Remove ActivePower Adware From Mac OS

Complete Guideline To Delete ActivePower

ActivePower is an intrusive application that belongs to the category of adware or browser hijacker. This potentially unwanted program can easily intrude Mac computers unnoticed in a bundle with other free apps. Once this nasty PUP gets into the target PC devices, it may hijack all running web browsers including Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and others. In general, it modifies the default homepage and search engine and interrupts victims’ search sessions. It displays commercial pop-ups notifications and even starts tracking users’ online activities. The only objective of this browser-based intruder is to generate revenues for the creators. And for this purpose, it contributes several malicious activities in the background.

Know More About ActivePower:

ActivePower uses several technologies to monitor people’s web actions and gathers data such as search queries typed, IP addresses, geolocations, URLs of visited sites and so on. The collected data is then sold to third-parties for monetary purposes who then utilize those details for generating personalized advertisements. And hence, during the presence of this nasty adware in your Mac device, you are served with a number of annoying ads, banners, pop-ups, discounts, deals, offers etc. which interrupt your web sessions drastically.

These ads are based on pay-per-click scheme and earn income for the developers when clicked. Although, these adverts are very eye-catching, clicking on them may redirect you to potentially dangerous sites, filled with spiteful contents. Additionally, you should keep in mind that search engine promoted by this PUP may show you manipulated results, mixed with commercial contents and sponsored links right at the top. This notorious threat may cause several pernicious issues onto the compromised machine such as boot errors, application malfunctioning, hard drive crash, software failure and so on.

ActivePower can be a big hazard for your privacy too it can also steal your personal and confidential data such as user IDs, passwords, credit card, bank account and other financial details and share them with potent criminals for evil motives. All the malevolent deeds performed by this intrusive adware consumes enormous amount of memory resources and drags down the overall PC performance severely. It causes the system to respond in a very slow manner and take more than usual time to complete any task. It ruins vital system files which assure efficient PC functioning and prevents many running apps as well as drivers from working in an appropriate manner. And hence, an instant ActivePower removal is highly recommended.

Quick Glance

Name: ActivePower 

Type: Mac virus, adware, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Shows intrusive ads, alters default browser’s settings, Redirects Mac users to affiliated sites, promotes sponsored products, services and programs and make online revenues for the creators.

Symptoms: Regular appearance of annoying adverts, Fake pop-up messages, identity theft. Users are enforced to visit hijacker’s website and search the Internet using their search engines, slowness of infected system’s performance.

Distribution methods: Free software installers (bundling), Deceptive emails, malicious pop-ups ads, fake flash player installers.

Damage: Web browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), exhibition of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites.

Removal: To get rid of this infection and other malware threats, our security researchers recommend scanning your device with an effective anti-malware tool is recommended.

Penetration of ActivePower:

Browser hijackers, adware and other unwanted apps are most often propagated through software bundling technique along regular software. Although, there are many other distribution techniques but ‘bundling’ is the most common and popular one. Third-parties include additional components along with their programs in order to earn pay-per-install revenue. When users download the software via untrustworthy free downloading sites and then install it using the ‘Quick’ or ‘Recommended’ configuration settings, they risk getting infected with such unwanted applications.

It is highly recommended to always select the Custom or Advanced installation options to prevent unwanted installations. These wizards provide you complete control over the incoming downloads and allow you to de-select all the contents that you don’t want to be installed. Furthermore, avoid interacting with suspicious ads or hyperlinks as they might redirect you to malware-laden web portals. But at the moment, you must remove ActivePower from the Mac computer as early as possible.

Remove Files and Folders Related to ActivePower

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