Ads X (Mac)

What is "Ads X"?

"Ads X" is a label of intrusive advertisements delivered by various adware-type applications and browser extensions. In most cases, these apps/add-ons infiltrate systems without permission, since most are proliferated using the "bundling" method. As well as delivering advertisements, adds/add-ons are also notorious for tracking information relating to browsing activity.

As mentioned above, advertisements marked as "Ads X" are delivered by rogue apps/browser plug-ins. To deliver ads, apps and plug-ins employ Layered Service Provider (LSP). This tool essentially examines all network traffic going through your computer and is able to manipulate it.

In this case, LSP is used to inject visited websites (even sites such as Google) with intrusive advertisements. Research shows that "Ads X" advertisements are typically displayed on top of the page and they can be closed, however, they still conceal underlying content, thereby diminishing the browsing experience.

Furthermore, intrusive advertisements are known to redirect to malicious websites and even execute scripts that download and install rogue software or even high-risk malware. Therefore, clicking them might result in various system infections. Adware-type applications and browser extensions are also likely to monitor browsing activity.

They record user-system information such as IP addresses, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other similar data that usually includes personal details. Furthermore, developers share this information with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who generate revenue by misusing private data.

Therefore, information tracking can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. If you encounter advertisements labelled "Ads X", immediately check the list of installed applications/browser plug-ins and eliminate any suspicious entries.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads X advertisements
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.
Malware Removal (Mac)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

The internet is full of adware-type applications and browser plug-ins, all of which are very similar. By offering "useful features", they attempt to give the impression of legitimacy, however, their only purpose is to generate revenue for the developers - few potentially unwanted applications/browser plug-ins enable the functions promised.

These apps deliver intrusive advertisements and record information, thereby diminishing the browsing experience and posing a direct threat to your privacy and computer safety.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

As mentioned, developers typically proliferate rogue apps/extensions using the "bundling" method - stealth installation of unwanted software with regular apps. Therefore, many users install them inadvertently. Developers hide "bundled" apps/add-ons within various sections ("Custom/Advanced" settings or similar) of the download/installation processes.

Furthermore, many users often rush download/installation processes and skip steps - behavior that often leads to inadvertent installation of rogue apps/add-ons. By clicking intrusive ads, many users expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

To prevent this situation, be very cautious when browsing the internet and downloading/installing software. Remember that intrusive ads typically seem legitimate, but once clicked, redirect to dubious websites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, surveys, and so on).

If you encounter any of these redirects, immediately eliminate all suspicious applications and browser plug-ins. Furthermore, carefully analyze each step of the download/installation processes and opt-out of additionally-included programs.

We advise you to download your programs from official sources only (via direct download links) and avoid using third party downloaders/installers, since these tools can include rogue apps.

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 "Ads X" advertisements (GIF):

Instant automatic Mac malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Mac malware. 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. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is "Ads X"?
• 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 applications 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 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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