Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:

searchitnow.info redirect removal:

Remove searchitnow.info-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.

Remove mac protector browser hijacker 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.

After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.

Mac Protector browser hijacker homepage and default Internet search engine removal from Internet browsers:

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Remove mac protector browser hijacker 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 mac protector browser hijacker 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.

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Remove mac protector browser hijacker 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:

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.

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