PathNetwork

PathNetwork is classified as adware and a browser hijacker simultaneously, as it is equipped with the capabilities of both. In practice, this means that the application's goal is to generate monetary gains for its creators by delivering intrusive advertisements on the affected Mac systems, as well as by taking control over the user's Web browser and forcing it to open a promoted address.

It should be noted that all dubious applications similar to PathNetwork are spread via questionable distribution tactics. By hiding inside the installation settings of a legitimate and more desirable product in a scheme known as bundling or being injected into fake installers/updaters, these PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) are capable of avoiding the user's attention and getting installed unnoticed.

Intrusive Actions

As part of its adware functionality, PathNetwork will generate numerous dubious advertisements that can affect the user experience on the device severely. These advertisements could start to cover the legitimate content opened in the browser or be injected into unrelated third-party sites. Users should not trust ads delivered by such shady sources or risk being redirected to potentially unsafe places such as online scams, phishing pages, or domains spreading more PUPs.

At the same time, users will notice that their Web browser is acting a bit strangely. Instead of the normal homepage, new tab page, and default search engine, the browser is now opening an unfamiliar address. Indeed, this is the main goal of any browser hijacker. By modifying these three settings, in particular, the dubious application tries to generate as much artificial traffic towards the sponsored address as possible.

Keep in mind that in the vast majority of cases, browser hijackers are promoting fake search engines. Fake engines cannot produce results on their own. All search queries will be redirected through a legitimate engine or put through a redirect chain that could go through several dubious engines and deliver low-quality or outright unusable results.

Data-Tracking

PUPs are known for spying on the user's browsing activities. Various information, such as the entire browsing history, all clicked URLs, and every single search query could be harvested, packaged and then transmitted. The intruder application also could be transmitting device details including the IP address, geolocation, browser type, ISP and more. It is strongly recommended to never keep such applications on your Mac. If you have suspicious that a PUP has managed to enter the system and is lurking there, perform a thorough scan with a professional security solution.