QuestSearch Mac Malware - How to remove

QuestSearch (completely unrelated to the Quest Search job search and recruitment company) is a malicious app that infects Macs through fake software updates and free app bundlers. QuestSearch malware interferes with browser and network settings to try and control the victim’s internet browsing habits. It can also spy on people’s searches – this data is useful for advertisers. Thus, QuestSearch malware is adware. It’s not very dangerous, but it should still be deleted as soon as it’s discovered.

In short about QuestSearch malware:

Type of threat	Adware, trojan.
What QuestSearch malware does	Changes the browser’s default search engine and home page, changes network settings, causes browser redirects and pop-up ads, logs the user’s search history.
How Macs get infected	Bundling, fake updates and malicious ads.
Removing QuestSearch malware	Delete related files and profiles, remove the app and the extension, remove malware with an antivirus app (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, etc.).

QuestSearch Mac infection

QuestSearch is not any kind of official or safe app. It’s malware, like any Shlayer trojan app. It’s no different than DisplayUpdate, ArtemisSearch, CommonAdmin, SystemSpecial, etc.

QuestSearch malware shows pop-ups asking you to allow network connections and if you click Deny, it will ask again. You should not allow it. Instead, you should remove QuestSearch from your computer.

QuestSearch tries to change Mac’s network settings, as well as set new browser search settings. It changes the browser’s default search engine to Anysearchmanager. This usually means that when you search for something online, it’s Yahoo.com that returns the results.

QuestSearch malware is meant for two things:

• to force you to visit affiliated sites and look at their ads,
• to read your browsing data and use it to tailor advertisements to you.

Almost all malware is about making money. Advertising is a great money maker, especially when you don’t have to create a good website to publish those ads on. Just force people to install apps that deliver the ads right to their screens. That’s all that this QuestSearch app does.

How to avoid infections

QuestSearch malware could have made it on your Mac in one of a few ways, but you probably did not install it intentionally. QuestSearch comes bundled with some free apps, and even with some fake apps.

Bundling is taking an app, usually free, and including additional software in its installer. The additional software gets installed by default with the free app. You may be offered a chance to refuse it, but if you just install the bundler app with the default settings, it installs some junkware on your computer. Sites and developers bundle free apps with junkware as a way to make money.

If QuestSearch malware was bundled with a free app that you downloaded, be careful about where you got that app from. Scan any new files that you download from that website.

It could have also happened that you downloaded QuestSearch malware in a fake software update. Most fake updates are for Adobe Flash Player, a media player that can be used to play animations and games. Or that could be used – Flash Player is being retired soon (in December 2020), and very few websites need it anymore. Few computers even have Flash Player installed, it’s just not needed anymore. But scammers still use its image to trick people.

Scammers make sites that, when you visit them, say “your Flash Player may be out of date” and offer a file that is, supposedly, the Flash Player update that you need. It’s not, it’s just a few malicious apps in that file. Including QuestSearch malware.

Malicious sites that do this tend to infect other sites and show up as pop-up ads. Any time a website tells you to install any sort of update, be very suspicious. Flash Player update warnings are almost always scams.

How to remove QuestSearch malware

Remove QuestSearch from the Applications folder and from browser extensions. Not just QuestSearch – remove all the suspicious apps and extensions. If you’re unsure about an extension, look up its name or its developer online.

Or scan your Mac with an antivirus app, such as Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, etc. These can help you identify what apps and files might need to be deleted.

First, depending on how you downloaded QuestSearch malware, you probably need to delete a malicious file from your Downloads folder.

Next, you can start your Mac in safe mode to temporarily stop QuestSearch malware. Safe mode stops a lot of unnecessary programs from running and is actually pretty good for malware removal. You can start your Mac in safe mode by rebooting it or turning it on and then holding the Shift button until you see the Apple logo or the login screen. The next time you restart your Mac it’ll be in normal mode, so you don’t need to do anything.

QuestSearch malware installs a couple of profiles that you can find in System Preferences -> Profiles. Select each of those profiles and delete them by pressing the minus button at the bottom.

Remove the files that were paced by QuestSearch malware in system folders. Open the Go to Folder dialog (Finder -> Go -> Go to Folder) and type/paste in these names:

• /Library/LaunchDaemons
• /Library/LaunchAgents
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents
• ~/Library/Application Support

Find files with “QuestSearch” in their names and remove them. Watch out for other suspicious files, too. But be careful not to delete too many: those folders are used by legitimate apps to store some of their settings.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Manually remove QuestSearch extension

How to remove QuestSearch 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 QuestSearch 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 QuestSearch, 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 QuestSearch Mac Malware from Google Chrome on Mac:

• Open Chrome browser.
• Enter in the url field “chrome://extensions” address and hit Enter.
• Find QuestSearch 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 QuestSearch, 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 QuestSearch 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 QuestSearch 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 QuestSearch 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.