Bing Has Installed Itself on MacBook: What to Do Now?

Bing, despite being a legitimate search engine, can be used by bad actors to disguise viruses and potentially unwanted programs, leading to the Bing redirect virus. Mac users should be cautious to avoid this problem.

One day, you may find that Bing has installed itself on MacBook. How did this happen? And how do you remove Bing from Mac? This article will serve as your quick guide to the Bing redirect virus on Mac and how to effectively tackle this problem.

Virus Causing Bing to Install on Mac

Call it the Bing redirect virus. This browser hijacker, which is similar to the Google and Chrome redirect viruses, redirects affected users’ search sessions to Bing and other websites. It also modifies search results and bombards them with sponsored content to earn money.

Characteristic of most other browser hijackers, the Bing redirect virus silently creeps into your system bundled with other software. Once it has penetrated, it is likely to initiate a change in systems and modify shortcuts of every web browser installed on the computer. Its main feature: setting up Bing as the default search engine or homepage URL address.

If you recently installed freeware on your device and Google keeps redirecting to Bing, then this might be the case. You probably installed freeware from an unsafe source, which in turn successfully changed your browser settings.

Dangers of Bing Redirect Virus

There are different ways that this browser hijacker can negatively affect your computer and overall browsing experience. Here are some of them:

• Infected Links in Search Results – Bing.vc, a version of this virus, generates sponsored links and redirects users to less-than-trustworthy sites with the help of the links. The links can be infected and compromise your system and security.
• Redirecting to Possibly Dangerous Sites – This tool can initiate an unwanted redirect to completely unrelated websites. These sites can be purely promotional (sell to your face even without your consent) or steal your data or privacy.
• Altering Search Results – These results can contain infected links and aren’t vetted for safety and quality, unlike in the legitimate Bing search engine.
• Malware Infiltration – Infected links and websites are the perfect gateway for malicious software to pass through and get into your Mac.
• Loss of Sensitive Information – For example, aggregated information from your browsing history, search queries, clicked ads, IP address, and other factors can be applied to behavioral marketing.

The first huge step to avoid the Bing redirect virus and its dangers is to be more mindful. Pay better attention to how you install freeware programs on your Mac. Read the privacy policy along with end user’s license agreement. Further, choose Custom or Advanced installation, and opt out of optional offers during the process.

Get in the habit, too, of cleaning junk and unwanted files out of your Mac. Doing so not only saves you precious space, but also helps ensure optimal speed and stable operations. An all-in-one Mac optimizer tool can automate the work for you.

If the virus causing Bing to install on your Mac is already present, then it’s time to get rid of it.

How to Remove Bing Redirect Virus from Mac

The bad news is that this browser hijacker is designed to last. It can reset Bing as your default search provider even after changing the URL address in your browser’s settings or doing a system reboot. The good news, however, is you can still delete it and its related components manually.

There are two main ways that you can say goodbye to this sinister tool:

Delete Bing Virus from Mac OS X

You need to locate and delete all questionable components associated with the browser hijacker. After that, you can rest assured you can change your search engine on Mac and return to peaceful internet browsing. Follow these steps:

1. If you’re using OS X, click Go located at the top left of the screen. Choose Applications.
2. Wait for the Applications folder. Afterwards, look for Bing redirect or other suspicious programs on it.
3. Right-click on every entry and click Move to Trash.

Remove Bing Virus from Safari

It is also crucial that you eliminate the Bing redirect virus and all associated elements from the Safari web browser on your Mac. First, check the extensions that you recently installed. Focus on the ones that appear to be unsafe. We also suggest that you reset your browser to get rid of potentially malicious minor components.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Remove dangerous extensions on Safari. Open the web browser and click Safari, found in the menu at the top left. Next, click Preferences.
2. Choose Extensions and scour this place for Bing redirect and other suspicious elements. Click the Uninstall button.
3. If the virus altered it, it’s time to change your homepage. Open the browser and click Safari in the menu. Select Preferences > General.
4. Look at the Homepage field. If the browser hijacker changed it, remove the unwanted link and enter your preferred link for searches. Don’t forget to type in https:// in the address.
5. Now, reset Safari. Open the browser and click Safari in the menu again. Choose Reset Safari.
6. A detailed dialog window will appear. All the reset options are typically checked, but you can choose which ones you’d like to reset. Click Reset to complete the process.

You can also automate the process. Do this by enlist the help of high-quality anti-malware software to get the job done.

In Summary

Adware, malware, hijackingware – no matter the name, the Bing redirect virus is bad news. Note, though, that it’s different from the legitimate search engine that is Bing.

This browser hijacking tool makes sure it sneaks quietly into your Mac bundled with freeware. It alters your system and the shortcuts of web browsers installed on your computer. The end result: it sets up Bing as the default search engine or homepage URL address to link to questionable websites or access private information.

Follow the steps we outlined above in order to get rid of the Bing virus for good. Next time around, be extra careful when downloading freeware and other programs from unsecure sources. The Bing virus and others like the Searchitnow.info virus can get into your Mac if you’re careless.

Have you encountered this hijacking tool? Let us know your experience in the comments!