Ads by Tom (Mac)

What is "Ads by Tom"?

Advertisements marked as "Ads by Tom" are displayed via rogue adware-type applications distributed using a deceptive software installation set-up (bundling method). Following successful infiltration, this adware delivers intrusive online ads and continually tracks Internet browsing activity by gathering various user/system information.

Types of ads include banner, pop-up, coupon, and many others. These are displayed using a ‘virtual layer’ (a tool that enables placement of third party graphical content on any site). They often conceal underlying content of visited websites, thereby significantly diminishing the Internet browsing experience.

In addition, they often redirect to malicious websites - even accidental clicks can result in high-risk adware or malware infections. Furthermore, web browsing activity is monitored, since adware-type apps continually record various data that might be personally identifiable including Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, URLs visited, search queries, etc.

This information is shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse private details to generate revenue. This behavior can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. You are strongly advised to uninstall all adware-type applications immediately.

The Internet is full of adware-type applications, all of which are virtually identical. By offering a variety of 'useful features', apps such as TURBOMAC, HotShoppy, MediaDownloader, and many others, attempt to give the impression of legitimacy and trick users to install.

In fact, all adware is designed only to generate revenue for the developers, whilst regular users receive no significant value. Rather than enabling the functionality promised, adware-type applications collect personally identifiable information, deliver intrusive online advertisements, and often cause unwanted redirects.

How did adware install on my computer?

Adware that generates advertisements marked as "by Tom" is distributed via a malicious (unofficial) Adobe Flash Player installation set-up. This deceptive marketing method is called "bundling", however, unlike other bundled applications, this adware is not hidden within the "Custom/Advanced" settings.

It is concealed and, therefore, victims have no choice whether to install it or not. Usually, adware-type applications are hidden within the download/installation settings (rushing and skipping this section exposes systems to risk of various infections).

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

To prevent system infiltration by potentially unwanted programs, be very cautious during download and installation processes. Closely analyze each step within the "Custom/Advanced" settings. Furthermore, cancel all third party apps listed for download/installation. Most bundled software is classed as rogue and, therefore, these applications should never be installed.

Deceptive application installer promoting adware that generates advertisements marked as "Ads by Tom":

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Quick menu:

• What is "by Tom"?
• STEP 1. Remove adware related files and folders from OSX.
• STEP 2. Remove "by Tom" ads from Safari.
• STEP 3. Remove adware from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove "by Tom" ads from Mozilla Firefox.

Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:

Adware removal:

Remove Ads by Tom-related potentially unwanted applications from your "Applications" folder:

Click the Finder icon. In the Finder window, select “Applications”. In the applications folder, look for “MPlayerX”,“NicePlayer”, or other suspicious applications and drag them to the Trash. After removing the potentially unwanted application(s) that cause online ads, scan your Mac for any remaining unwanted components.

Remove adware-related files and folders

Click the Finder icon, from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...

Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchAgents/

In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.

Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/Application Support/ folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/Application Support/

In the "Application Support" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious folders. For example, "MplayerX" or "NicePlayer", and move these folders to the Trash.

Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/

In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.

Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons/ folder:

In the "Go to Folder..." bar, type: /Library/LaunchDaemons/

In the "LaunchDaemons" folder, look for recently-added suspicious files. For example "com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist", "com.myppes.net-preferences.plist", "com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist", "com.avickUpd.plist", etc., and move them to the Trash.

Scan your Mac with Combo Cleaner:

If you have followed all the steps correctly, your Mac should be clean of infections. To ensure your system is not infected, run a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus. Download it HERE. After downloading the file, double click combocleaner.dmg installer. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon on top of the Applications icon. Now open your launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon. Wait until Combo Cleaner updates its virus definition database and click the "Start Combo Scan" button.

Combo Cleaner will scan your Mac for malware infections. If the antivirus scan displays "no threats found" - this means that you can continue with the removal guide; otherwise, it's recommended to remove any found infections before continuing.

After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.

Remove malicious extensions from Internet browsers

Remove malicious Safari extensions:

Open the Safari browser, from the menu bar, select "Safari" and click "Preferences...".

In the preferences window, select "Extensions" and look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions. When located, click the "Uninstall" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Safari browser - none are crucial for regular browser operation.

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Remove malicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) and select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.

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