HiResCovers.net

I would recommend using LastPass for your passwords, it can be used on your mobile devices and other browsers :)

Thanks for all your help and quick responses :)

I am glad you got it all sorted out :)

If you have logged into your Google Account in Chrome, it can backup all of your bookmarks and passwords. I can only assume that you had done this.

It would be worth doing a search for Cyber Search Removal now though, and just clearing up any left over parts that may have been left behind.

After running ComboCleaner and MalwareBytes, I still had the same problem even thought both pieces of software said that they found no problems.

After checking for bad profiles, extensions, applications, etc., I trashed the Chrome folder in the Application Support folder and cleared my browser history, etc., I trashed the Chrome app and emptied the trash. I wasn't looking forward to recreating bookmarks, passwords, etc. when I downloaded a new version of the software. I downloaded Chrome using Safari and installed it. Upon launching the application, all my bookmarks were preserved. I haven't checked out the passwords yet, but I was amazed that my bookmarks were still there. I immediately created a new tab and the Bing search engine did NOT appear. I then went to the settings in Chrome, and it showed that my default search engine is Google. No unwanted search engines were even listed. So, even if I have to recreate all my passwords, the dreaded Cyber Search engine appears to be gone.

Thanks to everyone who gave many suggestions to try. I really appreciate it :)

[quote="tmscrapbook"]QUOTE (tmscrapbook @ Dec 1 2020, 04:08 PM) I have tried MalwareBytes and ComboCleaner with no luck :( [/quote]

I was going to suggest Malwarebytes as it’s a great bit of software but I have only used it on Windows computers.

I’m not very familiar with virus removal on Mac but it seems like the Flash Player update you installed wasn’t a genuine one and you installed a virus onto your computer.

Have you tried this - https://www.computips.org/remove-cybersearch-xyz-from-mac/

I have tried MalwareBytes and ComboCleaner with no luck :(

You could try and run a malware scan. I don't know much about them though, as I do not use them. But I do know some can cause problems with your OS installation. I would try doing a search for a good free one, and see if it can clear cybersearch from your computer.

Thanks, Bazzah. I've tried most of what you mentioned. I am using Chrome as my browser, not Safari. I have no unwanted programs or extensions installed. I have gone to /Library/Preferences/ and cannot find anything referring to Chrome.

When checking the search engine settings in Chrome, it shows that Cyber Search is the default and I cannot edit it or remove it from my list. When I click on Google, the Make Default option is grayed out so that I can't select it.

I have found a work around by bookmarking the Google Search page and placing that bookmark in my menu bar. Then instead of clicking a new tab button (which brings up the Bing search window), I click on Google search" in my menu bar and it brings up the Google search window where I can then type in the search I want. While this works, it's a pain in the $@*K!

Any other ideas?

I tried to take a screenshot to show you the problem, but I'm not sure how to upload it.

[attachment=44690:screenshot.jpg]

Try these steps. I just copy and pasted them from the link above.

[b]Remove malicious Profiles from your Mac[/b]
Profiles are used by IT admins in businesses to control the behavior of their Macs. These profiles can configure a Mac to do many different things, some of which are not otherwise possible.
When it comes to home users, adware and browser hijackers are using the configuration profile to prevent users from removing malicious programs from the computer. This also prevents the user from changing that behavior in the browser’s settings.
In this first step, we will check your computer to see if any configuration profiles are installed. To do this, follow the below steps:

Open “System Preferences”
From the Apple menu, select System Preferences.

Search for “Profiles”
When the System Preferences window opens, search for the Profiles icon.
Search for Profiles in System Preferences
If there isn’t a Profiles icon, you don’t have any profiles installed, which is normal and you can continue with the next steps.
Remove the malicious profiles
If there’s a Profile icon, click on it and select any suspicious profile that you want to remove, and then press the – (minus) button. Click Remove to remove the profile.
Remove malicious profiles from your Mac


[b]Remove the malicious programs from Mac[/b]
In this second step, we will try to identify and remove any malicious apps and files that might be installed on your computer. Sometimes redirects or adware programs can have usable Uninstall entries that can be used to remove these programs.

Quit the malicious programs
On the Apple menu bar, in the top-right corner, if you see any unknown or suspicious icon, click on it and then select Quit.

Open “Finder”
Click the Finder application on your dock.
Open Finder
Click on “Applications”
In the Finder left pane, click on “Applications“.
Click on Applications
Find and remove the malicious app.
The “Applications” screen will be displayed with a list of all the app installed on your device. Scroll through the list until you find the malicious app, right-click it, and then click “Move to Trash”.

Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program. Here are some known malicious programs: Cyber Search, TakeFresh, TopResults, FeedBack, ApplicationEvents, GeneralOpen, PowerLog, MessengerNow, ImagePrime, GeneralNetSearch, Reading Cursors, GlobalTechSearch, PDFOnline-express, See Scenic Elf, MatchKnowledge, Easy Speedtest, or WebDiscover.

Find malicious programs and Remove It
Click “Empty Trash”
On the dock, right-click on the trash icon and select “Empty Trash”. Doing so deletes the Trash’s contents, including the program that you just sent to the Trash.
Empty Trash
Find and remove the malicious files
Click the desktop to make sure you’re in the Finder, choose “Go” then click on “Go to Folder“.Go to Folder mac
Type or copy/paste each of the below paths into the window that opens, then click Go.
/Library/LaunchAgents
~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/Application Support
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Type the commands in the Go to Folder window
Look out for any suspicious files that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program. Here are some known malicious files: Here are some known malicious files: “com.cybersearch”, com.adobe.fpsaud.plist” “installmac.AppRemoval.plist”, “myppes.download.plist”, “mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist”, or “com.myppes.net-preferences.plist”. When you find a malicious file move it to the Trash.

[b]Remove Cybersearch.xyz redirect from Safari, Chrome, or Firefox[/b]
If your browser is still being redirected to Cybersearch.xyz, then you should also reset your browsers back to their default configuration
For each browser that you have installed on your computer, please click on the tab below and follow the displayed steps to reset that browser
Remove Cybersearch.xyz browser hijacker from Safari browser
Go to Safari’s “Preferences”.
On the menu bar, click the “Safari” menu and select “Preferences”.
On the Menu bar Click on Safari then Preference
Check Homepage.
This will open a new window with your Safari preferences, opened to the “General” tab. Some browser hijackers may change your default homepage, so in the Homepage field make sure it’s a web page you want to use as your start-up page.

Change Homepage in Safari
Click “Extensions”
Next, click on the “Extensions” tab.
Click on Extensions MacOS
Find and uninstall the malicious extensions.
The “Extensions” screen will be displayed with a list of all the extensions installed on Safari. Scroll through the list until you find the malicious extension, and then click on “Uninstall” to remove it.
Click on Uninstall to remove the malicious redirect
The malicious extension may have a different name on your computer. Look out for any suspicious browser extension that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine extension. By default, there are no extensions installed on Safari so it’s safe to remove any extension.


[i]If the above steps didn’t help you remove the Cybersearch.xyz redirect from Safari, you can follow the below steps:[/i]

[b]Workaround for greyed out Safari’s homepage[/b]
In some cases, after being changed by browser hijacker or malware, Safari’s home page can become stuck (greyed out). You will be able to edit the Homepage field in Safari’s preferences, but the change will not stick. This appears to be a bug, and there is an odd workaround. Try this:

In Safari, choose Preferences from the Safari menu.
In the window that opens, click the General icon (if necessary)
Enter your desired home page in the “Homepage” field, but DO NOT press return!
At the top of the window, click any of the other icons (eg, Tabs, AutoFill, etc).
You may see a prompt asking for confirmation for changing the home page. If so, confirm.
Switch back to the General page and check to make sure the home page has been changed.


[b]Delete Safari’s preferences file to remove malicious changes[/b]
Some malicious programs are known to install managed preferences to set the homepage and search engine settings in Safari. If the above options didn’t help you remove the malicious redirects, we’ll need to delete the Safari’s preferences. To do this, follow the below steps:

Quit Safari
Click the desktop to make sure you’re in the Finder, choose “Go” then click on “Go to Folder“.
Go to Folder mac
Type or copy/paste the following path into the window that opens, then click Go: ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist
If the file is found, delete it, then re-open Safari

When I click on that link, I get this message "Your connection is not private."