How To Remove ProductiveRotator Adware (Mac)

Effective Guide To Delete ProductiveRotator from Mac

ProductiveRotator is a rogue application that is mainly designed to targets Mac Users. It belongs to the category of Adload Mac Malware. The main function of this virus is to infect the Mac operating System and promote third party ads. However, it is identified as a potentially unwanted program by the security expert. It was discovered and distributed by the team of cyber hacker with the sole motive to makes illegal money through scam innocent users. It silently get enters into the targeted System without any user’s knowledge.  Once executed it will start to do lots of malicious activities. It will instantly take control over the targeted web browsers and makes several changes including homepage and default search engine setting. It is able to work with all popular and mostly used web browsers like as Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, Edge and others.

Being a Potentially Unwanted Program it promotes numbers of annoying and intrusive advertisements like as commercial ads, pop-up ads, coupons, banners, deals, discount, offers, system alert messages, warnings etc. on your browser screen. The main intention behind it to generate web traffic on the low quality website as well as earn illegal revenue for the creator on pay per click. Once upon clicking on these adverts might cause redirection issues on malicious site and the installation of potentially unwanted program.

More Details about ProductiveRotator:

Moreover, ProductiveRotator is able to install additional browser extension, plug-in, add-ons etc on your web browser to makes them heavier. So that users are unable to browse any site smoothly as earlier. It has the ability to block system security and privacy by inactivate firewall, task manager, control panel and real antivirus program and make loop hole to bring other harmful threats on victimized System. It can corrupt your System files and Windows registries as well as create new files. It spreads its copies at different locations on your system so it will make it harder to detect and eliminate by manually. It can gathers users online keys habits to collect user’s private and sensitive information like as email-id, password, bank account details, IP address, geo-locations etc. After that share these details to the cyber offender for illegal use. It can consume huge resources of the System memory to slowdown overall performance of the targeted System and makes your Mac totally worthless. Thus it is highly recommended to remove ProductiveRotator as soon as possible from your Mac System.

How did ProductiveRotator get enters into your Mac PC:

ProductiveRotator  is a cunning virus that uses different ways to get enters into your PC. The most uses way is bundling method. Bundling is a deceptive marketing method that uses by the cyber-criminal to proliferate third party program with regular program. Mostly users download and install freeware program from third party download channels. They often skip to read the installation guide and check the Custom options. This activities cause the installation of malicious infection. It can be spreads via spam email attachments, update system software, clicking on malicious links, peer to peer sharing files and other social engineering techniques.

How To Avoiding the installation of ProductiveRotator:

We are highly advice avoiding the installation of freeware program from unofficial and untrustworthy site. Always use official and trustworthy download channels. It is important to read the installation guide carefully till the end.  Must check the custom or advance options as well as other similar settings etc. Must avoid the email attachments which received from unknown sender. If any file seems suspicious please do not open them. Must update the system Software from relevant sources. It is important to scan your System with reputable antimalware tool to avoid further issues.

 Threat Summary:

Name : ProductiveRotator

Type: Adware, Mac Virus

Descriptions:  It is a very nasty infection that is mainly designed to changes the browser setting, show lots of annoying advertisements.

Symptoms: Lots of third party ads appear on the system screen, redirect users to questionable site.

Distribution: Bundling methods, spam email attachments, Updating System Software, Clicking on malicious links, peer to peer sharing files.

Removal: To eliminate this infection we are highly recommended use automatic removal tool.

Remove Files and Folders Related to ProductiveRotator

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