Stop redirects to and from search.mapsglobalsearch.com

What is search.mapsglobalsearch.com?

Akin to search.searcherzip.com, search.genieosearch.com, search.pardessov.com and many others, search.mapsglobalsearch.com is a fake search engine. It is supposedly capable of providing improved web search results. This site spreads through browser hijacking application downloads/installers.

Browser hijackers make user unauthorized changes to their browsers and promote fraudulent web searching tools. What is also pertinent to know, is that these rogue apps and search.mapsglobalsearch.com also have data tracking capabilities. By spying on browsing activity, they can find traces of personal information, thereby leading to possible privacy issues.

Typically, browser hijackers are designed to affect the most popular browsers (e.g. Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Safari). They operate by changing browser's homepages, new tab/window URLs and default search engines.

These alterations affect browsing thusly: every new tab/window opened and every single search query typed into the URL bar - all redirect to their fake search engines. Usually fake search engines are not capable of providing any search results and instead redirect to legitimate search engines.

In case of search.mapsglobalsearch.com, it redirects to search.yahoo.com. Attempting to use a hijacked browser is an exercise in futility, as these changes severely diminish the browsing experience. Additionally, browser hijackers can download various dubious/malicious additions (such as, potentially unwanted applications [PUAs] and/or browser extensions/plug-ins).

One purpose of these supplements is to limit users in what they can change in their browsers; i.e. access to certain settings is denied and/or changes made are reset. Therefore, without removing the browser hijacking application - users cannot recover their browsers.

Furthermore, search.mapsglobalsearch.com and its additions can gather intel on users' browsing habits. What is important to understand, is that browsing data also contains users' personal information (IP address, geolocation and real-life identity details). This data is then passed onto third parties (possibly, cyber criminals), seeking to misuse it for financial gain.

Data tracking content present on users' devices can lead to serious privacy issues, even identity theft. Should users encounter redirects to search.mapsglobalsearch.com (and to similarly undesirable sites), they are strongly advised to check their system for dubious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins. If found - all must be removed immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	search.mapsglobalsearch.com browser hijacker
Threat Type	Mac malware, Mac virus
Serving IP Address	3.208.185.26
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.

The internet is rife with fake search engines. Many of them are quite similar and some even identical. Most offer improved web search results, some even advertise additional features (for example, optimized download processes, simplified installations and so on).

Although these features may sound alluring, it must be known that in most cases they are utterly nonfunctional. It is vital to know, that these websites are created solely for the purpose of generating revenue for their designers. Instead of operating as promised, they cause unwanted redirects to untrustworthy/malignant sites and gather sensitive data.

How did search.mapsglobalsearch.com install on my computer?

Search.mapsglobalsearch.com is mostly furthered through dubious downloaders/installers. "Bundling" is a term used to describe a false marketing tactic, when ordinary, desired software is pre-packed with unwanted additions.

Such additions can be PUAs (which can easily be of the browser hijacking type or adware), also rogue browser extensions/plug-ins. Opt-outs from these heinous supplements are often possible, however by rushing through the installation process - users often miss them.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is strongly recommended to always use official and verified sources for software downloading (ideally, via direct download links). Using peer-to-peer sharing networks (e.g. BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule, etc.) and other third party downloaders is ill-advised.

Untrustworthy download sources are more likely to contain programs bundled with PUAs. When installing, users should read terms and explore possible options - in order to verify that there is no foul play involved. Additionally, they should use "Custom/Advanced" installation settings and opt-out/decline all additional applications/features.

PUAs can also invade devices through intrusive advertisements, which when clicked can execute scripts to download/install them. It should be known that these adverts often look utterly ordinary and harmless, therefore it is easy to get tricked by them.

However, a telltale sign of an invasive ad can be the untrustworthy websites it redirects to (e.g. pornography, adult-dating, gambling and similar).

Should users encounter such ads/redirects, they are strongly advised to inspect their system and remove all dubious apps and/or 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.

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

Video showing how to stop unwanted redirects to search.mapsglobalsearch.com using Combo Cleaner:

search.mapsglobalsearch.com redirect removal:

Remove search.mapsglobalsearch.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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