DiscoveryEngine Mac Adware - How to remove

DiscoveryEngine is Mac adware. It gets installed with fake software updates. Then it hijacks your browser and tries to reroute your web traffic through a malicious server. To get rid of DiscoveryEngine, delete its files – then you should be able to remove it from your apps and browser extensions. Once you do, it’s a good idea to change your passwords.

DiscoveryEngine should be removed as soon as possible:

Installation of DiscoveryEngine	Downloaded with fake updates and installers, advertised on unsafe websites and by adware.
Problems caused by the malware	Unstable apps, random pop-ups and redirects, more ads than usual, DiscoveryEngine comes back after being deleted.
Remove DiscoveryEngine	Delete related files, remove malware (you can use an anti-malware tool like Combo Cleaner and others), uninstall DiscoveryEngine and other unwanted apps and extensions, change your passwords.
Avoid adware	Block malicious sites, ignore malicious ads disguised as update warnings, scan every installer that you download, remove or disable all the browser extensions that you don’t use.

How DiscoveryEngine spreads

You probably had never seen DiscoveryEngine before it showed up in your Mac. With its ambiguous name and a boring icon (green circle and a while magnifying glass), it almost looks like a default system app. In reality, DiscoveryEngine is malware.

This malware gets downloaded with fake software updates and installers. It gets installed in the background.

Fake updates spread in malicious ads which you can see on illegal or possibly-illegal sites – ones for crack downloads, keygens, stream pirating, etc. Let’s say you’re trying to watch a video online – you could see an ad telling you to update your Flash player to watch the video. Even though it’s an ad, it looks like a system warning. This way, DiscoveryEngine can make it on your Mac without you even realizing that you’re installing malware.

What DiscoveryEngine does

DiscoveryEngine is pretty dangerous for your online privacy. Also, it can make using your Mac really frustrating by:

• messing with your web search results,
• injecting ads into your browser,
• crashing online applications,
• freezing your mouse cursor,
• slowing down your internet connection.

DiscoveryEngine can spy on your private data, such as usernames and passwords. Even if you’re on an encrypted site, DiscoveryEngine can see it because it has access to what your browser sees. And who knows where that data goes. Hopefully, it’s thrown out, but if it’s not, it could be used to hack your account and possibly even make unauthorized purchases with your credit card.

Some people noticed that their proxy settings were changed after an adware infection similar to DiscoveryEngine. This would explain the slowed down internet connection and the malfunctioning apps. Criminals then could log your data and redirect you to malicious websites.

Luckily, DiscoveryEngine may not get installed on all of your browsers. Many people have more than one browser on their Macs. If you use one that’s not infected with DiscoveryEngine, it shouldn’t be able to read your passwords.

How to remove DiscoveryEngine

You may have tried to uninstall DiscoveryEngine, only for it to return the next time you start your Mac. To really get rid of it, you need to get rid of its files.

You can do this automatically with an anti-malware program (such as Combo Cleaner), or manually. If you do this manually, check out these folders:

• ~/Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchAgents,
• ~/Library/Application Support and /Library/Application Support,
• /Library/LaunchDaemons.

In some of these folders, DiscoveryEngine hid its startup files. It’s not certain what they’re named – BeginnerData, ProductEvent, DisplayUpdate, ReachChoice, or something similar. If you find a suspicious file, look up its name (use an uninfected device) and see if you find any posts about it being malware.

Start your Mac in safe mode as described in this article by Apple Support. That will stop unnecessary apps from running. It will let you delete the files without interference from DiscoveryEngine.

After deleting the files, you should be able to remove DiscoveryEngine from your browser and your Apps folder. Also, if you didn’t scan your device for malware, you should at least remove the file that infected your Mac from your Downloads. And check your other browser extensions – DiscoveryEngine isn’t the only malicious one.

If you still think that your Mac is being strange, check your proxy settings.

Once your Mac is clean, you should probably change your passwords – if you think DiscoveryEngine may have read them. Also, set up 2-step verification where possible. That way, you’ll be alerted if anyone tries to use your credentials to log in to your accounts.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove DiscoveryEngine from your browser

TopRemoving DiscoveryEngine Mac Adware from Safari (Mac OS X)

• Click on the Safari menu.
• Choose Preferences.
  
• Click on the Extensions Tab.
• Click on the Uninstall button near the DiscoveryEngine. Remove all other unknown or suspicious entries too. If you are not sure whether you need the extension or not, you can simply uncheck the Enable check-box to disable the extension temporarily.
  
• Restart Safari.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to DiscoveryEngine Mac Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the 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.

TopRemoving DiscoveryEngine from Chrome

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Google Chrome window. Select “Settings”.
  
• Click “Extensions” on the left menu bar.
• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to DiscoveryEngine Mac Adware. Click on the trash bin icon next to DiscoveryEngine or other add-ons you want to remove.
  
• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.
  
• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.
  
• Restart Chrome.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to DiscoveryEngine Mac Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
  
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on the Reset settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

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

TopRemoving DiscoveryEngine from Firefox

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything DiscoveryEngine Mac Adware 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.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to DiscoveryEngine, 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 Reset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

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