How to remove ActivityElement Ads from Mac

Easy guide to delete ActivityElement Ads

Quick Glance

Name: ActivityElement Ads

Type: Adware, Mac malware, PUAs

Symptoms: Mac speed become slower than normal, deliver unwanted and annoying advertisements, redirected to shady websites.

Entry process: bundled freeware and shareware, fake Flash Player installer, spam email attachments, pirated or cracked software, deceptive pop-up ads etc.

Damage: data tracking (possibly privacy issues), diminished computer performance and other PUPs infiltration.

Removal: Use Combo Cleaner to remove ActivityElement Ads and all suspicious applications soon from the system.  

ActivityElement Ads is a malicious app that displays advertisements, hijacks the web browser settings and might install malware on your Mac. This app regularly offered on the internet bundled with other free software you can download from the internet. However, users are most likely not aware when they install software downloaded from the internet. It is common that apps of this type are designed to gather information related to users browsing habits and other data.

Apps like ActivityElement Ads display ads in the form of pop-ups, offers, deals, discounts and banners. Upon being clicked, their ads are used to promote unreliable or possibly malicious pages, sometimes even distribute unwanted apps as well. Moreover, apps of this type changes browser setting such as address of default search engine and homepage because this app functions as both adware and a browser hijacker. It changes those addresses to an address of some fake search engine.

The worst part of this app is that they can gather data like as entered search queries, IP addresses, geo-locations and other browsing data. Later on, its developer share collected data to third parties (potentially cyber criminals) who misuse to generate revenue. Therefore, apps like ActivityElement Ads are useless moreover, the can be the culprit of issues related to online privacy, browsing safety or even identity theft. So, apps of this type should never be installed.

Bundling is used for adware distribution

ActivityElement Ads is distributed through fake Adobe Flash Player installer. It is important to know that such installers can be used as tools that are used to distribute malware as well. Download and installation setups of other applications can be used to distribute PUAs too by including PUAs is setups as additional offers. This happens when users do not change their settings or do not untick certain checkboxes and they often allow included offers. Sometimes, PUAs are distributed via deceptive ads. More precisely, by designing those ads to execute certain scripts. Thus, to prevent intrusion of unwanted apps, you need to be careful when browsing online and when downloading and installing software.

How to avoid installation of PUAs?

Advertisements of dubious pages should not be clicked as those ads could be designed to promote other untrustworthy pages or even cause unwanted downloads. Software should not be downloaded through third party installers, free file hosting sites, questionable pages and other similar. They should be done only from official websites and via direct download links. Any unwanted or suspicious extensions that are already installed on a web browser then should be removed immediately. If your PC is already infected with ActivityElement Ads, then we recommend our users running a scan with reliable antivirus removal tool that has the capability to eliminate this adware soon from the machine.

Remove Files and Folders Related to ActivityElement Ads

Open the “Menu” bar and click the “Finder” icon. Select “Go” and click on “Go to Folder…”

Step 1: Search the suspicious and doubtful malware generated files in /Library/LaunchAgents folder

Type /Library/LaunchAgents in the “Go to Folder” option

In the “Launch Agent” folder, search for all the files that you have recently downloaded and move them to “Trash”. Few of the examples of files created by browser-hijacker or adware are as follow, “myppes.download.plist”, “mykotlerino.Itvbit.plist”, installmac.AppRemoval.plist”, and “kuklorest.update.plist” and so on.

Step 2: Detect and remove the files generated by the adware in “/Library/Application” Support folder

In the “Go to Folder..bar”, type “/Library/Application Support”

Search for any suspicious newly added folders in “Application Support” folder. If you detect any one of these like “NicePlayer” or “MPlayerX” then send them to “Trash” folder.

Step 3: Look for the files generated by malware in /Library/LaunchAgent Folder:

Go to Folder bar and type /Library/LaunchAgents

You are in the “LaunchAgents” folder. Here, you have to search for all the newly added files and move them to “Trash” if you find them suspicious. Some of the examples of suspicious files generated by malware are “myppes.download.plist”, “installmac.AppRemoved.plist”, “kuklorest.update.plist”, “mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist” and so on.

Step4: Go to /Library/LaunchDaemons Folder and search for the files created by malware

Type /Library/LaunchDaemons in the “Go To Folder” option

In the newly opened “LaunchDaemons” folder, search for any recently added suspicious files and move them to “Trash”. Examples of some of the suspicious files are “com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist”, “com.avickUpd.plist”, “com.myppes.net-preference.plist”, “com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist” and so on.

Step 5: Use Combo Cleaner Anti-Malware and Scan your Mac PC

The malware infections could be removed from the Mac PC if you execute all the steps mentioned above in the correct way. However, it is always advised to be sure that your PC is not infected. It is suggested to scan the work-station with “Combo Cleaner Anti-virus”.

Once the file gets downloaded, double click on combocleaner.dmg installer in the newly opened window. Next is to open the “Launchpad” and press on “Combo Cleaner” icon. It is advised to wait until “Combo Cleaner” updates the latest definition for malware detection. Click on “Start Combo Scan” button.

A depth scan of your Mac PC will be executed in order to detect malware. If the Anti-virus scan report says “no threat found” then you can continue with guide further. On the other hand, it is recommended to delete the detected malware infection before continuing.

Now the files and folders created by the adware is removed, you have to remove the rogue extensions from the browsers.

Remove ActivityElement Ads from Internet Browsers

Delete Doubtful and Malicious Extension from Safari

Go to “Menu Bar” and open “Safari” browser. Select “Safari” and then “Preferences”

In the opened “preferences” window, select “Extensions” that you have recently installed. All such extensions should be detected and click the “Uninstall” button next to it. If you are doubtful then you can remove all the extensions from “Safari” browser as none of them are important for smooth functionality of the browser.

In case if you continue facing unwanted webpage redirections or aggressive advertisements bombarding, you can reset the “Safari” browser.

“Reset Safari”

Open the Safari menu and choose “preferences…” from the drop-down menu.

Go to the “Extension” tab and set the extension slider to “Off” position. This disables all the installed extensions in the Safari browser

Next step is to check the homepage. Go to “Preferences…” option and choose “General” tab. Change the homepage to your preferred URL.

Also check the default search-engine provider settings. Go to “Preferences…” window and select the “Search” tab and select the search-engine provider that you want such as “Google”.

Next is to clear the Safari browser Cache- Go to “Preferences…” window and select “Advanced” tab and click on “Show develop menu in the menu bar.“

Go to “Develop” menu and select “Empty Caches”.

Remove website data and browsing history. Go to “Safari” menu and select “Clear History and Website Data”. Choose “all history” and then click on “Clear History”.

Remove Unwanted and Malicious Plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox

Delete ActivityElement Ads add-ons from Mozilla Firefox

Open the Firefox Mozilla browser. Click on the “Open Menu” present in the top right corner of the screen. From the newly opened menu, choose “Add-ons”.

Go to “Extension” option and detect all the latest installed add-ons. Select each of the suspicious add-ons and click on “Remove” button next to them.

In case if you want to “reset” the Mozilla Firefox browser then follow the steps that has been mentioned below.

Reset Mozilla Firefox Settings

Open the Firefox Mozilla browser and click on “Firefox” button situated at the top left corner of the screen.

In the new menu, go to “Help” sub-menu and choose “Troubleshooting Information”

In the “Troubleshooting Information” page, click on “Reset Firefox” button.

Confirm that you want to reset the Mozilla Firefox settings to default by pressing on “Reset Firefox” option

The browser will get restarted and the settings changes to factory default

Delete Unwanted and Malicious Extensions from Google Chrome

Open the chrome browser and click on “Chrome menu”. From the drop down option, choose “More Tools” and then “Extensions”.

In the “Extensions” option, search for all the recently installed add-ons and extensions. Select them and choose “Trash” button. Any third-party extension is not important for the smooth functionality of the browser.

Reset Google Chrome Settings

Open the browser and click on three line bar at the top right side corner of the window.

Go to the bottom of the newly opened window and select “Show advanced settings”.

In the newly opened window, scroll down to the bottom and choose “Reset browser settings”

Click on the “Reset” button on the opened “Reset browser settings” window

Restart the browser and the changes you get will be applied

The above mentioned manual process should be executed as it is mentioned. It is a cumbersome process and requires a lot of technical expertise. And hence it is advised for technical experts only. To be sure that your PC is free from malware, it is better that you scan the work-station with a powerful anti-malware tool. The automatic malware removal application is preferred because it doesn’t requires any additional technical skills and expertise.

Download the application and execute it on the PC to begin the depth scanning. Once the scanning gets completed, it shows the list of all the files related to ActivityElement Ads. You can select such harmful files and folders and remove them immediately.