How to remove software causing redirects to gobrowser.xyz
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of page is gobrowser.xyz?
Gobrowser.xyz is the address of a fake search engine. We discovered this website while analyzing browser hijackers, which promote (by causing redirects to) such search engines.
How do browser hijackers promote pages like gobrowser.xyz
Browser hijackers promote illegitimate search engines (e.g., gobrowser.xyz) by assigning them as the browsers' default, as well as their new tab/window and homepage URLs. When new browser tabs/windows are opened, and when Web searches are done via the URL bar - redirects to the promoted address occur.
Furthermore, browser-hijacking software is known to use persistence-ensuring techniques to prevent users from recovering their browsers.
Gobrowser.xyz cannot provide search results, as is typical for fake search engines. We have observed gobrowser.xyz redirecting to the legitimate Bing search engine. It might redirect elsewhere, as it can depend on various factors (e.g., user geolocation, etc.).
What is more, fraudulent search engines and browser hijackers usually collect browsing data. The latter may also gather sensitive information extracted from it (e.g., personally identifiable details, usernames/passwords, financial information, etc.). The collected data can then be shared with and/or sold to third-parties (potentially, cyber criminals).
To summarize, the presence of browser-hijacking software on browsers/systems can lead to severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.
| Name | gobrowser.xyz browser hijacker |
| Threat Type | Browser hijacker, Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Detection Names | Comodo Valkyrie Verdict (Malicious), alphaMountain.ai (Suspicious), Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address | 184.168.131.241 |
| 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. |
Fake search engine and browser hijacker examples
Remarksearch.com, searchfox.xyz, searchmime.com - are just some examples of the illegitimate search engines we have inspected, and ProType, Bar1 New Tab, PlatformDeploy - of browser hijackers we have analyzed.
This dubious content usually appears legitimate and promises "handy" functionalities, which are seldom operational. Browser-hijacking software can advertise such functions as - improved browsing experience, accurate search results, easy access to certain online content, file format conversion, and so on. Regardless of what this software offers - its presence on a system endangers device and user safety.
How did gobrowser.xyz promoting software install on my computer?
Browser hijackers are distributed using various deceptive techniques. This software may have "official" download webpages, which are rarely accessed intentionally. Most visitors enter them via mistyped URLs or redirects caused by sites that use rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive ads, or installed adware.
Browser-hijacking software can also be bundled (packed together) with ordinary programs. Download from untrustworthy sources (e.g., unofficial and freeware websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc.) and rushed installations - increase the risk of allowing bundled content.
Intrusive advertisements are used to distribute browser hijackers as well. When clicked on, the ads can execute scripts to make stealthy downloads/installations.
How to avoid installation of browser hijackers?
We highly recommend researching software and downloading only from official/verified sources. Installation processes must be treated with care, e.g., reading terms, exploring available options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting-out of all additions.
We also advise being vigilant when browsing - since fraudulent and malicious content usually looks legitimate. For example, intrusive adverts appear harmless yet redirect to unreliable/questionable sites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).
If you experience such ads and/or redirects, inspect the system and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.
Screenshot of gobrowser.xyz fake search engine's alternative appearance:
Appearance of gobrowser.xyz redirecting to the Bing search engine (GIF):
Instant automatic Mac malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT 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 gobrowser.xyz?
- STEP 1. Remove gobrowser.xyz related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove gobrowser.xyz redirect from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove gobrowser.xyz browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove gobrowser.xyz homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:
gobrowser.xyz redirect removal:
Remove gobrowser.xyz 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 gobrowser.xyz website?
The redirects are caused since the developers of fake search engines and browser hijackers - generate revenue through them.
Is visiting gobrowser.xyz a threat to my privacy?
Most likely, yes. Websites like gobrowser.xyz typically gather information about their visitors.
How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?
Browser hijackers are spread through misleading promotional sites, online scams, unofficial and freeware download websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive ads, fake updates, and so on.
Will Combo Cleaner help me remove browser hijackers?
Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your device and eliminate installed browser-hijacking apps. It is pertinent to mention that manual removal might be ineffective when multiple browser hijackers are present. In some instances, when one browser hijacker is removed - the others simply re-install it. Additionally, some settings may be unmodifiable with this software installed. Therefore, it is crucial to eliminate browser hijackers thoroughly and all at once.
Outstanding!
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