DeviceHelper
DeviceHelper is a dubious application targeting Mac users. Its main function is that of adware delivering intrusive and unwanted advertisements to the systems it is present on. However, the application also acts as a browser hijacker promoting dubious or fake search engines by changing certain browser settings forcefully.
Users are strongly discouraged from engaging with any of the advertising materials generated by DeviceHelper or any similarly untrustworthy application. Clicking on the advertisements could lead to questionable or outright unsafe places. It is not uncommon for adware advertisements to redirect to phishing pages that try to obtain sensitive user information, domains promoting various PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs), numerous online tactics, or even compromised websites hosting serious malware threats.
The specific search engine promoted by DeviceHelper is determined based on the user's browser. On Safari, the application changes the homepage, new page tab, and the default search engine to open d2sri.com, while on Chrome it sets them to the search.basicgeneration.com address. Afterward, it will not really matter what the user does, as it would lead to artificial traffic towards the dubious engine - opening the browser, starting a new tab, or initiating a search via the URL tab. Keep in mind that most rogue engines are incapable of producing meaningful results on their own. They take the user's search queries and redirect them through a legitimate engine such as Yahoo, Bing, or Google, while potentially injecting sponsored advertisements into the displayed list of results.
Many Mac users may not even know how DeviceHelper got inside their computers exactly. This is a common consequence of the various underhanded tactics that such PUPs use to spread themselves. After all, few users would be willing to install these unknown or suspicious applications, if given the choice. To be completely sure that your Mac is free of annoying PUPs, use a reputable security product and scan the system regularly.
