Babylon search malware

It is clear from a Google search on 'Babylon search engine' that many users (mainly Windows users) regard the unsolicited Babylon search engine as malware and some believe it may be a virus. I have emailed Babylon at [email protected] asking how I can remove Babylon from my iMac OS X Lion (10.7.4) and have heard nothing yet. I have never had anything to do with the Babylon translation software. I have used MacKeeper to check for the presence of Babylon and it found nothing. Every time I start up the Google Chrome browser I get a tab opened for the Babylon search engine. There is nothing in Chrome's Wrench > Settings > Extensions that makes any mention of Babylon.
Am I the only Mac user that is having a problem with this Babylon search engine malware?

What happens if you open Safari? Same thing? Never seen Babylon on OSX. Only a few PC's. It was stuck in the cache of the browser. I cleared out Cache and it was gone.

Cleared the cache in Chrome, quit Chrome, restarted Chrome, Babylon appears in a new tab.
Safari is okay - no sign of Babylon there. Once again I ask "Am I the only one having a problem with Babylon on a Mac?"

Ok, checking on that now and will post back if I find a solution for you.

I have had some Windows users actually install that thing! 1st system took an hour to get it to leave for good.

Try this if you have not. Click on Wrench, and then on settings and on Search Engines. Does it show there? Someone just removed it from there and said it was gone. Checking farther.

Thanks but no sign of Babylon.
Under default search engines I have Google (default), Yahoo!Xtra (nz.yahoo.com) and Bing. In Other search engines I have acronymfinder.com, bitdefender.com, dell.co.nz, facebook.com, golang.org (godoc), translate.google.com, uow.edu.au (an Australian University) and Yahoo.com. The only search engine I knowingly use is Google.
Dennis, I really appreciate your help. .... Gerard.

Sorry that did not work. Found it as a suggestion on a Google Chrome site. WIll keep looking and get back with anymore info.

Have you installed any software recently? I am trying to figure out why it's not showing up anywhere in your google chrome settings but still there. And also you said Safari is not affected. And you say nothing in Extensions either. STRANGE!!!

Edit, if you go to the Wrench and under Basics, see On Startup? How do you have that set? Try setting it to the top option Home Page and below check the homepage setting.

Just throwing out things that have worked for others. I have even tried to get the thing here in Google Chrome so I can figure it out, but no luck!!!

It seems you have MacKeeper, which is pretty shady software in and of itself. It's entirely possible that MacKeeper is partnered with Babylon.

I would remove MacKeeper first and foremost.

how to uninstall MacKeeper – updated « Phil Stokes

Funny it would only install it for Chrome and not for Safari though.

Thank you Dennis
Procedure is Wrench > On Startup > Open a page or specific set of pages > set pages > and this reveals the Babylon nastie (Babylon Search)
I then select the Babylon URL (as above) in the input textbox area, and press delete and then click the OK button. - Gone ... phew
Interesting to note that the support team at Babylon ignored the Apple Mac OS X context and gave me a Windows solution from their KnowledgeBase. Maybe a machine answered my question?? spooky!

The only change I made recently (28 June) was to upgrade my iMac from Snow Leopard to Lion. As a Java software developer I am very careful what I download although it is quite possible I got careless.

The comments on MacKeeper are interesting. I like the software but now I will do a due diligence investigation to see if the criticisms are warranted.
Thanks guys, Gerard

For the record, because this should really belong to a different post, I have taken Phil's advice and removed MacKeeper mainly because the company Zeobit sounds dodgy but mainly because it provides facilities that are not needed on a well maintained iMac.
Note: I disconnected from the internet before and during the deletion of MacKeeper because it was asking for feedback as I was about to enter my system password. Am I paranoid?

ablecom said:

Am I paranoid?

Click to expand...

Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean somebody isn't out to get you! ;P

FWIW I would have done the same thing.

Good going Gerard!