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How to get rid of genieo search on safari?

I have genieo virus on my laptop, macbook air OS X 10.9.2.

As soon as I enter a name in the safari address bar, I have genieo search appearing.

I've read lots of things and tried many solutions but nothing works and it's terribly irritating.


My default search engine is Google.

I removed extensions and have none.

I've uninstalled Genieo.

I can't seem to find any file with genieo name in my laptop, not even in library folders.


What can I do? Please help!!

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on Mar 22, 2014 12:01 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Mar 22, 2014 12:33 PM


Remove Install Mac / Genieo/ Bing from Safari search



http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-genieo/

49 replies

May 23, 2015 6:28 AM in response to Linc Davis

This is an update to my comment made here more than a year ago.

There is no need to download anything to solve this problem.

If Safari crashes on launch and you don't have another web browser, you should be able to launch Safari by starting up in safe mode.

You may have installed the "Genieo" or "InstallMac" ad-injection malware. Follow the instructions on this Apple Support page to remove it.

Back up all data before proceeding.

Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. In addition to the files listed in the support article, you may also have to remove the following in the same way:

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.Installer.completer.download.plist
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.Installer.completer.ltvbit.plist
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.Installer.completer.update.plist
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.spigot.SearchProtection.plist
~/Library/Application Support/IM.Installer/Completer.app

One of the steps in the article is to remove malicious Safari extensions. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those.

After removing the malware, remember to reset your home page in all the web browsers affected, if it was changed.

If you don't find any of the files or extensions listed, or if removing them doesn't stop the ad injection, then you may have one of the other kinds of adware covered by the support article. Follow the rest of the instructions in the article.

If you find Apple's instructions too hard to follow, ask for an alternative that doesn't require you to trust a black-box application without knowing what it does.

Make sure you don't repeat the mistake that led you to install the malware. Chances are you got it from an Internet cesspit such as "Softonic" or "CNET Download." Never visit either of those sites again. You might also have downloaded it from an ad in a page on some other site. The ad would probably have included a large green button labeled "Download" or "Download Now" in white letters. The button is designed to confuse people who intend to download something else on the same page. If you ever download a file that isn't obviously what you expected, delete it immediately.

In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.

Still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked

Install system data files and security updates (OS X 10.10 or later)

or

Download updates automatically (OS X 10.9 or earlier)

if it's not already checked.

May 31, 2015 8:15 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks so much. It's kind of creepy how Genieo appeared, and no one really remembers going to any sites like Softonic or CNET Download, but I have a 7-year old and an 11-year old, so who knows. If it's of any importance to share, the following two folders

  • /Applications/Genieo.app
  • /Applications/Uninstall Genieo.app

were the only two that showed up. I had already reset the homepages in both Safari and Chrome to google.com, and neither browser showed any extensions in the preferences, so your instructions were essential.


Are there any other Internet "sewers" I should warn my kids about?


Thanks again.

How to get rid of genieo search on safari?

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