Remove Safari Viruses on your Mac and Enjoy Better Browsing
It’s a sad fact but nefarious hackers have developed ways to hack your Mac. One of the exploits is to hijack Safari, your Mac’s built-in web browser. If you notice popup ads springing out at you like TV chefs, or you see extensions you don’t recognize, the chances are you have malware in your browser.
Although not as harmful as say a Trojan virus, browser viruses still pose security risks and so have to be dealt with. You can check right here for a fuller explanation of Safari viruses.
If you notice the following you may have an issue:
- Computer performance drops off.
- Random and unwanted browser extensions appear as if by magic.
- Links click take you to suspicious unexpected web pages.
- Your homepage is hijacked and you are redirected to another site.
- Fake ads for software updates appear all the time.
- Ads appear in places you wouldn’t expect and frequently.
If you have noticed any of the above take action.
Risks of the Safari Virus
There are several risks associated with the Safari virus ranging from annoying to potentially damaging data leaks. On the mild side, it may change your settings so that you are redirected to certain websites you wouldn’t dream of visiting. On the most severe sides are tracking what you’re looking at and stealing your data.
Your data is shared with third parties, and depending on what you view, could be used in some kind of ransomware attack.
Check for and Remove Malicious Apps
Go to the Applications folder and look for apps that are suspicious or any you installed just prior to the browser hijacking. Every one you find drag to Trash.
- Select Go and then Go to Folder in Finder.
- Check the following folders for any files or folders connected to the app you dragged to Trash.
- /Library/LaunchAgents
- /Library/Application Support
- /Library/LaunchAgents
- /Library/LaunchDaemons
- /Users/Shared/
Delete Extensions You Don’t Recognize or Need
Once you’re through all the folders, head over to Safari.
- Launch Safari and then Preferences.
- Click the Extensions tab.
- Scan your extensions and delete any you don’t remember installing or look suspicious. Select the ones you want to purge and click Uninstall.
While you have your browser open, go to the General Tab and enter your preferred website in the Homepage field. Then, go to the Search tab and choose the search engine you want to use. Sometimes, doing this undoes any changes made by the hacker.
Use a Non-Privileged Account
One way to prevent malware from taking hold of your Mac is to use a non-privileged account. This is to say having an account that does not have administrator privileges. Most malware seeks to take over your admin account. Using a non-admin account is a way to stop this in its tracks. So how is it done?
- Go to System Preferences, then Users & Groups.
- Create a Standard account and you’re done.
With a little care, you should be able to get rid of browser viruses and enjoy your Mac.
For more information, visit Apple Support.
