How to remove Speechlee from Mac

Complete tips to delete Speechlee

Speechlee is a rogue piece of software that you should not install on your Mac. Its main motive is to alter your web browsers and start displaying various intrusive advertisements. The PUA creators mainly aim to generate profits from them. The bad news for you is that these ads are not verified and thus can cause troubles to your Mac as they could cause redirects to potentially dangerous pages that turn out to be scams/ phishing or malicious websites.

Speechlee– main activity

Speechlee is a browser hijacker. It might appear helpful but its primary objective is to cause numerous problems to the Mac, like display ads of any forms including new banners replacing the legit ones on the website you visit, push notifications, pop-up promotion, third party website transfers, search results ads, and ads linked on certain text of websites you read from.

Speechlee app might enter you device alongside freeware media players, file converters, editors, and other have such PUAs included within the setups. Once the installation happens, the browser hijacker heavily modifies the options of web browsers and changes the default homepage, new tab page and search engine option to some illegal search engine. It may include various tracking technologies such as cookies, pixels, tags to obtain browsing based information like:

• The page you recently visit,
• The web browsers’ history,
• What you are searching,
• Yours mouse click, scrolls and movements,
• Sites that you saved as bookmarks,
• Your location and language.

These data help in designing customized ads. The page visits and views generate revenue for the developers as these are based pay-per-click scheme. Unfortunately, this will provide no value to the users as the shown ads by the hijacker virus often lead to several sites that may be turn out to be risky as they are unchecked. The pages that it can redirect to include:

• Scam pages,
• Software download sites that are fraud,
• Redirects to aware and other risky domains,
• Survey scams that are phishing,
• Fake websites designed to steal information,
• Virus websites designed infect system with malware,
• Fake tech support.

These are the main reason why Speechlee is classified as potentially unwanted app. It may indirectly risky to the Mac as it may bring more and more problems. To prevent any severe issues, you should immediately remove the cyber intruder as soon as possible. Below the post, you will find complete manual as well as automatic way to perform the removal process. Choose the one that you think the best and perform the removal process without delay.

How did Speechlee enter my system?

PUAs are often distributed via the download/ installation setups of other software. The deceptive marketing method called bundling allows the pre-packing of one app with unwanted and malicious additions. Rushed the download/ installation processes often increase the risk of inadvertent installation of unwanted apps. Upon being clicked, intrusive ads can cause stealthy download and installation by running certain scripts.

How to prevent PUAs intrusion?

All downloads should have to be done using official websites and direct links. Untrustworthy downloading channels such as p2p networks, free file hosting sites and third party downloaders/installers often offer dubious and/or bundled content. During downloading/ installation, read all terms, study possible option, use Custom/Advanced settings and opt out all additionally attached apps and decline all offers. Intrusive ads on any shady pages should not be clicked as well since they often open the pages of same kinds or cause unwanted downloads by running malicious scripts.

Remove Files and Folders Related to Speechlee

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