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Remove Safe Finder Mac Virus

What is Safe Finder Mac Virus

Safe Finder Mac Virus refers to a browser hijacker that affects Mac computers. When this hijacker installs, it will change your browser’s settings and set one of its promoted sites as your homepage/new tabs. The sites include search.safefinderformac.com, search.macsafefinder.com, and search.sfmac.com. Once browser’s settings are changed, you are stuck with them until you remove Safe Finder Mac Virus from your Mac.

While many users refer to Safe Finder as a Mac virus, the classification is not technically correct. A browser hijacker is a pretty minor infection and does not harm the computer directly. However, it’s not entirely harmless either. You already know that it changes your browser’s settings without permission and tries to force you to use a questionable website. The reason it does that is to promote a dubious search engine which may try to redirect you to sponsored websites. Redirecting users is the main reason why hijackers exist in the first place.

The hijacker is advertised as a useful extension that will supposedly make your browsing better. However, what it actually does is the opposite. There is no reason to put up with the changes done to your browser, or with the hijacker itself. The sooner you delete Safe Finder Mac Virus, the better.

How does a browser hijacker install

In many cases, users end up installing browser hijackers accidentally, via freeware bundles. Software bundling is a popular method of distribution among unwanted program developers because it allows those programs to install without acquiring permission from users. Bundling programs is essentially adding additional offers to freeware. Those offers usually include adware, browser hijackers and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). The way the offers are attached allows them to install alongside when users install the freeware. Because the offers are hidden, users don’t even notice them during setup.

If you want to make the offers visible when you install free programs, you need to install them in Advanced (Custom) settings. Those settings will make all offers visible, and you will be to able to deselect everything. It’s enough to just uncheck the boxes. Once that is done, you can continue installing the program without problems.

Keep in mind that most free programs will come with these extra offers. So if you do not pay attention when installing freeware, you will quickly fill your computer up with junk programs that only take up space and disrupt your browsing.

What does Safe Finder Mac Virus do?

As you’ve likely already noticed, hijackers change browser’s settings and set their promoted sites as homepages/new tabs. In this case, the Safe Finder Mac Virus will set your Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox browsers search.safefinderformac.com as the homepage. Alternatively, it could also be search.macsafefinder.com, or search.sfmac.com. Your default search engine will also be changed, meaning every search you perform via browser address bar will go through that engine. Before you start wasting your time, know that these browser setting changes are irreversible while the hijacker is still present. Until you delete Safe Finder Mac Virus, you are stuck with the site loading every time you open your browser.

The site that is set as your homepage looks harmless enough. It only has a search box and the Safe Finder logo. If you use the search box, you will get search results via Yahoo search. Yahoo is a legitimate search engine that you can use safely, but it is unacceptable that the hijacker tries to force you to use it. Furthermore, if you wanted to use Yahoo, you could go to it directly. There is no need to use a questionable third-party website to access a search engine you can go to directly.

You should also keep in mind that the hijacker will track you as you browse, collecting information about what you search for, what sites you visit, your IP address, etc. This information could later be shared with third-parties as well.

Safe Finder Mac Virus removal

If you want the easiest way to uninstall Safe Finder Mac Virus, use anti-spyware software. The program would do everything for you, thus this would be easiest. However, you can remove Safe Finder Mac Virus manually, and we will provide instructions below this report to help you.

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More information about SpyWarrior and Uninstall Instructions. Please review SpyWarrior EULA and Privacy Policy. SpyWarrior scanner is free. If it detects a malware, purchase its full version to remove it.

Quick Menu

Step 1. Uninstall Safe Finder Mac Virus and related programs.

Remove Safe Finder Mac Virus from Windows 8

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel choose Programs and Features and select to Uninstall a software.

Uninstall Safe Finder Mac Virus from Windows 7

Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features → Uninstall a program.

Delete Safe Finder Mac Virus from Windows XP

Click Start → Settings → Control Panel. Locate and click → Add or Remove Programs.

Remove Safe Finder Mac Virus from Mac OS X

Click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications. Select applications folder and look for Safe Finder Mac Virus or any other suspicious software. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash, then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

Step 2. Delete Safe Finder Mac Virus from your browsers

Terminate the unwanted extensions from Internet Explorer
  1. Tap the Gear icon and go to Manage Add-ons.
  2. Pick Toolbars and Extensions and eliminate all suspicious entries (other than Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Oracle or Adobe)
  3. Leave the window.
Change Internet Explorer homepage if it was changed by virus:
  1. Tap the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of your browser and click Internet Options.
  2. In General Tab remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Press Apply to save changes.
Reset your browser
  1. Click the Gear icon and move to Internet Options.
  2. Open the Advanced tab and press Reset.
  3. Choose Delete personal settings and pick Reset one more time.
  4. Tap Close and leave your browser.
  5. If you were unable to reset your browsers, employ a reputable anti-malware and scan your entire computer with it.
Erase Safe Finder Mac Virus from Google Chrome
  1. Access menu (top right corner of the window) and pick Settings.
  2. Choose Extensions.
  3. Eliminate the suspicious extensions from the list by clicking the Trash bin next to them.
  4. If you are unsure which extensions to remove, you can disable them temporarily.
Reset Google Chrome homepage and default search engine if it was hijacker by virus
  1. Press on menu icon and click Settings.
  2. Look for the “Open a specific page” or “Set Pages” under “On start up” option and click on Set pages.
  3. In another window remove malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage.
  4. Under the Search section choose Manage Search engines. When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search websites. You should leave only Google or your preferred search name.
Reset your browser
  1. If the browser still does not work the way you prefer, you can reset its settings.
  2. Open menu and navigate to Settings.
  3. Press Reset button at the end of the page.
  4. Tap Reset button one more time in the confirmation box.
  5. If you cannot reset the settings, purchase a legitimate anti-malware and scan your PC.
Remove Safe Finder Mac Virus from Mozilla Firefox
  1. In the top right corner of the screen, press menu and choose Add-ons (or tap Ctrl+Shift+A simultaneously).
  2. Move to Extensions and Add-ons list and uninstall all suspicious and unknown entries.
Change Mozilla Firefox homepage if it was changed by virus:
  1. Tap on the menu (top right corner), choose Options.
  2. On General tab delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
  3. Press OK to save these changes.
Reset your browser
  1. Open the menu and tap Help button.
  2. Select Troubleshooting Information.
  3. Press Refresh Firefox.
  4. In the confirmation box, click Refresh Firefox once more.
  5. If you are unable to reset Mozilla Firefox, scan your entire computer with a trustworthy anti-malware.
Uninstall Safe Finder Mac Virus from Safari (Mac OS X)
  1. Access the menu.
  2. Pick Preferences.
  3. Go to the Extensions Tab.
  4. Tap the Uninstall button next to the undesirable Safe Finder Mac Virus and get rid of all the other unknown entries as well. If you are unsure whether the extension is reliable or not, simply uncheck the Enable box in order to disable it temporarily.
  5. Restart Safari.
Reset your browser
  1. Tap the menu icon and choose Reset Safari.
  2. Pick the options which you want to reset (often all of them are preselected) and press Reset.
  3. If you cannot reset the browser, scan your whole PC with an authentic malware removal software.

Site Disclaimer

2-remove-virus.com is not sponsored, owned, affiliated, or linked to malware developers or distributors that are referenced in this article. The article does not promote or endorse any type of malware. We aim at providing useful information that will help computer users to detect and eliminate the unwanted malicious programs from their computers. This can be done manually by following the instructions presented in the article or automatically by implementing the suggested anti-malware tools.

The article is only meant to be used for educational purposes. If you follow the instructions given in the article, you agree to be contracted by the disclaimer. We do not guarantee that the artcile will present you with a solution that removes the malign threats completely. Malware changes constantly, which is why, in some cases, it may be difficult to clean the computer fully by using only the manual removal instructions.