What Is SurfBuyer Mac Adware?
The article will help you to remove SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware fully. Follow the browser hijacker removal instructions given at the end of the article.
SurfBuyer is an ad-supported, potentially unwanted application, known for its bundled downloads on Macs. This means that installing this app will most likely also install additional unwanted programs on your machine. Our in-depth removal article shows how the threat behaves and how victim users can remove all active infections.
N.B. The SurfBuyer adware has been around for several years, and there are indications that it is still active and used to deliver other adware, too. SentinelOne security researchers recently reported that this adware has been delivering various samples from the well-established AdLoad adware family.
SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware Summary
| Name | SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware also known as Adware.MacOS.SurfBuyer.X, Adware.MacOS.SurfBuyer.HU |
| Type | Adware with redirect scripts |
| Short Description | A dangerous infection that will lead to pop-ups generation and can execute different malicious actions. |
| Symptoms | Victims may experience system performance issues and will see many ads and other scrips. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads, malicious scripts and other methods. |
| Detection Tool |
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SurfBuyer Mac Adware – How Did I Get It?
The SurfBuyer Mac Adware is a common adware infection that may be installed using different methods. Depending on the target machines the criminals may opt to use several techniques at once.
One method is to create SPAM email messages that contain various social engineering tricks, their end goal is to coerce the users into interacting with the malicious elements. The messages themselves are designed to appear as legitimate notifications sent by commonly used Internet services and sites. The virus file leading to the SurfBuyer Adware infection may be directly attached to them or linked in the body. Other methods that the hackers may use is the spread of the files in fake download sites — they are fake copies of well-known Internet portals and vendor download pages. To make it harder to distinguish between the real and the counterfeit page the hackers may use similarly sounding domain names and security certificates.
File sharing networks are another widely used method for spreading the files, a popular choice is BitTorrent which is used for spreading all sorts of content, including pirate copies of software and media. All of these tactics may be abused further by spreading malicious payloads. A prominent example is the macro-infected document which can be of any of the popular types (databases, text files, spreadsheets and presentations). Whenever they are opened by the users a message prompt will appear asking them to enable the built-in scripts. If this is done the infection will follow. The other type is the creation of malicious software installers by taking the legitimate setup files of popular end-user applications from their official vendor download pages and modifying them with the malware installation code.
In some cases the criminals may utilize malicious browser plugins which are alternatively known as “hijackers”. They are made compatible with the most popular web browsers and are designed to manipulate their settings. The end goal is to redirect the users to a hacker-controlled site and infect the computers with the virus. The samples are often uploaded to the relevant browser extension repositories with fake user reviews and developer credentials.
SurfBuyer Mac Adware – More Information
The SurfBuyer Mac Adware is a common pop-up infection that can lead to many dangerous system modifications. Depending on the customizations done by the hacker operators the behavior can change over time or depending on the ongoing attack campaign.
One of the most well-known symptoms of infection is the intrusive and frequent of ads and pages when opening the web browser. The users will notice that their settings are changed or that many more system resources as used. The SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware modifies the web browsers by modifying important settings such as the home page, search engine and new tabs page. The victims also need to be aware that due to the fact that the infections happen through the browser applications the criminals can obtain all stored therein data: cookies, bookmarks, history, settings and any stored account credentials.
Most of the infections are caused through the installation of an application called “Surfbuyer” which can cause various System changes:
- Boot Modifications — The SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware can institute itself as a persistent threat by modifying the boot settings. This means that it will start automatically once the computer boots and it might interfere with other services and applications.
- Additional Threats Deployment — This installer bundle can be used by attackers to install other viruses onto the target hosts.
- Trojan Component Installation — SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware instances can include a Trojan module which can be used to take over control of the infected hosts. This is usually done by setting up a secure connection to a special server. It can be used to monitor the users behavior, steal their files or take over control of the victim machines at any given time.
One of the most important reasons why this adware should be removed is because the delivered ads and pop-ups can redirect the users to various virus hosting sites. In addition use of malicious scrips can lead to ads that upon viewing will generate income for the hackers operators.
Remove SurfBuyer Mac Adware
If you want to remove the SurfBuyer Mac Adware unwanted software from your Mac machine we recommend that you use a specific anti-malware for Mac machines. The main goal of such a program is to scan your machine and terminate the files with malicious behavior and also clean up any malicious code in your repositories. In addition, with a specific anti-malware program, your computer will remain with a better protection and stay healthy performance-wise in the future.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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Steps to Prepare Before Removal:
Before starting to follow the steps below, be advised that you should first do the following preparations:
- Backup your files in case the worst happens.
- Make sure to have a device with these instructions on standy.
- Arm yourself with patience.
- 1. Scan for Mac Malware
- 2. Uninstall Risky Apps
- 3. Clean Your Browsers
Step 1: Scan for and remove SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Quick and Easy Mac Malware Video Removal Guide
Bonus Step: How to Make Your Mac Run Faster?
Mac machines maintain probably the fastest operating system out there. Still, Macs do become slow and sluggish sometimes. The video guide below examines all of the possible problems that may lead to your Mac being slower than usual as well as all of the steps that can help you to speed up your Mac.
Step 2: Uninstall SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware:
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference. Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any leftover files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
1. Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2. Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3. Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 3: Remove SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware-FAQ
What is SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware on your Mac?
The SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware threat is probably a potentially unwanted app. There is also a chance it could be related to Mac malware. If so, such apps tend to slow your Mac down significantly and display advertisements. They could also use cookies and other trackers to obtain browsing information from the installed web browsers on your Mac.
Can Macs Get Viruses?
Yes. As much as any other device, Apple computers do get malware. Apple devices may not be a frequent target by malware authors, but rest assured that almost all of the Apple devices can become infected with a threat.
What Types of Mac Threats Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the types of threats that can currently infect your Mac can be rogue antivirus programs, adware or hijackers (PUPs), Trojan horses, ransomware and crypto-miner malware.
What To Do If I Have a Mac Virus, Like SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware?
Do not panic! You can easily get rid of most Mac threats by firstly isolating them and then removing them. One recommended way to do that is by using a reputable malware removal software that can take care of the removal automatically for you.
There are many Mac anti-malware apps out there that you can choose from. SpyHunter for Mac is one of the reccomended Mac anti-malware apps, that can scan for free and detect any viruses. This saves time for manual removal that you would otherwise have to do.
How to Secure My Data from SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your e-mail passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activiites with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these reccomendations, your network and Apple devices will become significantly more safe against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
More tips you can find on our MacOS Virus section, where you can also ask any questions and comment about your Mac problems.
About the SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific macOS issue.
How did we conduct the research on SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of Mac threats, especially adware and potentially unwanted apps (PUAs).
Furthermore, the research behind the SurfBuyer Mac OS X Adware threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.