how do I remove ChatZum (it came up after installing VLC)? :(

I don't know what you installed, but it wasn't VLC. Where did you get it?

From the Safari menu bar, select

Safari ▹ Preferences ▹ Extensions

Turn all extensions OFF and test. If the problem is resolved, turn extensions back ON and then uninstall them one or a few at a time until you find the culprit.

If you wish, you may be able to salvage the malfunctioning extension by reinstalling it. That will revert its settings to the defaults.

i got the same problem here after loading from "softonic"

to fix it temporary you can just right - click the empty searchbar → go to "edit search providers" and add google (for URL: "http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q={searchTerms}&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8") by clicking on "set as default".

i also called the support.

the specialist told me how to remove the "com.apple.safari.plist" from user → system → prefences. it also worked after reboot, but one day later (today) it is back :-/ hopefully they find a fix very soon

Just had something similar happen to me. When I looked under Applications I found ChatZumUninstaller.pkg ...When I ran that and then shutdown and restarted my safari the problem seemed to have gone/ Safari returned to normal.

http://www.chatzum.com/faq.html

Not sure if this is correct and/or permanant- but it seems to be working for now. Hopefully I havent just opened my mac up to a whole new barrge of viruses!!!!!

Hope this helps! Let me know if it works/im wrong.

Thank you

VLC will NOT install adware virus, you must have clicked a wrong link somewhere and got tricked into installing something else, perhaps a trojan.

This is the correct VLC for Mac.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html

It's not VLC, it's a trojan and yes it's being hosted on Softonic, Just tried it here.

Trojan

This is all there is to the package.

Real VLC player for Mac has this in the DMG window, doesn't have a installer as you just drag and drop into Applications "Alias".

Package contents of the real VLC is much larger and different.

yes. this is what it looked like (my case).

but how to remove this crap?:-/

That installer package does install the real VLC player along with the "ChatZum" crapware. Technically it's not a trojan, but it is intentionally deceptive. The Softonic site is run by scumbags and should be avoided.

yea sure.. so the best thing NOW is to reinstall the whole OS?

Ahas90 wrote:

yea sure.. so the best thing NOW is to reinstall the whole OS?

Unfortuntly yes if you gave it your Admin Password or running as a Admin user, because one doesn't know what it did in the background or a port it opened up for later malware or spyware to get into the machine.

If you were running as Standard User and didn't give a Admin password, one could transfer their files to the Shared Folder, then log into Admin user and delete the Standard User, reboot and recreate it, then move the files back.

I'm simply going to revert to my bootable clone, which I make for just such a circumstance.

Most commonly used backup methods

Edit: Wow, I'm booted and back here on my clone before the ASC edit window timed out. Love my clones. 🙂

Run the "ChatZum" uninstaller package in the Applications folder.

You'll find removal instructions at the end of the following article:

ChatZum adware added to VLC on Softonic

Note that removing the ChatZum Safari extension is not sufficient to remove this adware, only the toolbar. Your searches will still be hijacked even without the Safari extension. Further, note that the ChatZumUninstaller.pkg does not remove all files that were installed.

I manage to remove chatzum in SAFARI, but what's bothering me is that it says on the address bar "search chatzum", and when I go search something it uses google already (thank goodness!). I tried replacing it into Yahoo, it still has the name chatzum but when I go search something, It will search on Yahoo but it says on the address bar chatzum..

Bottom line you can search with whatever search engine you prefer, but it always displays the name chatzum which has nothing to do with it.

I gave up and I am now in the process of re-installing my mac os x mountain lion.

how did this work for you guys? http://www.thesafemac.com/chatzum-adware-added-to-vlc-on-softonic/

*let me just say that I got my chatzum by installing UNRAR from softonic

You must not have followed the directions completely. You have to get rid of the SIMBL plugin (and restart Safari, which I forgot to mention before), otherwise your search engine remains hijacked, regardless of what you set it to in the browser.

I was in the process of reinstalling my operating system when I read your link on how to remove chatzum, too bad.. just missed it by half an hour.. Darn!!!

*let me just say that I got my chatzum by installing UNRAR from softonic

Verified! Looks like this is a Softonic issue, and they're inserting adware into multiple other apps. That's a major issue, and I'll be planning to make sure as many folks know about that as possible.