How to remove Optical Rate Pro PUP from Mac

Easy tips to delete Optical Rate Pro

Optical Rate Pro is an adware based application. Its main aim is to get users into seeing intrusive advertisements. The main idea of the software is to cause multiple ads that may not always lead to legitimate pages. These ads are shown because of potentially unwanted application that could be risky as such apps shown ads just for profits. So, they could lead to various pages that cause troubles to the Mac. Read this article fully, you will get complete guide how to remove Optical Rate Pro from Mac.

Optical Rate Pro– more about it

Once Optical Rate Pro infiltrates systems, it starts sending ads in different forms, including browser pop-ups, redirects and transfers to third-party sites, ads on search results, text-embedded ads, banner ads and push notification promotions. Like other adware, it may be added to the system as additional app to the setup of some freeware app you downloaded. The main problem with those ads displayed this unwanted app is that they often contain small tracker objects. This may include:

• Cookies,
• Tags,
• Pixels,
• LSOs or locally shared objects, known as flash cookies as well.

Using these cookies, the app can track the web browsing session and collect the data include pages visited, clicks made online, and bookmarks saved, browser history and etc.  Probably the major risk with this is that then the adware authors can send ads with customized content. Since these ads are designed for profits, they may end up you to the sites like:

• Tech support scams,
• Phishing or fake sites,
• Scamming sites,
• Virus domains,
• Rogue software downloading frauds,
• Endless redirects loop schemes,
• Scam surveys and so on.

For all these reasons, it is strongly recommended you to remove Optical Rate Pro from the system. Below the post, you will find complete guide how the removal process should be done. Follow it so that the removal process would become an easy task for you.

How did Optical Rate Pro infiltrate my system?

As said, PUAs are often distributed with the download/ install setups of regular software, such as freeware or shareware. Bundling is the name given to this deceptive marketing method of packing one app with unwanted and malicious ones. Usually, the bundled apps are hidden behind Custom/Advanced and similar settings of regular software. When users rush the download and skip major installation sections, they leave these setups unchecked and unchanged and lead to the inadvertent installation of unwanted apps. Once clicked on, intrusive ads can cause unwanted downloads/ installations by running certain scripts.

How to prevent PUAs installation?

Avoid using p2p networks, free file hosting sites and third party downloaders/ installers – they often offer dubious and/or bundled content. Use only official websites and direct links for that. During downloading/ installation, read all terms, study possible option, use Custom/Advanced settings and opt out all additionally attached apps and decline all offers. Additionally, do not click on any intrusive ads appear on shady pages- these ads often open the pages of same kind or sometimes can cause unwanted downloads/ installations by running certain scripts.

Remove Files and Folders Related to Optical Rate Pro

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 Optical Rate Pro 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 Optical Rate Pro 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 Optical Rate Pro. You can select such harmful files and folders and remove them immediately.