NetModuleSearch Mac Malware - How to remove

NetModuleSearch is a malicious macOS app that manipulates your web browsing so that it can spy on you and advertise to you. It takes over various system settings for these purposes. Deleting NetModuleSearch normally isn’t enough – its extensions need to be removed, related malware needs to be found and deleted, and a few settings need to be changed.

NetModuleSearch in short:

Type of threat	Trojan, spyware, adware.
How NetModuleSearch affects your computer	Logs data, redirects internet searches, hijacks your internet traffic.
How it spreads	Bundled with free apps downloaded from unreliable sites, promoted by fake update warnings.
How to remove NetModuleSearch	Delete NetModuleSearch (the app, the browser extension, related files) manually or with an anti-malware app (such as Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes), remove related settings.

About NetModuleSearch

Mac malware

NetModuleSearch is a malicious app that attacks macOS devices. Most anti-malware scanners that detect NetModuleSearch flag it as Adware or Adload. Adload is a category of malicious software that NetModuleSearch is a part of.

Here are a few things that NetModuleSearch can do:

• change your network settings to redirect (and hijack) your internet traffic,
• log user data and data about your computer,
• install Mac scareware and various browser extensions,
• have those extensions inject ads into the webpages that are open in your browser,
• manage which sites open in your browser,
• download more malware,
• return after being uninstalled.

All this makes NetModuleSearch very dangerous, as well as incredibly annoying. One of the most obvious things about NetModuleSearch is likely how it changes your browser’s default search engine and home page. Yahoo, Bing redirects, SearchSnow and SearchBaron redirects, SafeFinder, and other browser hijackers are spread by NetModuleSearch and its siblings, including WebFunctionSearch, SignalBalance, etc.

How it gets installed

NetModuleSearch may be labeled a Trojan. This is because it tricks people into installing it. It gets disguised as software updates and various necessary programs. When you install it, you don’t even realize that you’re installing malware.

If you remember seeing a warning in your web browser about how you have to install this or that to be able to watch a video, that could have been malware trying to get you to download something. Flash Player’s name is used most often by malicious actors. Never believe a Flash Player update prompt.

How to remove NetModuleSearch

Delete NetModuleSearch

Scan your computer with an anti-malware app, such as Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes, and others. You may need to start your Mac in safe mode.

It is likely that, besides NetModuleSearch, there is other malware on your device. NetModuleSearch was likely installed alongside a Mac optimizer like CleanMyMac. Delete it, the NetModuleSearch app (Finder, Applications), and all the browser extensions that are at all suspicious.

Check System Preferences

NetModuleSearch makes some changes to your settings. These settings are continually enforced by NetModuleSearch. They should be fixed at the same time as NetModuleSearch is deleted. Otherwise, you will have to do this again.

Open System Preferences from your Apple menu or the Dock:

• If you see a Profiles icon, click on it. Select the items that you did not add, then delete them (with the minus ‘-‘ button at the bottom).
• In Users & Groups, select Login Items. Select and remove (with the minus button) all unknown items.
• In Network, Advanced, Proxies, in the list of configurations, check if Socks or another proxy is selected. If you didn’t select it, then deselect and save.

Delete NetModuleSearch’s files

In case deleting the NetModuleSearch app and extension didn’t work, your anti-malware app might have failed to find some of NetModuleSearch’s files. You can try to do this manually.

It’s a little risky (as the Library folders hold files important for your many legitimate apps) but it might be worth trying.

Open Finder. Click Go in its menu, then select Computer. Type “NetModuleSearch” in the search field. Delete the files that come up.

Or you can use the Go to Folder dialog to visit the ~Library/LaunchAgents and other folders and find and delete suspicious files from them.

Look for files with names like these (the forward slash ‘/’ indicates a folder):

• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.NetModuleSearch.plist
• ~/Library/Application Support/com.NetModuleSearch/NetModuleSearch
• /Library/Application Support/com.NetModuleSearchDaemon/NetModuleSearch
• /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.NetModuleSearchDaemon.plist

Reboot to exit safe mode.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Restore browser settings

How to remove NetModuleSearch Mac Malware from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall NetModuleSearch Mac Malware and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to NetModuleSearch Mac Malware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

TopHow to remove NetModuleSearch Mac Malware from Google Chrome on Mac:

• Open Chrome browser.
• Enter in the url field “chrome://extensions” address and hit Enter.
• Find NetModuleSearch Mac Malware on the extensions list and click on the recycle bin icon next to it.
• Click on 'Chrome' button at the top left corner. Select 'Preferences' on a drop-down menu box.
• Find 'Search' options on Settings tab. If your search engine is changed, click 'Manage Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• On the same page find 'Show home button' checkbox and change your homepage.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to NetModuleSearch Mac Malware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• On the 'Preferences' menu window, scroll down to the bottom and find 'Reset settings' button. Click it.
• Confirm your selection and click 'Reset' on the following window.

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program. Top

How To remove NetModuleSearch Mac Malware from Firefox on Mac OS:

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press cmd+Shift+A on your keyboard).
• Go through Extensions list, remove everything NetModuleSearch Mac Malware related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
• Enter “about:preferences” in URL bar and hit enter.
• Open Search settings tab.
• If your search engine is changed, click 'Default Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Preferences-> General. Enter a preferable URL to the home page field.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to NetModuleSearch Mac Malware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.