How to remove the MovieFinder365 browser hijacker?
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
How to remove MovieFinder365 browser hijacker from Mac?
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 in order to promote searching.moviefinder365.com - a fake search engine. Additionally, MovieFinder365 spies on users' browsing activity. Due to the dubious methods used to proliferate MovieFinder365, it is also deemed to be a PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application).
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 web searchers as browsers' homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs. MovieFinder365 makes these alterations to browsers as well - to promote searching.moviefinder365.com. To elaborate how this affects the browsing experience: every new browser tab/window opened and search query typed into the URL bar - redirect to searching.moviefinder365.com. Illegitimate search engines are seldom able to provide search results, so they redirect (or cause redirection chains leading) to genuine ones. The searching.moviefinder365.com web searcher is not an exception to this, however where it redirects to - varies. At the time of research, searching.moviefinder365.com either redirected to the Bing (bing.com) search engine or to the Yahoo (search.yahoo.com) search engine through search.genieosearch.com. Furthermore, browser hijackers can restrict/deny access to the browsers' settings and/or undo any permitted changes made. Therefore, recovering a hijacked browser is impossible - without eliminating the software affecting it. As mentioned in the introduction, 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 being shared with and/or sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals). In summary, presence of data-tracking software on browsers/systems can result in severe privacy issues, financial losses 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 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. |
Bright Start, NiceTab StartPage and MacAppExtensions are some examples of other Mac-specific browser hijackers. They appear legitimate and innocuous. Users are enticed into download/installation with offers of various "handy" features. However, despite how good the promised functions may sound - they are rarely operational. This applies to nearly all PUAs. The sole purpose of unwanted software is to generate profit for the developers; hence, functionality and user safety are irrelevant. PUAs are designed to hijack browsers, cause redirects, deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns (adware), collect sensitive and personally identifiable information.
How did MovieFinder365 install on my computer?
Select PUAs (e.g. MovieFinder365) have "official" promotional webpages, from which they can be downloaded. This false marketing technique of pre-packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions - is called "bundling". Rushed download/installation processes (e.g. ignored terms, skipped steps and sections, etc.) - increase the risk of unintentionally allowing bundled content into the system. Intrusive advertisements proliferate PUAs as well. Once clicked on, the ads can execute scripts to download/install these applications without user consent.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
It is recommended to research software before download/installation and/or purchase. All downloads must be done from official and verified sources. Since untrustworthy download channels, e.g. unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders - often offer deceptive content. When downloading/installing, it is important to read terms, explore all available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out from additional apps, tools, features, and so on. Intrusive adverts appear legitimate, however they redirect to various unreliable and questionable sites (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.). Should users encounter ads and/or redirects of this kind, they must inspect their devices and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected. 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 onto 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 three days free trial available.
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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