How to remove SearchesCentral from Mac

Complete tips to delete SearchesCentral

Users often download browser hijackers like SearchesCentral inadvertently. Usually, freeware or shareware download lead to their stealthy download/ installation. So, these apps are considered as potentially unwanted applications. This particular app hijacks the installed web browsers’ settings to promote an address of a fake search engine, named search.hSearchesCentral.com. Furthermore, it has common data tracking feature, like other PUAs, as well. So, it can spy on users’ browsing based session to collect their browsing based preferences, search history and geo-locations.

SearchesCentral alters the browsers’ homepage, new tab pages and search engine options to search.hSearchesCentral.com so that the users are forced to visit this particular URL all the time when they open their browsing tab and enter any queries on the URL search bar. If used to search the web, the search.hSearchesCentral.com redirects users to search.yahoo.com and displays results generated by Yahoo. So, it is considered as useless. The main problem is that the users can’t stop the browsers from open this fake search engine until the SearchesCentral virus is installed. The app automatically reassigns any changes that the users attempt to make on the browsers’ settings.

Furthermore, the SearchesCentral app has the dangerous data tracking potential. The data of its target include IP addresses, geo-locations, URLs of visited sites, entered search queries and etc. It might even collect the private and sensitive data. The developers misuse these data to generate revenue by selling to third parties/ potent crooks or in other ways. Thus, its presence on system can cause severe privacy issues, identity theft, monetary loss and more serious issues. Therefore, do not trust, download or install this app. If you already did or see it on your system, perform its removal right away.

How did SearchesCentral enter my system?

Generally, people download and install potentially unwanted apps unintentionally by clicking on any deceptive ads that execute certain scripts or together with other programs. In the second case, the installation happens when developers distribute PUAs using software bundling method that is they include PUAs as additional offers in the download/ installation setups of other software. Usually, such offers are mentioned in Custom/Advanced and similar settings or within the checkboxes. Many users do not check and change the aforementioned settings and thereby lead to the inadvertent installation of PUAs on their systems.

How to prevent PUAs installation?

You are strongly advised against downloading/ installing any software via third party downloaders/ installers, through torrent clients, eMule or other p2p networks, unofficial pages and etc. Always prefer official websites and direct links for that. Also, check all Custom/Advanced and other similar settings of the download/ installation setups and decline the offers to download or install potentially unwanted software. Do not click on any intrusive ads that appear on any shady pages as they are often designed to open the pages of same kind or cause unwanted download by running malicious scripts. If SearchesCentral already running on system, we recommend you use some reputable antivirus tool and remove it right away from the system.

Remove Files and Folders Related to SearchesCentral

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 SearchesCentral 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 SearchesCentral 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 SearchesCentral. You can select such harmful files and folders and remove them immediately.