By David Balaban
Strictly speaking, adware is a form of harmful code that displays annoying advertisements to generate revenue for its “masters.” This term was originally coined to denote potentially unwanted applications that trigger in-browser ads or redirect Internet traffic to knock-off online stores.
Over the years, the concept has extended its reach beyond web surfing interference alone. Any double-dealing software that floods the victim’s device with intrusive pop-ups fits the mold of adware as well.
When running on a Mac, these dubious applications can add a virtual “coating” to websites the user is visiting. The tricky layer hosts redundant, commercially flavored items such as floating banners or interstitial ads promoting freebies, discounts, and junk services. Sometimes the user is wrongfully alerted to performance issues and viruses. This way, criminals push dodgy “cleaners” that claim to fix those problems for a fee.
Mac adware is also a notorious driving force for tech support scams. By displaying fake warnings within a web browser, these nuisance programs attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting user into dialing a telephone number to reach a “certified technician” who will supposedly help sort things out.
These bogus messages often impersonate Apple to feign legitimacy. The impostor will recommend installing a remote access tool for quick troubleshooting. If the user gets on the hook, crooks can easily harvest sensitive information and install more malware onto the Mac.
Bundling is the most common way for adware to infiltrate a Mac computer. In this scenario, the threat hides inside an installer that appears to streamline the setup of one or several free apps. The attack pans out as long as the user sticks with the default installation option.
Once inside the system, the baddie turns the web browsing preferences upside down by replacing the user-defined settings with something unrelated. This foul play sets a browser redirect scheme in motion, forcing hits to ad-riddled search engine copycats. In many cases, it will modify the DNS settings to add or misrepresent advertisements on sites the victim visits. The pest may also ask for permission to show web push notifications on the desktop.
To establish persistence, Mac adware may install a new configuration profile on the system. In an ideal world, this feature helps corporate network administrators manage employees’ activities to ensure compliance with enterprise policies. Cybercrooks often abuse it to specify sketchy settings in Safari, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox and prevent the victim from redefining these preferences.
Malicious code in general – and adware in particular – are always embodied as a specific dodgy app or a browser add-on you shouldn’t have installed. That said, you need to pinpoint and eradicate the culprit along with the files it has sprinkled around your system. Here is how you can do it.
Step 1. Kill the rogue process
Step 2. Uninstall the underlying application
Step 3. Purge LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons added by adware
Step 4. Stop adware from running at boot time
Step 5. Get rid of a harmful configuration profile
Step 6. Empty the Trash
Step 7. Get Safari back on track
Step 8. Declutter Google Chrome
Step 9. Make Mozilla Firefox run smoothly again
If you happen to slip up and let adware in, keep in mind that irritating advertisements are only the tip of the iceberg. There is one more aspect of the problem invisible to the naked eye: these strains collect personally identifiable data such as your geolocation, IP address, and browsing history. By using a reliable VPN for Mac, you can prevent snoops from obtaining this information. It hides your IP and actual whereabouts while ensuring end-to-end encryption of your web traffic.
Since Mac adware piggybacks on users’ blunders to get through, the protection is mostly up to you. Once infected, you can also try special tools like FixMeStick. If you come across a free app on a suspicious website that looks too good to be true, installing it could be a bad idea because it is likely bundled with something malicious.
In his latest “Power On” newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is preparing a new…
In his latest “Power On” newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple won’t debut a new…
As you’ve probably noticed (at least I hope you have, or else I’ve made a…
Here are the top Apple-related articles at Apple World Today for the week of May…
One of the biggest reasons people are starting to lean on AI for knowledge and…
The internet offers infinite forms of entertainment, and the world of on-line gaming isn't any…