How to remove the MovieFinder365 browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is MovieFinder365?
MovieFinder365 is a browser hijacker endorsed as a tool supposedly capable of simplifying and enhancing movie/TV content searches on IMDb (Internet Movie Database). Following successful installation, it makes modifications to browser settings to promote searching.moviefinder365.com (a fake search engine).
Additionally, MovieFinder365 monitors users' browsing activity. Due to the dubious methods used to proliferate MovieFinder365, it is also classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).
Browser hijackers primarily target Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and other popular browsers with large user bases. This software operates by assigning the addresses of fake search engines as the homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs.
MovieFinder365 makes these alterations to browsers to promote searching.moviefinder365.com. To elaborate how this affects the browsing experience, each new browser tab/window opened and search query typed into the URL bar redirects to searching.moviefinder365.com.
Rogue search engines are seldom able to provide search results, and so they redirect (or cause redirection chains leading) to genuine sites. The searching.moviefinder365.com web searcher is no exception to this, however, where it redirects to varies.
At the time of research, searching.moviefinder365.com redirected to the Bing (bing.com) or Yahoo (search.yahoo.com) search engine through search.genieosearch.com. Furthermore, browser hijackers can restrict/deny access to the browser settings and/or undo any permitted changes made.
Therefore, recovering a hijacked browser is impossible without eliminating the software affecting it. As mentioned, MovieFinder3652 can also track data.
This is typical of browser hijackers, which usually monitor browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and collect personal information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). The gathered data is then monetized by sharing with and/or selling to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals).
In summary, the presence of data-tracking software on browsers/systems can result in serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. To ensure device integrity and user safety, all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins must be removed without delay.
| Name | searching.moviefinder365.com redirect |
| Threat Type | Browser hijacker, Mac malware, Mac virus. |
| Serving IP Address | 45.67.229.70 |
| Symptoms | Your Mac became slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious 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 bogus 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. |
Bright Start, NiceTab StartPage and MacAppExtensions are some examples of other Mac-specific browser hijackers. They may seem legitimate and innocuous, and users are often enticed into download/installation with offers of various "useful" features, however, despite how good the functions promised may sound, they are rarely operational.
This applies to most PUAs. The sole purpose of this unwanted software is to generate profit for the developers. PUAs hijack browsers, cause redirects, deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns (adware), collect sensitive and personally identifiable information.
How did MovieFinder365 install on my computer?
PUAs are often downloaded/installed together with other products. This deceptive marketing technique of pre-packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".
By rushing through download/installation of software (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, using "Quick/Express" settings, etc.) many users risk unintentionally allowing bundled content into their devices. Intrusive advertisements proliferate PUAs as well.
When clicked, the ads can execute scripts to download/install these applications without users' permission. Some PUAs (including MovieFinder365) have "official" download web pages from which they can be downloaded..
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
You are advised to research all software before download/installation. Use only official and verified download channels. Unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule), and other third party downloaders commonly offer harmful and bundled content, and are therefore untrusted and should be avoided.
When downloading/installing, read the terms, study all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features, and so on. Intrusive advertisements typically seem legitimate, however, they can redirect to dubious and malicious sites (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, and many others).
If you encounter ads or redirects of this kind, inspect the system and remove all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.
MovieFinder365 browser hijacker asking for various permissions on Google Chrome:
MovieFinder365 browser hijacker installed on Google Chrome:
The searching.moviefinder365.com fake search engine set as default on Google Chrome:
Appearance of MovieFinder365 browser hijacker promoting searching.moviefinder365.com, which redirects to the Bing (bing.com) search engine (GIF):
Appearance of MovieFinder365 browser hijacker promoting searching.moviefinder365.com, which redirects to search.genieosearch.com, then to the Yahoo (search.yahoo.com) search engine (GIF):
Website promoting MovieFinder365:
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 seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.
Quick menu:
- What is MovieFinder365?
- STEP 1. Remove MovieFinder365 related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove MovieFinder365 redirect from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove MovieFinder365 browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove MovieFinder365 homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:
MovieFinder365 redirect removal:
Remove MovieFinder365-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 searching.moviefinder365.com redirect 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.
searching.moviefinder365.com redirect homepage and default Internet search engine removal from Internet browsers:
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Remove searching.moviefinder365.com redirect 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 searching.moviefinder365.com redirect 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 searching.moviefinder365.com redirect 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.
Outstanding!
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