This article gives insights on what Weknow.ac hijacker is and why it is better to be removed from the affected browser and system. The removal of this annoying website could be realized with the help of several steps that are listed at the end of the article.
Weknow.ac is a website that provides questionable searching services. It could change your browser homepage, new tab page and default search engine without your explicit consent. After these changes, the main page of Weknow.ac starts to appear each time you open the affected browser. Its intrusive behavior is one of the signs that proves it to be a typical browser hijacker. Since you risk a lot by using the services of this poorly secured website it is advisable to remove it as soon as possible from your affected Mac.
Threat Summary
| Name | Weknow.ac |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, Potenitally unwanted program (PUP) |
| Short Description | Poorly secured website that alters main browser settings without asking for permission. Hijacks main browser settings in order to push its deceptive services. |
| Symptoms | When you enter an affected browser you see the main page of this hijacker on the start page. Each new tab page as well as the default search engine could be also configured to load weknow.ac |
| Distribution Method | Freeware installations, Bundled packages, Infected web pages |
| Detection Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Weknow.ac Combo Cleaner Malware Removal Tool | User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Weknow.ac. |
Weknow.ac – Ways of Distribution
Often times browser hijackers like Weknow.ac find their way to target Mac devices by being part of software bundles. There are various supposedly useful free third-party apps available across the web that feature potentially unwanted programs in their installers. And it is not that easy to reveal the presence of extras because the purpose of all these apps is to trick you into installing all apps included in the installer. So the information about these extras is usually well hidden. Eventually, what the majority of online users do during the installation process of newly downloaded apps is just clicking the Next button until the button Finish appears on screen. And that’s how the magic with Weknow.ac hijacker happens.
To prevent such unwanted consequences you should always choose the Advanced or Custom install settings. Before installing a new app on your Mac you should read carefully the details listed in these steps as the information may inform you about the presence of additional apps that will be installed by default by the installer if you don’t opt out their installation.
As reported by affected users the undesired program associated with Weknow.ac hijacker could also manage to start is configuration files on your Mac by being hidden in a fake adobe flash update.
Weknow.ac – More About It
Weknow.ac is classified as a browser hijacker due to the changes that occur after its start on the system. Actually, its activities are most likely supported by an undesired program that has managed to trick you into allowing its installation on your Mac.
When this program first starts on your device it initiates several changes that usually affect essential browser settings. After changes the hoax search engine Weknow.ac becomes able to appear during your browsing sessions. Its simplistic main page could load as start page, new tab page while its deceptive search engine may be set as default one. Since all changes on the background you may not be aware of them until you open your preferred browser and see the main page of the hijacker:
To make its presence even more persistent the undesired program associated with Weknow.ac hijacker could create a configuration profile in the browser and control various settings through it. This in turn could be one of the reasons why you cannot fix browser settings and eventually get rid of this annoying hijacker.
Additionally, the presence of this browser hijacker on your Mac may be the reason why you see an increased number of annoying online ads including but not limited to pop-ups, pop-unders, banners, and images in the browser. This may result in sluggish browser performance and regular crashes of running apps. What’s more some of the generated ads may pose a high risk on the security of your Mac as well as on your privacy. Since the main purpose of Weknow.ac’s authors is revenue, they could skip checking the security of promoted pages. As a result, some ads generated by their bogus product may land you on poorly secured or even corrupted web pages.
Weknow.ac – Privacy Policy
When we first entered the Privacy Policy of Weknow.ac we noticed that it is quite the same of the one provided by another nasty hijacker called
As of the information collected by these hijackers, it is stated to be both personally and non-personally identifiable.
Information that may be collected according to that policy:
- Your device, apps, type, name and version of OS and other software you have
- Internet Protocol (IP) address, e-mail address
- Anonymous user identifiers, device configs and identifiers, advertising ID
- Your use and interactions of the site and services
- Your web page visits and the content you see
- Your search queries and the time and date of your searches
- Your interactions on social networks
- Your name, company name, birth date and gender
- Your home or work addresses, location, telephone and fax numbers
Furthermore, the policy states that the unintentional collection of email addresses, social security numbers, credit card numbers, and login information is not excluded.
By using the site and services of Weknow.ac you grant approval for all of that information to be collected. All information may be shared with third parties.
Remove Weknow.ac Browser Hijacker
In order to remove Weknow.ac hijacker and all associated files from your PC make sure to complete all the steps listed in the removal that follows. It presents both manual and automatic removal instructions that combined could help you to detect and remove this undesired program in full.
In case that you have further questions or need additional help, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or contact us via email.
Manually delete Weknow.ac from your Mac
Remove a toolbar from Mozilla Firefox
Remove a toolbar from Google Chrome
Remove an extension from Safari and reset it.
Automatically remove Weknow.ac from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Weknow.ac, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. Combo Cleaner offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Gergana Ivanova
Gergana has completed a bachelor degree in Marketing from the University of National and World Economy. She has been with the STF team for three years, researching malware and reporting on the latest infections. She believes that in times of constantly evolving dependency of network connected technologies, people should spread the word not the war.
Follow Me:
