Since the opportunistic items are not listed in the “express” installation screen, users click through without a second thought – only to fall victim to a culprit that takes over their preferred web browser in a snap.
The ostensibly benign utility often conceals a cesspool of shady extras, including potentially unwanted applications (PUAs). The typical red herring is an Adobe Flash Player update pushed via intrusive pop-ups on harmful or compromised websites. The infiltration of the unwanted app behind this snafu occurs when an unsuspecting Mac user opts into the default mode of a setup client that appears to streamline the process of installing a piece of freeware. Malicious code known as the Bing redirect virus demonstrates the viability of stealth schemes that hinge on human error to plague Mac machines on a large scale. Yet some threats are sophisticated enough to get around Apple’s security mechanisms. Apart from small issues, like annoying browser notifications and online ads, it's generally free from hassles. There is no denying that macOS is a tough nut to crack when it comes to malware attacks.
The Bing redirect campaign is a long-standing issue in the Mac ecosystem, and it is getting worse as more intricate schemes are being added to the sketchy mix.
