Every time that i search on safari or google chrome my search engine comes up to be
something called smart search?
Check the links below for options to remove the Adware
http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php
Remove unwanted adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac - Apple Support
And, read this article below to see how the Adware arrived on your computer.
There is no need to download anything to solve this problem. You may have installed a variant of the "VSearch" ad-injection malware.
Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
/Library/LaunchDaemons
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.
A folder named "LaunchDaemons" may open. Look inside it for a file with a name of the form
com.something.daemon.plist
Here something is a variable word, which can be different in each case. It could be "cloud," "dot," "highway," "submarine," "trusteddownloads," or pretty much anything else.
There may also be a file named
com.something.helper.plist
in the same folder.
If you find files with names that fit the above description, post what you have for "something."
I'm also having the same problem. I've followed your directions and found both a .daemon.plist and a .helper.plist file. Mine are "com.game.daemon.plist" and "com.game.helper.plist". So I guess my "something" is "game". What should I do next?
You installed a variant of the "VSearch" trojan. Remove it as follows.
This malware has many variants. Anyone else finding this comment should not expect it to be applicable.
Back up all data before proceeding.
Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.game.agent.plist
Right-click or control-click the line and select
Services ▹ Reveal in Finder (or just Reveal)
from the contextual menu.* A folder should open with an item selected. Drag the selected item to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password.
Repeat with each of these lines:
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.game.daemon.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.game.helper.plist
Restart the computer and empty the Trash. Then delete the following items in the same way:
/Library/Application Support/game
/System/Library/Frameworks/v.framework
The problem may have started when you downloaded and ran an application called "MPlayerX." That's the name of a legitimate free movie player, but the name is also used fraudulently to distribute VSearch. If there is an item with that name in the Applications folder, delete it, and if you wish, replace it with the genuine article from mplayerx.org.
This trojan is often found on illegal websites that traffic in pirated content such as movies. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.
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.
Then, 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.
*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.
Thank you so much! Everything seems to be fixed. I did happen to download the MPlayerX the other day and have since deleted it. I will certainly be more careful with future downloads. Thanks again for all of your help!
I have the same problem and when i try your method and go to finder and type in /Library/LaunchDaemons nothing shows up?
Hi Linc
I am having the same problem, and I tried your suggestion and found several malicious files. Could you please help me as well?
com.google.keystone.daemon.plist
com.heizenberg.daemon.plist
com.heizenberg.helper.plist
com.jamfsoftware.jamf.daemon.plist
com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist
com.rim.nkehelper.plist
com.rim.BBDaemon.plist
com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist
Thank you very much for your time and help.
Best regards
Divesh
hi!
i have the following files:
com.11daa7a324d5f8ae.daemon.plist
com.11daa7a324d5f8ae.helper.plist
com.adobe.fpsaud.plist
com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist
com.torch.update.agent.plist
do you think you can help me?
thanks a lot!
farhan.
hi! I have something called com.4358f74af081071e.daemon.plist and i have something called com.4358f74af081071e.helper.plist. Can you help in removing the sw. thanks
This will be my last comment in the thread, and it's addressed to anyone who has the same problem as the original poster. If you have a different problem, search the site for answered questions similar to yours, and if you don't find a solution that way, start your own thread.
You may have installed a variant of the "VSearch" ad-injection malware. Follow Apple Support's instructions to remove it.
If you have trouble following those instructions, see below.
Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. This procedure works as of now, as far as I know. It may not work in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for a more recent discussion, or start a new one.
The VSearch malware tries to hide itself by varying the names of the files it installs. To remove it, you must first identify the naming pattern.
Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
/Library/LaunchDaemons
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.
A folder named "LaunchDaemons" may open. Look inside it for two files with names of the form
com.something.daemon.plist
and
com.something.helper.plist
Here something is a variable string of characters, which can be different in each case. So far it has always been a string of letters without punctuation, such as "cloud," "dot," "highway," "submarine," or "trusteddownloads." Sometimes it's a meaningless string such as "e8dec5ae7fc75c28" rather than a word. Sometimes the string is "apple," and then you must be especially careful not to delete the wrong files, because many built-in OS X files have similar names.
If you find these files, leave the LaunchDaemons folder open, and open the following folder in the same way:
/Library/LaunchAgents
In this folder, there may be a file named
com.something.agent.plist
where the string something is the same as before.
If you feel confident that you've identified the above files, back up all data, then drag just those three files—nothing else—to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password. Close the Finder windows and restart the computer.
Don't delete the "LaunchAgents" or "LaunchDaemons" folder or anything else inside either one.
The malware is now permanently inactivated, as long as you never reinstall it. You can stop here if you like, or you can remove two remaining components for the sake of completeness.
Open this folder:
/Library/Application Support
If it has a subfolder named just
something
where something is the same string you saw before, drag that subfolder to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Application Support" folder or anything else inside it.
Finally, in this folder:
/System/Library/Frameworks
there may an item named exactly
v.framework
It's actually a folder, though it has a different icon than usual. This item always has the above name; it doesn't vary. Drag it to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Frameworks" folder or anything else inside it.
If you didn't find the files or you're not sure about the identification, post what you found.
If in doubt, or if you have no backups, change nothing at all.
The trouble may have started when you downloaded and ran an application called "MPlayerX." That's the name of a legitimate free movie player, but the name is also used fraudulently to distribute VSearch. If there is an item with that name in the Applications folder, delete it, and if you wish, replace it with the genuine article from mplayerx.org.
This trojan is often found on illegal websites that traffic in pirated content such as movies. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.
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.
Then, 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.
Thanks a lot!!
hi I'm badly having this issue i don't know it occurred or got in !!! its irritating me too much
any time i try search something it opens a new unwanted window !!! also when i try opening new tab it reacts the same.
it was so nice to see your thread . hope it helps me out ,
i followed your directions and found this "com.dice.daemon.plist" and "com.dice.helper.plist
something is dice , help me!!!
hi I'm badly having this issue i don't know it occurred or got in !!! its irritating me too much
any time i try search something it opens a new unwanted window !!! also when i try opening new tab it reacts the same.
it was so nice to see your thread . hope it helps me out ,
i followed your directions and found this "com.dice.daemon.plist" and "com.dice.helper.plist
something is dice , help me!!!
Hi!
Please follow the advise given by Linc Davis. It worked for me.
This will be my last comment in the thread, and it's addressed to anyone who has the same problem as the original poster. If you have a different problem, search the site for answered questions similar to yours, and if you don't find a solution that way, start your own thread.
You may have installed a variant of the "VSearch" ad-injection malware. Follow Apple Support's instructions to remove it.
If you have trouble following those instructions, see below.
Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. This procedure works as of now, as far as I know. It may not work in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for a more recent discussion, or start a new one.
The VSearch malware tries to hide itself by varying the names of the files it installs. To remove it, you must first identify the naming pattern.
Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
/Library/LaunchDaemons
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.
A folder named "LaunchDaemons" may open. Look inside it for two files with names of the form
com.something.daemon.plist
and
com.something.helper.plist
Here something is a variable string of characters, which can be different in each case. So far it has always been a string of letters without punctuation, such as "cloud," "dot," "highway," "submarine," or "trusteddownloads." Sometimes it's a meaningless string such as "e8dec5ae7fc75c28" rather than a word. Sometimes the string is "apple," and then you must be especially careful not to delete the wrong files, because many built-in OS X files have similar names.
If you find these files, leave the LaunchDaemons folder open, and open the following folder in the same way:
/Library/LaunchAgents
In this folder, there may be a file named
com.something.agent.plist
where the string something is the same as before.
If you feel confident that you've identified the above files, back up all data, then drag just those three files—nothing else—to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password. Close the Finder windows and restart the computer.
Don't delete the "LaunchAgents" or "LaunchDaemons" folder or anything else inside either one.
The malware is now permanently inactivated, as long as you never reinstall it. You can stop here if you like, or you can remove two remaining components for the sake of completeness.
Open this folder:
/Library/Application Support
If it has a subfolder named just
something
where something is the same string you saw before, drag that subfolder to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Application Support" folder or anything else inside it.
Finally, in this folder:
/System/Library/Frameworks
there may an item named exactly
v.framework
It's actually a folder, though it has a different icon than usual. This item always has the above name; it doesn't vary. Drag it to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Frameworks" folder or anything else inside it.
If you didn't find the files or you're not sure about the identification, post what you found.
If in doubt, or if you have no backups, change nothing at all.
The trouble may have started when you downloaded and ran an application called "MPlayerX." That's the name of a legitimate free movie player, but the name is also used fraudulently to distribute VSearch. If there is an item with that name in the Applications folder, delete it, and if you wish, replace it with the genuine article from mplayerx.org.
This trojan is often found on illegal websites that traffic in pirated content such as movies. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.
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.
Then, 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.
You are a genius (and should be getting paid for this service). Seriously, thank you so much!
How can i get rid of smart search from safari
