Malware comes in lots of different forms, and one of the most popular is the type that intercepts web browsing to show you adverts or steal data. Ytmp3.cc is one example. It hijacks your web browser and redirects searches so it can show you adverts.
What is Ytmp3.cc
Ytmp3.cc masquerades as a tool for converting audio from YouTube to MP3. It’s something many people want to do, so using it is tempting for many. However, in reality, Ytmp3.cc, once downloaded, hijacks your web browser and changes its default homepage to its own search engine. It then uses the search queries you type in to display intrusive pop-up adverts. Even worse, when you try to get rid of it, built-in protective measures mean it restores itself and continues to display adverts. That can happen because you failed to get rid of every trace of it, and the files that were left restored the whole thing. Is Ytmp3.cc safe? No. Ytmp3.cc is not a virus, but it does cause significant inconvenience and has the potential to steal data.
How did it get onto my Mac?
Like most adware, this one can get on your Mac in different ways. The most obvious one is that when you click a link and visit Ytmp3.cc, it requests your permission to allow the notifications. This is a quite fair and common way for various websites to show you targeted advertising content. But, if you confirm to see notifications, expect to face lots of adware that leads to malicious websites.
In addition, it seems this adware is also distributed via bundling, where malware is packaged up with seemingly legitimate apps that the user chooses to download. This can happen when you use a download manager on a free download site or when you download a cracked version of, say, a media player app.
How can I avoid being attacked by adware
There are several simple steps you can take.
- Don’t visit any website that your browser warns you is unsafe.
- Don’t click on any link unless you are sure of where it leads.
- Don’t download software from sites that insist you use their own download manager.
- Don’t agree to enable notifications in a web browser for any site.
How to remove Ytmp3.cc
Because it hijacks your web browser, the quickest way to eliminate Ytmp3 is to reset every web browser you use. And the quickest way to do that, and the method we recommend, is to use CleanMyMac X.
CleanMyMac X has an app uninstaller that can also reset apps rather than uninstalling them completely. Here’s how to use it:
- Download CleanMyMac X
- Follow the on-screen instructions to install it, then launch it from your Applications folder.
- Choose the Uninstaller utility in the sidebar.
- Click View applications.
- Check the box next to the app you want to reset.
- Click on the menu to the right of the app name and choose Reset.
- Press Reset.
Doing that will put any app back to its default settings when it was first installed. To completely eliminate Ytmp3.cc, you should reset your browser using CleanMyMac X as described above. You can read more about how to reset applications in this article. Or, follow the steps below to reset your browser manually.
Safari
- Click on Safari in the menu bar and choose Preferences.
- Select General and then type the address of your preferred startup page in the box next to ‘Homepage.’
- Go to the Search tab.
- Choose your favorite search engine from the list in the dropdown menu.
- Click Manage websites. Make sure there are no suspicious websites listed there. If there are, click on each one and press Remove.
- Go to Privacy and click Manage Website Data.
- Locate Ytmp3.cc in the list, click on it and press Remove.
Chrome
Type chrome://settings into the address bar to see the settings page. Navigate the following sections to reset the default search engine, homepage, and clear private data.
- Privacy and security
- Search engine
- On start-up
Firefox
Type about:preferences into the address bar. Use these sections to reset Firefox.
- Home
- Search
- Privacy & Security
Ytmp3.cc looks attractive because it promises to convert YouTube streams to MP3, which many people want to do. However, like many services that operate in a legally grey area, it seeks to exploit that popularity by pushing intrusive pop-up adverts onto users. It has also been reported that it hijacks web browsers to change their startup page and default search engine. If you notice this happening on your Mac, you should take steps to remove it. The easiest way to do that is to use CleanMyMac X to reset your web browsers, whether Safari, Chrome, or Firefox. You can also do it manually by following the steps above.
