Cybersearch.xyz
Cybersearch.xyz is classified as a browser hijacker application that targets Mac users. These applications pretend to be providing some useful or convenient features, but their main goal is to take over the user's browser. By doing so, they can start driving artificial traffic towards the specific address that is being promoted. Most browser hijackers do not get installed by the users willingly. Instead, they employ deceptive marketing tactics such as 'bundling' - hiding their own installation inside the settings of the installation process of another more popular freeware application. In other cases, the browser-hijackers will impersonate a legitimate application or a software update. Indeed, Cybersearch.xyz has been detected to be delivered by a fake Adobe Flash Player installer. That is why it also can be considered to be a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP).
No matter how Cybersearch.xyz manages to install itself onto the user's computer, it will modify certain browser settings immediately. The application will trigger the 'Managed by your organization' feature of Google Chrome. This will allow it to install extensions, set the homepage, disable the 'Print' functions, as well as arbitrary block access to certain websites. If the user is using another browser, Cybersearch.xyz will modify the homepage, new page tab and the default search engine. In either case, the browser hijacker sets the browser to open the address of a fake search engine - cybersearch.xyz. Fake search engines cannot generate search results on their own, instead, they redirect the search query of the user through another legitimate search engine. If Cybersearch.xyz has affected a Chrome browser, it will redirect all searchers through Bing.com, but if the browser is Safari, then the searchers will be put through another dubious search engine - webcrawler.com, that could potentially inject third-party advertisements into the displayed search results.
It is recommended to remove Cybersearch.xyz as soon as possible, as the application could potentially obtain access to privileged information such as passwords, debit/credit card details, telephone numbers, etc.
