How To Remove Explore Search Results From Mac PC

Tips to Delete Explore Search Results From Computer

Explore Search Results is a notorious computer infection that has been categorized by security experts as a browser hijacker program. It mainly targets Mac PCs and is able to penetrate the machine secretly without being noticed by the users. As soon as this potentially unwanted program infiltrates your work-station, it makes several unexpected modifications to your default browser’ settings and sets its own perilous domain as the new home page, new tab page and search engine addresses without even asking for your approval. Grabbing full control over the entire browser, this nasty malware starts flooding your system screen with intrusive ads and pop-ups and makes it very difficult for you to surf the web efficiently like before.

Explore Search Results displays attractive coupons, deals, offers, banners, discounts etc. and tries to make you click on them in order to make profits via pay-per-click mechanism. Clicking on these adverts though can be very risky for your system’s security as they might include vicious links and redirect you to scamming, phishing or even malware-laden web pages that are fully occupied with spiteful materials. You might be rerouted to domains where several fake security alerts are displayed claiming that some issues have been detected in your computer and then forces you to buy and install a rogue software on in order to get rid of the issue. And so, avoid interacting with these adverts and try to remove Explore Search Results from the computer without wasting any time.

Ways To Spread Explore Search Results:

Such types of hijacking programs generally get into the PCs via malicious advertisements that users accidentally or intentionally click. It also manages to sneak into the machine during download and installations of third-party programs. In this case, authors of such PUPs spread them using a precarious marketing tactic called “bundling” in which, multiple products are added as additional offers in one package with a free software. When you download and install the app using “Quick” or “Recommended” mode set, there is huge possibility that you will end up with bringing such adware or hijacker in the system as well along with the main program.

How To Prevent The PUP Intrusion?

In order to stay away from Explore Search Results or other similar infections, you should avoid downloading applications via unreliable sites, third-party downloaders, peer-to-peer networks, installers and so on. Always choose Custom or Advanced configuration setting to install the program where you can take full control over the incoming download and deselect the tools that look suspicious. Never click on suspicious ads that show offers or deals as they might include vicious links and redirect you to highly dangerous web pages that are fully occupied with malicious contents. Additionally, if you are a regular Internet user, it is highly important for you to use a powerful anti-malware program and keep updating it from time to time.

Threat Details

Name: Explore Search Results

Type: Mac virus, browser hijacker, Redirect virus, Potentially unwanted program

Functionality: Aims to redirect Mac users to affiliated websites, promote sponsored products, services and programs and make Online revenues for the developers, Also steal users’ personal and confidential information and share them with hackers for evil purposes.

Distribution methods: Free software installers (bundling), Deceptive emails, malicious pop-ups ads, fake flash player installers.

Damage: Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites.

Removal: To get rid of this infection and other malware threats, our security researchers recommend scanning your computer with a powerful anti-malware tool.

Other Malevolent Acts of Explore Search Results:

Explore Search Results keeps contributing malicious deeds in the background which consumes huge amount of memory resources and slows down the overall PC performance drastically. Due to this, machine starts responding slower than ever before and takes more than usual time to complete any task. This hazardous threat monitors your web activities such as your search queries, pages viewed, links opened etc. and gathers important information regarding your interests and needs which is utilized by the scammers for the advertisement campaign. Furthermore, it can also steal your personal data relating to banking and other financial details that can be misused by the criminals for generating illicit revenues and hence, it’s a big threat for your privacy too. And so, to prevent all these threats from being occurred, you must delete Explore Search Results from the PC quickly.

Remove Files and Folders Related to Explore Search Results

Open the “Menu” bar and click the “Finder” icon. Select “Go” and click on “Go to Folder…”

Step 1: Search the suspicious and doubtful malware generated files in /Library/LaunchAgents folder

Type /Library/LaunchAgents in the “Go to Folder” option

In the “Launch Agent” folder, search for all the files that you have recently downloaded and move them to “Trash”. Few of the examples of files created by browser-hijacker or adware are as follow, “myppes.download.plist”, “mykotlerino.Itvbit.plist”, installmac.AppRemoval.plist”, and “kuklorest.update.plist” and so on.

Step 2: Detect and remove the files generated by the adware in “/Library/Application” Support folder

In the “Go to Folder..bar”, type “/Library/Application Support”

Search for any suspicious newly added folders in “Application Support” folder. If you detect any one of these like “NicePlayer” or “MPlayerX” then send them to “Trash” folder.

Step 3: Look for the files generated by malware in /Library/LaunchAgent Folder:

Go to Folder bar and type /Library/LaunchAgents

You are in the “LaunchAgents” folder. Here, you have to search for all the newly added files and move them to “Trash” if you find them suspicious. Some of the examples of suspicious files generated by malware are “myppes.download.plist”, “installmac.AppRemoved.plist”, “kuklorest.update.plist”, “mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist” and so on.

Step4: Go to /Library/LaunchDaemons Folder and search for the files created by malware

Type /Library/LaunchDaemons in the “Go To Folder” option

In the newly opened “LaunchDaemons” folder, search for any recently added suspicious files and move them to “Trash”. Examples of some of the suspicious files are “com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist”, “com.avickUpd.plist”, “com.myppes.net-preference.plist”, “com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist” and so on.

Step 5: Use Combo Cleaner Anti-Malware and Scan your Mac PC

The malware infections could be removed from the Mac PC if you execute all the steps mentioned above in the correct way. However, it is always advised to be sure that your PC is not infected. It is suggested to scan the work-station with “Combo Cleaner Anti-virus”.

Once the file gets downloaded, double click on combocleaner.dmg installer in the newly opened window. Next is to open the “Launchpad” and press on “Combo Cleaner” icon. It is advised to wait until “Combo Cleaner” updates the latest definition for malware detection. Click on “Start Combo Scan” button.

A depth scan of your Mac PC will be executed in order to detect malware. If the Anti-virus scan report says “no threat found” then you can continue with guide further. On the other hand, it is recommended to delete the detected malware infection before continuing.

Now the files and folders created by the adware is removed, you have to remove the rogue extensions from the browsers.

Remove Explore Search Results from Internet Browsers

Delete Doubtful and Malicious Extension from Safari

Go to “Menu Bar” and open “Safari” browser. Select “Safari” and then “Preferences”

In the opened “preferences” window, select “Extensions” that you have recently installed. All such extensions should be detected and click the “Uninstall” button next to it. If you are doubtful then you can remove all the extensions from “Safari” browser as none of them are important for smooth functionality of the browser.

In case if you continue facing unwanted webpage redirections or aggressive advertisements bombarding, you can reset the “Safari” browser.

“Reset Safari”

Open the Safari menu and choose “preferences…” from the drop-down menu.

Go to the “Extension” tab and set the extension slider to “Off” position. This disables all the installed extensions in the Safari browser

Next step is to check the homepage. Go to “Preferences…” option and choose “General” tab. Change the homepage to your preferred URL.

Also check the default search-engine provider settings. Go to “Preferences…” window and select the “Search” tab and select the search-engine provider that you want such as “Google”.

Next is to clear the Safari browser Cache- Go to “Preferences…” window and select “Advanced” tab and click on “Show develop menu in the menu bar.“

Go to “Develop” menu and select “Empty Caches”.

Remove website data and browsing history. Go to “Safari” menu and select “Clear History and Website Data”. Choose “all history” and then click on “Clear History”.

Remove Unwanted and Malicious Plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox

Delete Explore Search Results add-ons from Mozilla Firefox

Open the Firefox Mozilla browser. Click on the “Open Menu” present in the top right corner of the screen. From the newly opened menu, choose “Add-ons”.

Go to “Extension” option and detect all the latest installed add-ons. Select each of the suspicious add-ons and click on “Remove” button next to them.

In case if you want to “reset” the Mozilla Firefox browser then follow the steps that has been mentioned below.

Reset Mozilla Firefox Settings

Open the Firefox Mozilla browser and click on “Firefox” button situated at the top left corner of the screen.

In the new menu, go to “Help” sub-menu and choose “Troubleshooting Information”

In the “Troubleshooting Information” page, click on “Reset Firefox” button.

Confirm that you want to reset the Mozilla Firefox settings to default by pressing on “Reset Firefox” option

The browser will get restarted and the settings changes to factory default

Delete Unwanted and Malicious Extensions from Google Chrome

Open the chrome browser and click on “Chrome menu”. From the drop down option, choose “More Tools” and then “Extensions”.

In the “Extensions” option, search for all the recently installed add-ons and extensions. Select them and choose “Trash” button. Any third-party extension is not important for the smooth functionality of the browser.

Reset Google Chrome Settings

Open the browser and click on three line bar at the top right side corner of the window.

Go to the bottom of the newly opened window and select “Show advanced settings”.

In the newly opened window, scroll down to the bottom and choose “Reset browser settings”

Click on the “Reset” button on the opened “Reset browser settings” window

Restart the browser and the changes you get will be applied

The above mentioned manual process should be executed as it is mentioned. It is a cumbersome process and requires a lot of technical expertise. And hence it is advised for technical experts only. To be sure that your PC is free from malware, it is better that you scan the work-station with a powerful anti-malware tool. The automatic malware removal application is preferred because it doesn’t requires any additional technical skills and expertise.

Download the application and execute it on the PC to begin the depth scanning. Once the scanning gets completed, it shows the list of all the files related to Explore Search Results. You can select such harmful files and folders and remove them immediately.