How to get rid of Ecp.yusercontent.com

What is Ecp.yusercontent.com?

Ecp.yusercontent.com is a Yahoo-based browser hijacker. It takes over your browser and keeps redirecting you to a page that reads “Yahoo! Will be right back... Thank you for your patience.” making users feel like there’s something wrong and prompting them to pay for a fake app to take care of the issue.

This is a fairly common scam that works more often than you’d think. It’s more of an annoyance than it is harmful. But, it can leave an opening on your computer for other malicious software to exploit later.

Don’t worry, though. If you keep reading, you’ll see how easy it is to remove this browser hijacker. And what steps you can take to avoid it in future.

How did I get Ecp.yusercontent.com on my Mac?

If you have Ecp.yusercontent.com on your Mac, I know what you’re thinking. “I thought Macs weren’t supposed to get viruses.” And while Apple works tirelessly on macOS to make that as true as possible, it’s not terribly accurate. Especially with how popular Macs have become in the last decade or two, it’s become more advantageous for hackers to target them too.

The two most common ways for a browser hijacker like Ecp.yusercontent.com to end up on your Mac are through a malicious email attachment or software bundling.

Often, all it takes is for an infected attachment to be sent to a Mac. Then, when a user tries to open the attachment, the infection spreads to their hard drive. That’s why you should never open an attachment from an email address you don’t know.

The other way browser hijackers get installed is by being bundled with other software. Usually, a free app. That’s why you should be very cautious about installing apps from developers you don’t know. And if you do have to install an app like that, make sure you do a custom install. That way, you can select or deselect any of the extras hidden in the installation process.

How to remove Ecp.yusercontent.com manually

Getting rid of Ecp.yusercontent.com can feel a little tedious. The first thing you need to do is remove any suspicious apps it may have installed. Here’s how you do that:

1. Open a new Finder window.
2. Click Applications in the sidebar.
3. Sort apps by date added.
4. Drag any suspicious app to your Trash.

Now that you’ve taken care of that, the next thing is to remove any support files that might be installed in your library folders.

1. In Finder, click Go > Go to Folder.
2. Copy and paste this file path: /Library/Application Support
3. Now look for any dubious files, then drag-and-drop them to your Trash.

When you’re done deleting files from the Application Support folder, repeat those steps but instead navigate to these other folders: /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons.

Protect your Mac from other malware and adware

macOS is not infallible, and it has its share of security concerns. That’s why it’s good to stay in the habit of periodically scanning your Mac for malware and other malicious types of files.

But the good news is you can use the app CleanMyMac X to help you do that. Once you download CleanMyMac X, check out how simple it is to scan your Mac for vulnerabilities and also tune it up for maximum performance.

1. Open CleanMyMac X.
2. Click Smart Scan in the sidebar.
3. Then, click the Scan button.
4. When the scan has completed, click Run.

When the scan is finished, it’s a good idea to go ahead and restart your computer as well. It gives it a chance to end all of the processes that might have been running in the background and let it start fresh.

As far as browser hijackers go, Ecp.yusercontent.com is pretty run-of-the-mill. More frustrating than it is harmful. And hopefully, after you had a chance to read this article, you’re feeling up for the challenge of cleaning off your Mac. But remember, you don’t have to do it all alone either. CleanMyMac X can help you quickly identify the files you don’t need anymore and just get rid of them.