# Yahoo virus hijacking brave **URL:** \ **Category:** Brave Browser\ **Tags:** macos\ **Created:** [January 25, 2022, 1:36pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037 "2022-01-25T13:36:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nameless5721](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Nameless5721](https://community.brave.app/u/Nameless5721)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 1:36pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/1 "2022-01-25T13:36:43Z")
My brave has been infected with the yahoo virus which basically redirects all my searches to the yahoo search engine by default. Even when I go to [google.com](http://google.com) and search something it redirects the search to yahoo My default search engine is google but all my searches gets directed to yahoo. I don’t have any extensions or other setting turned on that may cause this. It started to occur randomly, I haven’t installed or downloaded any software or files that may cause this thing. My OS is MAC M1 chip and I have brave updated to latest version and I have performed all the internal security check ups on brave browser but still haven’t found any thing suspicious Any suggestion will be helpful!! ---
**Author:** ![swwayam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@swwayam](https://community.brave.app/u/swwayam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/2 "2022-01-25T14:09:30Z")
> [@Nameless5721](#): > > suggestion will be helpful It’s hard to find which file/extension/software downloaded this malware. It’s suggested to run an antivirus scan to remove this malware. OR If you don’t have an[https://geeksadvice.com/remove-search-yahoo-com-redirect/](https://geeksadvice.com/remove-search-yahoo-com-redirect/) antivirus / want to remove it manually this Blog post may help you. just scroll and find the section where they have listed the steps to remove the malware manually. Hope this solves your issue 😀. ---
**Author:** ![ntt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e480ec/32.png) [@ntt](https://community.brave.app/u/ntt)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 3:10pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/3 "2022-01-25T15:10:03Z")
@Nameless5721 You can use something like Malwarebytes or Bitdefender to scan your Mac. Malwarebytes is the best for detecting and removing annoying malware/adware. > **[Mac Antivirus | Malwarebytes Antivirus for Mac | Malwarebytes](https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac)** > > Malwarebytes Antivirus for Mac scans & removes viruses, adware, ransomware & other Mac malware. The Mac antivirus protects you & your mac so it keeps running. ---
**Author:** ![Nameless5721](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Nameless5721](https://community.brave.app/u/Nameless5721)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/4 "2022-01-25T17:34:45Z")
I’ve already visited this site and tried these options before posting my query but they didn’t worked. Thank you for your suggestion! ---
**Author:** ![Chocoholic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brave/user_avatar/community.brave.app/chocoholic/32/114357_2.png) [@Chocoholic](https://community.brave.app/u/Chocoholic)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2022, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/5 "2022-01-27T22:37:02Z")
FYI on previous related topics. I can’t help but they might. 😃 > [@Search engine is set to Google, but searches to yahoo. Help please?](https://community.brave.app/t/search-engine-is-set-to-google-but-searches-to-yahoo-help-please/205391): > > I have set the search engine to google, but every time I search from the bar it automatically searches by the yahoo search engine. The Issue is produced every single time I search through the web bar. [Version 1.19.92 Chromium: 88.0.4324.152 (Official Build) (arm64)](https://brave.com/latest/) > [@Need help to eliminate Yahoo search](https://community.brave.app/t/need-help-to-eliminate-yahoo-search/194898): > > I have made duckduckgo my defaut search engine but it doesn’t work it goes to yahoo. I followed the instructions for the other person having this problem and it did not work. I have turned off everything except Automatically redirect .onion sites which it will not allow me to turn off. Can someone help me with this. Thanks Description of the issue: How can this issue be reproduced? Expected result: Brave Version( check About Brave): Additional Information: > [@Brave browser hijacked + random unwanted Yahoo search + 'ask download location' option ignored man\_shrugging](https://community.brave.app/t/brave-browser-hijacked-random-unwanted-yahoo-search-ask-download-location-option-ignored/126678): > > I am having three issues with my Brave browser. First of all, it has just been hijacked by “[websearch.weather-extension.com](http://websearch.weather-extension.com)”. It happens like this: I open a new tab and write some search terms in the omnibox. Randomly, like thrice a day or so, instead of Google search results, I get this URL: [https://websearch.weather-extension.com/?a=we&q=](https://websearch.weather-extension.com/?a=we&q=)[the search terms I have entered] How can I get rid of it? Strangely enough, I am getting two more weird behaviours for Brave hat have been happening … ---
**Author:** ![Mattches](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brave/user_avatar/community.brave.app/mattches/32/25189_2.png) [@Mattches](https://community.brave.app/u/Mattches)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/6 "2022-01-27T23:29:08Z")
@Nameless5721, As other users are reporting here, it can sometimes be tricky to find the source of these types of issues. I’m curious if you have any extensions installed at this time? Further, if you do this in a Private browsing window, do you still get redirected to Yahoo search? ---
**Author:** ![Nameless5721](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Nameless5721](https://community.brave.app/u/Nameless5721)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 8:57am UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/7 "2022-01-28T08:57:50Z")
Thank you for your concern. I’ve fixed that issue now, but I can still tell you the specifics of what I had. First of all, I had no extensions installed at that time and also in Private window/browsing the search still got directed to yahoo. I tried every brave setting for security available and also reseted the browser but it had no effect. In the end I used an antivirus and restarted my mac which resolved the issue. According to me I didn’t restarted my mac a month that’s why this virus was able to persist. ---
**Author:** ![Mattches](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brave/user_avatar/community.brave.app/mattches/32/25189_2.png) [@Mattches](https://community.brave.app/u/Mattches)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/8 "2022-01-28T18:46:09Z")
Thank you for updating us. Glad you were able to get the issue resolved. Marking this thread as solved. ---
**Author:** ![Mattches](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brave/user_avatar/community.brave.app/mattches/32/25189_2.png) [@Mattches](https://community.brave.app/u/Mattches)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/yahoo-virus-hijacking-brave/331037/9 "2022-01-28T18:46:14Z")