My-search-start.com Redirect (Mac)

What is my-search-start.com?

Developers present my-search-start.com as a 'high-experience' Internet search engine that significantly enhances the browsing experience by generating improved results.

Judging on appearance alone, my-search-start.com may appear legitimate and useful, however, developers promote it by employing rogue download/installation set-ups designed to hijack web browsers and modify various options without consent. Furthermore, this website continually records various information relating to users' web browsing activity.

Research shows that set-ups target Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Following infiltration, set-ups modify the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options by assigning them to my-search-start.com.

They then stealthily install a number of "helper objects" (third party applications and/or browser plug-ins) to revert web browser settings when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, returning browsers to their previous states becomes impossible and users are forced to visit my-search-start.com when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar.

These redirects significantly diminish the Internet browsing experience. Another downside is information tracking - my-search-start.com and helper objects continually record various user-system information relating to users' Internet browsing activity.

The collected data (IP addresses, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, etc.) might contain personal details that developers share with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse private information to generate revenue. Therefore, the presence of a data-tracking app can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft.

If you encounter unwanted redirects to my-search-start.com, uninstall all suspicious applications and browser plug-ins. Never return to this site.

my-search-start.com is identical to chumsearch.com, coolasearch.com, and search.mysafesearch.net. There are hundreds of other fake search engines that are very similar to these. By promising to generate improved search results, fake search engines attempt to give the impression of legitimacy.

Bear in mind, however, that these websites are designed only to generate revenue for the developers, whilst regular users receive no significant value. Fake search engines such as my-search-start.com merely cause unwanted redirects and continually record various user-system information.

How did my-search-start.com install on my computer?

To promote my-search-start.com, developers employ a deceptive marketing method called "bundling", since they know that users often rush the download/installation processes and skip steps.

Therefore, details regarding modification of browser settings are hidden within the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings of these procedures. By rushing and skipping this section, users often grant set-ups permission to modify various browser options, expose their systems to risk of various infections, and compromise their privacy.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

There are two simple steps you should take to prevent this situation. Firstly, never rush when downloading and installing software - select the "Custom/Advanced" settings and carefully analyze each step. Secondly, decline offers to download/install additional applications and never allow set-ups to modify settings irrelevant to the installation.

Website promoting my-search-start.com:

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Quick menu:

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

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

My-search-start.com redirect removal:

Remove my-search-start.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.

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