How to eliminate redirects to searchmime.com and the software causing them?

What is searchmime.com?

Searchmime.com is the address of a fake search engine. Browsers cause redirects to fraudulent web searchers due to installed PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications) classified as browser hijackers.

Searchmime.com fake search engine overview

Browser hijackers operate by assigning illegitimate web searcher addresses as browsers' homepage, default search engine, and new tab/window URLs. Hence, new browser tabs/windows opened and search queries typed into the URL bar - redirect to the promoted address.

However, not all software within this classification modifies browsers in this manner; browser hijackers that promote searchmime.com have been observed only resetting the default search engine's but not the browser's homepage URL.

Fake search engines usually cannot generate search results, so they tend to redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other legitimate ones. This applies to searchmime.com as well. It redirects (or causes redirection chains) to both genuine and fake search engines.

Searchmime.com can redirect to Yahoo (search.yahoo.com), nearbyme.io, and many others. Some fraudulent web searchers (e.g., nearbyme.io) can provide search results, yet they are inaccurate and may endorse untrustworthy and malicious content.

Browser hijackers can undo any changes users try to make to their browsers. Alternatively, this software can deny access to the browser settings. Therefore, restoring the hijacked browser is impossible without removing the software affecting it.

What is more, fake search engines and browser hijackers typically have data tracking abilities. Information of interest includes: visited URLs, viewed pages, searched queries, IP addresses, personally identifiable details, etc. The gathered data is then shared with and/or sold to third-parties.

To summarize, presence of data-tracking content on systems can cause severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	searchmime.com browser hijacker
Threat Type	Browser hijacker, Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	172.67.171.116
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 seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Fake search engines and browser hijackers in general

Search.r0n3.com, ib-search.com, tabsearch.net, search.gg08m.com - are some examples of illegitimate search engines, and PlatformDeploy, ProType, MainSearchAdvise - of browser hijackers. They appear innocuous and offer "handy" functionalities, which rarely work.

This is true of nearly all PUAs. Instead of delivering on any promised functions, unwanted apps can hijack browsers, cause redirects, run intrusive advert campaigns (adware), and collect private data.

How did searchmime.com install on my computer?

PUAs are spread using the "bundling" marketing tactic of packing regular programs with unwanted/malicious additions. Rushed downloads/installations (e.g., skipped steps and sections, etc.) increase the risk of allowing bundled content into the device.

Intrusive advertisements are used to distribute PUAs as well. Upon being clicked, the ads can execute scripts to make stealthy downloads/installations. PUAs may also have "official" promotional/download pages.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is advised to research software and only download from official/verified sources. Dubious download channels, e.g., unofficial and free file-hosting sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc. - often offer bundled and harmful content.

When downloading/installing, it is recommended to read terms, explore available options, and use the "Custom/Advanced" settings to opt-out from all supplements. Intrusive adverts appear legitimate, yet they redirect to highly questionable websites (e.g., gambling, adult-dating, pornography, etc.).

In case of encounters with ads and/or redirects of this kind, the system must be checked and all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - immediately removed from it. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.

Appearance of searchmime.com redirecting to the nearbyme.io fake search engine (GIF):

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

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

searchmime.com redirect removal:

Remove searchmime.com 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 browser hijacker-related files and folders

Click the Finder icon from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...

Check for browser hijacker 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 browser hijackers - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Browser hijacker commonly installs several files with the exact same string.

Check for browser hijacker 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 browser hijacker 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 browser hijackers - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Browser hijacker commonly installs several files with the exact same string.

Check for browser hijacker 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 correctly, your Mac should be clean of infections. To ensure 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 the 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 its virus definition database and click the "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 browser hijackers, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.

Remove browser hijackers from Internet browsers

Remove Safari browser hijackers:

Open the 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 regular 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 labeled "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 Google Chrome browser hijackers:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable the malicious extension (if present), look for a browser hijacker URL below the "Open a specific or set of pages" option. If present, click on the three vertical dots icon and select "Remove".

Change your default search engine:

To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list look for a browser hijacker URL, when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Delete".

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

Remove malicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) and select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

Change your homepage

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Settings", in the opened window disable malicious extension (if present), remove the browser hijacker URL and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change your default search engine:

In the URL address bar, type "about:config" and press Enter. Click "Accept the Risk and Continue".

In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled". Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the button.

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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of forcing users to visit searchmime.com website?

Users are forced to visit searchmime.com, as the visits generate revenue for the developers of software promoting this fake search engine.

Is visiting searchmime.com a threat to my privacy?

To a certain extent, yes. Websites like searchmime.com are a threat to visitor privacy due to collecting information about them.

How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?

Browser hijackers are proliferated using social engineering and dubious distribution methods, e.g., misleading promotional/download webpages, unofficial and freeware sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, online scams, deceptive browser notifications/ intrusive advertisements, etc.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove browser hijackers?

Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning devices and eliminating installed browser-hijacking apps. It is noteworthy that manual removal might not be ideal in cases when multiple browser hijackers are present. In such cases, when one browser hijacker is uninstalled - and the others may re-install it. Additionally, some removal-related settings may not be accessible while this software is present. Therefore, browser hijackers have to be removed all at once.

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