How to get rid of Secure Search on Mac

Mac systems are not absolutely secure: Malware Intrusion Protection Guide

While the macOS system is known for its sandboxing mechanism and high security, it is not completely immune to malware. Most potentially harmful operations require administrator privileges, but this does not mean that Mac systems can rest assured. If your Mac is having abnormal behavior, you may have been infected with malware, where "Secure Search" is a common long-standing threat.

This article will dig into the nature, dangers, and how to clear Secure Search from Chrome and other browsers in just a few steps.

What is Secure Search?

Secure Search is a browser hijacking program, which is a type of malware. It changes your browser behavior in a number of ways, such as opening spam web pages or tracking your web activity. The main manifestation of Secure Search is to redirect your Google search to a specific website and display irrelevant ads, seriously affecting the user experience. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to clear Secure Search if problems are discovered in time.

How does Secure Search virus infect Mac?

Secure Search usually sneaks into your Mac in two ways: as a standalone application or browser extension. You most likely installed it yourself without your knowledge.

Secure Search is often bundled in seemingly legitimate applications that are often downloaded from the network in the form of ZIP compression packages. You may have clicked on a fake pop-up ad, or you have not double-checked the URL of the website. Once you unzip and install the zip package containing Secure Search, it has permission to do anything on your Mac.

How to remove Secure Search from Mac?

If you suspect your Mac is infected with Secure Search, don't worry, it's relatively easy to clear it.

If Secure Search is installed as an application, you can go to the Applications folder, locate the Secure Search application, and move it to the Trash. It is best to clear the wastebasket immediately after that.

However, Secure Search is often masqueraded as a browser extension attached to browsers such as Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. Normally, it will appear in the browser extension list, which you can delete directly from there.

In Chrome:

1. Start Chrome ➙ Settings (Command,)
2. Go to the extension
3. Next to Secure Search, click Delete

In Safari:

1. Start Safari ➙ Settings (Command,)
2. Go to the extension
3. Select Secure Search and Uninstall

You can follow similar steps to remove Secure Search from Firefox.

More thorough cleaning and Mac security protection

To ensure there are no traces of Secure Search or other malware, it is recommended that you use CleanMyMac X for scanning. CleanMyMac X is a powerful Mac optimization suite that can remove junk files, optimize system processes, scan for malware, completely delete applications, and more.

Detect malware with CleanMyMac X:

1. Open CleanMyMac X
2. Go to Malware Removal
3. Click to scan
4. Remove any found malware

After you delete the Secure Search application or extension, you can use the Uninstaller module of CleanMyMac X to clear residual files.

Further enhance Mac security: Pareto Security and ClearVPN

To avoid reinfection of Secure Search in the future, you should make sure your connection remains encrypted at all times. Using a VPN is the easiest way to achieve this goal. ClearVPN is an easy-to-use VPN client that provides one-click shortcuts to optimize your connection.

Summarize

This article describes a variety of ways to remove Secure Search and reduce its risk of re-invasion. You can delete it manually, but it's better to use CleanMyMac X for a more thorough cleaning. Additionally, it is recommended to use Pareto Security to check security settings and encrypt your network traffic via ClearVPN. CleanMyMac X, Pareto Security and ClearVPN all offer a 7-day free trial.

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