How to remove the OperativeField unwanted application

What is OperativeField?

OperativeField is designed to serve advertisements, promote Safe Finder via akamaihd.net, collect sensitive information and change certain browser settings to promote a fake search engine.

In this way, it operates both as adware and a browser hijacker. People often download and install software of this type inadvertently and, therefore, these apps are categorized as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

Typically, adware serves coupons, surveys, banners, pop-ups and other advertisements. By clicking the ads, many users allow them to open dubious, potentially malicious pages, or even cause unwanted downloads and installations.

As mentioned, OperativeField hijacks browsers by changing browser settings such as the address of a new tab, homepage, and default search engine to the URL of a fake search engine. These search engines should not be trusted: in most cases they display results generated by other (often legitimate) search engines or generate misleading results.

Note that changes made by browser hijackers can be undone only after uninstallation of the rogue software. Furthermore, OperativeField can read sensitive information from websites, such as passwords, credit card details, telephone numbers and other data.

This information is misused for various malicious purposes. For example, to steal accounts and identities, and make fraudulent purchases and transactions.

Users with OperativeField installed on the browser and/or operating system might become victims of identity theft, lose access to personal accounts, suffer monetary loss, experience issues relating to browsing safety, online privacy, and other serious problems.

Commonly, apps such as OperativeField also collect browsing data. For example, IP addresses, addresses of visited websites, entered search queries, and geolocations.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by OperativeField
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:AdAgent-L [Adw]), BitDefender (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.Rload.4), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.C), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Adload.i), Full List (VirusTotal)
Additional Information	This application belongs to the Adload malware family.
Symptoms	Your Mac becomes slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious websites.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers, torrent file downloads.
Damage	Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious 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.

More examples of PUAs similar to OperativeField are BasicDesktop, TypicalFraction and UpgradeCoordinator. Commonly, these apps are advertised as legitimate and useful, however, most are designed only to help the developers to generate revenue by serving ads and collecting data.

As mentioned above, this particular app can access sensitive details and, therefore, you are strongly advised not to trust this adware/browser hijacker. If it is already installed on the browser and/or computer, uninstall it immediately.

How did OperativeField install on my computer?

People often download and install unwanted applications with other, mainly free, programs. I.e., when PUAs are included into the download/installation set-ups as extra offers. Typically, these offers are mentioned (and can be declined) in "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual" or other settings of set-ups.

Users who fail to check and change the settings often allow PUAs included in the set-ups to be downloaded and installed. This software distribution method is known as "bundling". In some cases, rogue downloads and installations happen when users click deceptive advertisements that run certain scripts.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Check all download and installation set-ups and decline offers to download or install additional apps. These offers are often listed in "Advanced", "Custom" or other settings of the set-ups. Download software and files only from official, trustworthy web pages and via direct links.

It is not safe to use third party downloaders/installers, unofficial sites, Peer-to-Peer networks (e.g., torrent clients, eMule) or other channels/sources - they are usually monetized by distributing unwanted, malicious programs.

Do not click advertisements that appear on dubious websites, since they can open other pages of this kind or even cause unwanted downloads and installations by running certain scripts. Remove any unwanted apps (extensions, plug-ins, add-ons) already installed on the browser.

Also remove programs of this kind that are installed on the operating system. If your computer is already infected with OperativeField, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Pop-up window displayed once OperativeField installation is complete:

OperativeField redirecting users to Safe Finder website via akamaihd.net:

OperativeField installed on Safari:

OperativeField Contents folder:

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 OperativeField?
• STEP 1. Remove OperativeField related files and folders from OSX.
• STEP 2. Remove OperativeField ads from Safari.
• STEP 3. Remove OperativeField adware from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove OperativeField ads from Mozilla Firefox.

Video showing how to remove OperativeField adware using Combo Cleaner:

OperativeField adware removal:

Remove OperativeField-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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