What is Search.genieosearch.com?
Search.genieosearch.com is a forged search engine that may come up in your browser as a result of exposure to browser hijacker. Browser hijacker is a type of malware that often creeps into the system together with shady free programs and which is primarily used to get advertising revenue. Following the installation, it changes the user’s browser homepage to a page with ads and prevents the user from changing it. You may encounter irrelevant search results, various pop-up advertisements, constant redirects, all of this is to make you visit certain websites. At worst, you may end up infecting your computer with other malware programs or even viruses. There are 2 solutions to this problem – either automatic or manual ways. Just know that manual removal might require above-average skills, so if you don’t feel experienced enough, you may apply to the automatic removal tool.
How Search.genieosearch.com got installed on your computer?
If you want to prevent the Search.genieosearch.com infection, you need to check the contents of every installation that you perform. We say so because very often freeware contains malware disguised as additional installation elements. You can learn the components of the setup by reading the EULA and other information that is given on installation wizard screens. If you see that there are some applications that added to the main program and that you don’t want to have on your system, it’s better to cancel the process.
Symptoms of Search.genieosearch.com infection
- First and the most striking proof of having a browser hijacker is a change of the main page. Usually, it is a search engine page that is designed so that user would believe in its legitimacy.
- Generally, hijackers cause redirections when the user makes a search query on its page or tries to reach a blocked site (usually another search engine or anti-malware sites)
- Another indicator of hijacker infection is an appearance of new programs, toolbars and browser extensions that you don’t remember installing and processes in start-up queue.
- Also, you may notice the significant slowdown in the system operating, since running of the applications required for malware activity may consume a lot of CPU.
- Besides, hijacker infection may as well negatively affect the speed of Internet connection.
How to remove Search.genieosearch.com?
To make sure that the hijacker won’t appear again, you need to delete Search.genieosearch.com completely. For this, you need to remove the application then check the drives for such leftovers as Search.genieosearch.com files and registry entries.
We should warn you that performing some of the steps may require above-average skills, so if you don’t feel experienced enough, you may apply to automatic removal tool.
Combo Cleaner Antivirus is a powerful tool that is able to keep your Mac clean and protect it from various kinds of unwanted applications. It would automatically search out and delete all elements related to Search.genieosearch.com. It is not only the easiest way to eliminate Search.genieosearch.com but also the safest and most assuring one.
Steps of Search.genieosearch.com manual removal
Uninstall Search.genieosearch.com from the system
As it was stated before, more likely that the hijacker appeared on your system brought by other software. So, to get rid of Search.genieosearch.com you need to call to memory what you have installed recently.
Remove Search.genieosearch.com from Applications
- Open a Finder window
- Click Applications line on the sidebar
- Select the application related to Search.genieosearch.com right-click it and choose Move to Trash
Remove Search.genieosearch.com from Profiles
- Launch System Preferences
- Select Profiles at the bottom of window.
- Choose AdminPrefs profile, click “-“ icon and enter password.
Remove Search.genieosearch.com using Terminal
- Open Terminal
- Copy/paste:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES - Press Return
- Hold the Option/alt key, then right click on the Finder icon in the dock and click Relaunch
- Navigate to: /Users/yourmacname/Library/Application Support/
- Delete Folder: Agent
- Go back to Terminal and copy/paste:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles NO - Press Return
- Hold the Option/alt key, then right click on the Finder icon in the dock and click Relaunch
Remove Search.genieosearch.com from browsers
Since most of the hijacker threats use a disguise of a browser add-on, you will need to check the list of extensions/add-ons in your browser.
How to remove Search.genieosearch.com from Safari
- Start Safari
- Click on Safari menu button, then go to the Extensions
- Delete Search.genieosearch.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
How to remove Search.genieosearch.com from Google Chrome
- Start Google Chrome
- Click on Tools, then go to the Extensions
- Delete Search.genieosearch.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
How to remove Search.genieosearch.com from Mozilla Firefox
- Start Mozilla Firefox
- Click on the right-upper corner button
- Click Add-ons, then go to Extensions
- Delete Search.genieosearch.com or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
If the above-mentioned methods didn’t help in eliminating the threat, then it’s better to rely on an automatic way of deleting Search.genieosearch.com.
We also recommend to download and use Norton to scan the system after Search.genieosearch.com removal to make sure that it is completely gone. The antimalware application will detect any vicious components left among system files and registry entries that can recover Search.genieosearch.com.
