Remove Privex-protection.com Adware From Mac OS

Easy Steps To Delete Privex-protection.com

Privex-protection.com is a malicious web domain that tries to trick visitors into installing a potentially unwanted application (PUA). When you access this domain intentionally or unintentionally, you are presented with a security alert claiming that an infection has been found on your device. And then, you are suggested to install a recommended program via a provided website link to get rid of the virus. Users often get redirected to such deceptive sites when their Mac systems are already infected with a potentially unwanted program mainly adware. This notorious threat secretly infiltrates the Mac PCs without users’ consent and then starts interrupting their web sessions with annoying ads and frequent redirects.

More About Privex-protection.com:

Privex-protection.com has at least two variants. The first version claims that there is a trojan installed on visitor’s device. It attempts to deceive visitors into believing that their images, accounts, payment data will be shared to cyber hackers if the found virus is not terminated as soon as possible and installing some PUA via the provided website link. Another version suggests that users’ connection may not be protected and then offers to secure it with an application named VPN iNinja which could be downloaded via App Store.

Websites like Privex-protection.com are not reliable and hence, you should not install any software promoted by this site. As stated before, constant redirects to this web portal is an indication that an adware is running in the background of the compromised machine. This perilous threat bombards your computer screen with thousands of intrusive ads and pop-ups all over the day that makes your web sessions very complex and problematic. Privex-protection.com virus displays attractive-looking deals, offers, banners, coupons, discounts etc. and tries to make victims click on them in order to earn profits via cost-per-click mechanism.

Ads delivered by this PUP can be very risky for your system’s security as they might include vicious links and redirect you to several phishing, scamming or even malware-laden sites that host spyware, trojan or even ransomware. It keeps performing evil activities in the background all the time which consume enormous amount of memory resources and drags down the overall system performance severely. Due to this, machine starts responding slower than ever before and takes more than usual time to complete any task. And thus, a quick Privex-protection.com removal is highly required.

Quick Glance

Name: Privex-protection.com

Type: Mac virus, Adware, Potentially unwanted program

Short Description: Claims visitors’ device is infected with a Trojan, Redirects Mac users to affiliated and even malicious sites, Displays intrusive ads, promotes sponsored products, services and programs and make online profits for the creators, Also steals users’ personal and confidential information and share them with hackers for evil purposes.

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

Serving IP Address: 134.209.23.134

Promoted Unwanted Application: VPN iNinja (promoted apps may vary)

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

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.

How Does This PUP Enter Your System?

These types of unwanted threats are most often spread through “bundling” technique. They are included in setups of other regular programs as extra offers. While downloading a freeware from third-party website and then installing it using the pre-set options, people often end up with infecting their devices with PUPs. The Quick or Recommended configuration settings don’t reveal the contents that are added to the software package which also manage to settle down on the machine together with the carrier program.

And thus, to prevent this, it is necessary to always select the Advanced or Custom options to perform software installation. Here you will be allowed to opt-out all the components that look suspicious and pick only the main software. But at the moment, you must remove Privex-protection.com from the Mac system without wasting any time.

Text Presented In The Pup-up Window:

YOUR IPHONE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED

Immediate Action Is Required!

OK

Remove Files and Folders Related to Privex-protection.com

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 Privex-protection.com 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 Privex-protection.com 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 Privex-protection.com. You can select such harmful files and folders and remove them immediately.