TechFunctionSearch - How to remove

TechFunctionSearch is a persistent malware infection that affects Safari the most. TechFunctionSearch can log private data from the browser, inject ads, and cause search redirects. On top of that, it’s hard to remove TechFunctionSearch because Uninstalling it doesn’t work and it comes back after being deleted. There’s no doubt that TechFunctionSearch is malware and it needs to be removed as soon as you discover it.

Details on TechFunctionSearch:

Type of threat	Adware, browser hijacker.
Issues caused by TechFunctionSearch	Browser settings are changed, some apps and websites don’t work, excessive ads and pop-ups appear regularly, unwanted apps can’t be removed normally.
How malware spreads	Adware and malicious ads lead to malicious websites which automatically download malicious files or trick people into downloading them, malware gets bundled with free apps.
How to remove TechFunctionSearch	Remove malicious files manually or with anti-malware apps (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, others), delete suspicious apps, browser extensions, configuration profiles, login items, and downloaded files.

Problems with TechFunctionSearch

TechFunctionSearch is a small app that appears unexpectedly and starts messing with some settings.

Thanks to TechFunctionSearch, your Mac might experience some technical difficulties:

• Certain apps and websites refuse to open or freeze. Especially on Safari. For example, you might have difficulty accessing your Email, iCloud, iTunes.
• Your browser might open the wrong websites when displaying web search results. Your search results might include too many ads.
• TechFunctionSearch keeps asking to allow it to accept network connections and this pop-up doesn’t go away whether you accept or deny.
• TechFunctionSearch and some other apps refuse to be removed or come back a while after having been deleted.

There are more problems that are less visible. TechFunctionSearch installs a browser extension on Safari that can read all data on all websites, including passwords and other private data. It also installs a configuration profile on your Mac that forces your browser to open Anysearchmanager or similar sites when searching the web.

How malware gets installed

TechFunctionSearch the browser extension has a description where it says it enhances internet search. It doesn’t and you likely didn’t even install it intentionally. But then how did it make it on your Mac? There are a few possibilities and if you can find out what happened, it’ll help you avoid some future malware.

One way that TechFunctionSearch could have been installed in through bundling. This is when one main app is packaged with a few additional apps. This is a problem with some websites that offer free app downloads. Bundling is a monetization method that can be badly implemented and unfair to users. It gets abused to spread malware, such as TechFunctionSearch.

Malicious ads and fake software is another possible explanation. TechFunctionSearch appears to have a lot in common with Shlayer trojan, which is known for using fake Adobe Flash updates to trick people. TechFunctionSearch would have been one of a few adware infections hiding in the fake update.

Finally, it is possible that TechFunctionSearch was downloaded on your Mac by another malicious app that was already installed.

It would help to have a good anti-malware app protecting your Mac. If adware is filling your browser with malicious ads, or if an infected installer gets downloaded, an anti-malware app could warn you.

How to remove TechFunctionSearch

First, you can start your Mac in safe mode so that TechFunctionSearch doesn’t interfere with its removal. While turning on your Mac, press down the Shift key and hold it until you see “Safe Boot” written in the top-right corner on your screen.

Look for files with “TechFunctionSearch” in their names. You can search for these files using Finder. But it is also worthwhile to open these Library folders: Library/LaunchDaemons, /Library/LaunchAgents, ~/Library/LaunchAgents, and ~/Library/Application Support, and then search for suspicious files in them. Files with names like “TechnologyCustom”, “TechBoardSearch”, “BoostSelect”, and others.

The easier way to look for malware on your Mac is to use an anti-malware application, such as Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, and similar. They should be able to spot the malicious files for you. Then you can delete them yourself or have the antivirus do it.

Open System Preferences and look for an item called “Profiles”. Open it, then select and remove all the items that are named “TechFunctionSearch”. There might also be some unwanted items in Users & Groups -> Login Items that you can remove.

Finally, uninstall the TechFunctionSearch app and remove the extension from your browser. Once TechFunctionSearch’s files are deleted, it won’t be able to come back. If it does, scan your Mac with an anti-malware app or contact their support to ask for help.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Manually remove browser notifications

How to remove TechFunctionSearch from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall TechFunctionSearch 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 TechFunctionSearch, 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.