Weknow.ac

Weknow.ac is a malware threat that falls into the category of browser hijackers. Though malware researchers do not consider these Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) to be destructive and threatening, the case of Weknow.ac seems slightly different. This threat attacks macOS devices only, affecting almost all of the popular Internet browsers. It also is one of the most prominent browser hijackers for Macs that spread mainly through fake Flash Player installers.

As soon as installed, Weknow.ac alters the browser's default search provider to Smart Search, which redirects users to WebCrawler subsequently. This way, the fraudsters behind Weknow.ac browser hijacker generate artificial online traffic and advertising revenues for themselves and their affiliates, while the delivered search results are not genuine and filled with third-party advertisements and links. Some of Weknow. ac's promotional campaigns push rogue system optimization tools. This threat also uses advanced techniques to secure its persistence, including changing Chrome's group policies.

An additional feature of this Mac virus is the collection of the user information. That includes general data about the device (applications used, search terms, various browsing data, IP addresses, cookies, Internet provider and so on). However, the extracted data also may encompass personally identifiable information, like credit card details, Social Security numbers, login credentials, email addresses and many others. When in possession of cyber crooks, such data allows for a broad spectrum of fraudulent activities and illicit actions. Therefore, essential for users' safety is to remove Weknow.ac immediately through a reliable anti-malware program. There is evidence that Weknow.ac is related to two other browser hijackers: Searchmine.net and Searcreetch.com.