How to remove IndexerProject from Mac

Complete tips to delete IndexerProject

IndexerProject is a rogue piece of software categorized as adware. It also has browser hijacker’s quality. After the successful installation, this app runs various intrusive advertisements and promotes fake search engines. Additionally, it has dangerous data tracking potential. It is deemed to be a potentially unwanted application because of its stealthy method of distribution that leads its silent intrusion.

 The IndexerProject adware enables the placement of pop-ups, banners, surveys, coupons and other intrusive advertisements – on any visited website. These displayed ads are more than just nuisance. They can cripple the browsing experience and endanger the device/ user safety. The intrusive overlay the page content that diminishes the website’s visibility and slows down the browsing speed.

Furthermore, the IndexerProject ads have redirecting capability. They can cause redirects to sale-oriented, rogue, untrustworthy, deceptive/ scam and malicious websites. Some of the ads can cause unwanted downloads and even installations of software (PUAs) by running certain malicious scripts, upon being clicked.

Being a browser hijacker, IndexerProject makes alterations to the web browsers’ homepage, new tab page and search engine options. It does this to promote an address of a fake search engine. Illegitimate web searchers are typically not capable of displaying search results and so they tend to redirect to some genuine web searchers like Google, Bing or Yahoo.

Despite the redirects being caused to some legit web searchers, the search results can be manipulated and so they can’t be trusted. Also, they include various suspicious links and ads in it that often open various harmful and malicious pages. The hijacker virus can undo any changes made to the browsers’ settings and thus restoring to the previous browsers’ settings option is possible only after IndexerProject removal.

As mentioned earlier in the introduction, this potentially unwanted application can track and collect browsing based data. The list of the collected data includes IP addresses, Search queries, Viewed pages, URLs visited, ISPs, Geo-locations and etc. These data could be shared with and/or sold to third parties/ potent crooks.

In summary, the presence of the potentially unwanted app on system can result into severe system infections, privacy issues, identity theft, monetary loss and much more serious problems. To prevent any issues from happening in future, remove IndexerProject virus from your system without delay. Below the post, you will find both manual as well as automatic guide to perform the virus removal.

How did IndexerProject enter my system?

PUAs are usually distributed via the download/ installation setups of regular software. This deceptive marketing method is called bundling where packing of one app is done with unwanted and malicious additions. Rushed the download/ installation process increase the risk of inadvertent PUAs’ installation. Upon being clicked, intrusive ads can cause system infections by running malicious scripts.

How to prevent PUAs installation?

All downloads should have to be performed using official websites and direct links. Untrustworthy downloading channels such as p2p networks, free file hosting sites and third-party downloders/installers often offer dubious and/or bundled content.

When downloading/ installing, read all terms, study possible option, use Custom/Advanced settings and opt out all additionally attached apps and decline all offers. Intrusive ads should not be clicked as well. They often redirect to highly questionable pages such as gambling, adult dating and pornography and so on. Sometimes, they can run certain scripts to cause unwanted downloads and even installations.

Remove Files and Folders Related to IndexerProject

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 IndexerProject 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 IndexerProject 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 IndexerProject. You can select such harmful files and folders and remove them immediately.