Secure Mac Tuneup Unwanted Application (Mac)
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (Updated)
How to remove Secure Mac Tuneup from Mac?
What is Secure Mac Tuneup?
Similar to Advanced Mac Tuneup and many others, Secure Mac Tuneup is a dubious application presented as a high-end system optimization tool. This application may seem legitimate and useful, however, since developers promote it using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling", Secure Mac Tuneup often infiltrates systems without consent and is thus categorized as a potentially unwanted application (PUA).
A main feature of Secure Mac Tuneup is malware removal. After performing a full system scan, users are presented with a list containing hundreds of threats/viruses that must be eliminated immediately. The 'free version' of Secure Mac Tuneup is supposedly incapable of removing malware and users are encouraged to purchase the 'full version'. It is currently unknown whether the Secure Mac Tuneup application can be trusted. There are hundreds of potentially unwanted applications that deliver fake search results simply to trick users into purchasing so-called full versions. Therefore, we advise you to not pay for Secure Mac Tuneup's full version. If you suspect that your computer might be infected, we advise you to scan it with another reputable anti-virus/anti-spyware suite, such as Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS. As mentioned, Secure Mac Tuneup is distributed using the "bundling" method. In most cases, "bundling" is used to proliferate a number of potentially unwanted applications (such as adware and browser hijackers) at once. Therefore, if Secure Mac Tuneup has infiltrated your system without consent, there is a high probability that it came together with a number of other rogue apps that deliver intrusive advertisements, gather sensitive information, and cause unwanted redirects. In this case, you should eliminate all dubious applications/browser plug-ins.
| Name | Secure Mac Tuneup potentially unwanted application |
| Threat Type | Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Symptoms | Your Mac became slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you get redirected to shady websites. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers, torrent file downloads. |
| Damage | Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites, loss of private information. |
| Removal |
To eliminate Secure Mac Tuneup potentially unwanted application our malware researchers recommend scanning your computer with Combo Cleaner. |
The Internet is full of rogue applications, all of which share many similarities. Most offer "useful features" (e.g., file conversion, Internet performance increase, system optimization, etc.), however, these false claims are merely attempts to give the impression of legitimacy. The only purpose of all potentially unwanted programs is to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than giving any real value for regular users, potentially unwanted applications deliver intrusive advertisements, gather sensitive information, cause unwanted redirects, and, in some cases, promote in-app purchases.
How did potentially unwanted programs install on my computer?
Secure Mac Tuneup is free for anyone to download on its official website, however, due to the lack of knowledge and careless behavior of many users, this potentially unwanted program often infiltrates systems without users’ permission. Developers proliferate Secure Mac Tuneup using the aforementioned "bundling" method - stealth installation of potentially unwanted programs together with regular software/apps. Developers hide "bundled" applications within "Custom/Advanced" settings (or other sections) of the download/installation processes. Furthermore, many users rush these procedures and skip steps. In doing so, they expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent system infiltration by PUAs, very cautious when downloading/installing software and browsing the Internet. Carefully analyze each window of the download/installation dialogs and opt-out of all additionally-included programs. You are advised to download programs from official sources only, using direct download links. Third party downloaders/installers are monetized using the "bundling" method, and thus these tools should never be used. Be aware that some potentially unwanted applications are distributed using intrusive advertisements that redirect to malicious sites and run scripts that download/install rogue apps or even malware. These advertisements often seem legitimate, but most lead to dubious websites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, etc.) If you experience these ads, immediately remove all dubious applications and browser plug-ins. The main reasons for computer infections are poor knowledge and careless behavior - the key to safety is caution. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.
Appearance of Secure Mac Tuneup PUA (GIF):
Website promoting Secure Mac Tuneup PUA:
Official Secure Mac Tuneup installation setup:
IMPORTANT NOTE! Secure Mac Tuneup adds itself to the list of applications that automatically run upon each user log in. Therefore, before commencing, perform these steps:
- Go to System Preferences -> Users & Groups.
- Click your account (also known as Current User).
- Click Login Items.
- Look for the "Secure Mac Tuneup" entry. Select it, and click the "-" button to remove it.
Instant automatic removal of Secure Mac Tuneup potentially unwanted application:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced computer skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Secure Mac Tuneup potentially unwanted application. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for Mac
By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Free scanner checks if your computer is infected. To remove malware, you have to purchase the full version of Combo Cleaner.
Quick menu:
- What is Secure Mac Tuneup?
- STEP 1. Remove PUA related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove rogue extensions from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove rogue add-ons from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove potentially unwanted plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:
Potentially unwanted programs removal:
Remove 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 secure mac tuneup potentially unwanted application 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 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 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 in the correct order you Mac should be clean of infections. To be sure 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 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 it's virus definition database and click "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.
Secure Mac Tuneup potentially unwanted application removal from Internet browsers:
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Remove secure mac tuneup potentially unwanted application related Safari extensions:
Open 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 normal browser operation.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Remove secure mac tuneup potentially unwanted application related Mozilla Firefox add-ons:
Open your Mozilla Firefox browser. At the top right corner of the screen, click the "Open Menu" (three horizontal lines) button. From the opened menu, choose "Add-ons".
Choose the "Extensions" tab and look for any recently-installed suspicious add-ons. When located, click the "Remove" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Mozilla Firefox browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Remove secure mac tuneup potentially unwanted application related Google Chrome add-ons:
Open Google Chrome and click the "Chrome menu" (three horizontal lines) button located in the top-right corner of the browser window. From the drop-down menu, choose "More Tools" and select "Extensions".
In the "Extensions" window, look for any recently-installed suspicious add-ons. When located, click the "Trash" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Google Chrome browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.