How To Remove ProgressHelper (Mac)

Read Easy Guidelines To Delete ProgressHelper From Mac

ProgressHelper is discovered as a new computer infection or a malware which usually get installed on targeted computers without any prior notice and starts to show various sponsored contents or pop ups on screen. Based on its attributes and doings, this malware can be classified as an adware or browser hijacker which will trouble your regular online sessions throughout the day, and leaves no easy options to revert unwanted modifications. In addition to these, the longer term presence of ProgressHelper on a computer can be more drastic as it can track and read your personal or sensitive information. In order to learn more about the infectious object and remove ProgressHelper completely, we suggest you to read and follow included guidelines completely.

Threat Summary

Name: ProgressHelper
Type: Browser hijacker, redirect virus
Description: ProgressHelper is basically an adware application developed to promote its own sponsored contents and enforce the users to interact with those, which internally helps its creators to make illegal profit.
Distribution: Spam/junk email attachments, freeware or shareware installer packages, malicious links or ads, and many more.
Removal: To learn detailed information to detect and delete ProgressHelper from compromised computer, get through the instructions discussed under this article.

What is ProgressHelper?

Based on details discovered by security researchers, ProgressHelper is nothing more than a vicious adware application or a browser hijacker which is specifically developed to attack Mac based computers. This application is just developed to run various intrusive advertisement campaign, do alterations in browser settings,promoting its own associated search engine, and so on. Means, it’s expected for the adware to alter critical configuration in browsers to promote either 0yrvtrh.com on Safari or Search.adjustablesample.com on Chrome. As a result, the victims are expected to suffer problems while operating their active browsers as they keep them redirected to some nasty or shady online contents frequently.

Speaking generally to an adware and its doings, it use to place pop ups, banners, online survey, full page adverts, and many more covers for all active browsers when being used. Although, these advertisements may seem like normal adverts shown on legit pages, but clicking these adverts will probably lead to scamming or deceptive terminals. In addition, these fake promotions will also diminish the overall browsing experiences as it restricts the users while browsing the web and eats enough of internet data in background. Thus, every time it’s attempted to search your query or visit some known websites, the ProgressHelper will interrupt you with its own content, which sounds to be very annoying.

Means, having ProgressHelper installed on your Mac system is really disrupting for online sessions. It can even be risky in more other prospects like exploiting and exposing present vulnerabilities in OS to outsiders and allow them to create a bridge connection. Since the adware mostly come featured with data tracking abilities, it can also track and record your inputs, key preferences, search history, etc either to customize its ads further or to let its creators access your personal information for illicit usage. Therefore, if you unfortunately come to notice your system is infected, you should instantly remove ProgressHelper completely.

How did ProgressHelper get installed? Measures to treat the adware

Usually, PUPs or adware like ProgressHelper have its own official web location where it’s claimed as a useful value to enhance online sessions or avail some benefits while shopping online. In addition to these, ProgressHelper can also get downloaded/installed with bundled products which are shared or spread by criminals through deceptive marketing tricks. A term called “Software bundling” is a very commonly used process to embed malicious codes with helpful appearing software, multimedia files, and other objects, which are then shared over web through open source networks. Thus the user if notice such stuffs and found useful, they download it and the problem begins in background after installing the adware, and it sucks users further.

If you are looking for some real treats to detect and remove ProgressHelper along with all its supporting elements, then choosing the guidelines mentioned, can be effectively helpful. You can also choose to take a try with a suggested application to detect and clean malicious elements from your Mac system.

Remove Files and Folders Related to ProgressHelper

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