How to remove InitialWindow adware

What is InitialWindow?

InitialWindow is designed to change certain browser settings to z6airr.com or adjustablesample.com (to promote fake search engines), serve advertisements and gather sensitive information.

This app is classified as adware and a browser hijacker. Most users download and install these apps unintentionally and, therefore, they are classified as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

Some examples of ads that apps such as InitialWindow serve include coupons, banners, pop-ups, and surveys. Commonly, users who click them arrive at dubious websites or they allow the ads to execute certain scripts, which then cause download and/or installation of unwanted software.

InitialWindow also promotes z6airr.com (on Safari) and adjustablesample.com (on Chrome). It assigns one of these addresses (depending on the hijacked browser) as the homepage, default search engine and new tab.

With InitialWindow installed, users are forced to visit z6airr.com or adjustablesample.com when they open a browser, new tab, or enter search queries into the URL bar. Note that z6airr.com provides results generated by Yahoo (redirects to search.yahoo.com), whilst adjustablesample.com generates its own results.

In any case, search engines that are promoted by PUAs should never be trusted. In most cases, users can stop a hijacked browser from opening a specific address on the aforementioned occasions only when the browser hijacker (in this case, InitialWindow) is no longer installed.

InitialWindow can also read sensitive information such as credit card details, passwords, telephone numbers and other details. This information can be misused to make fraudulent purchases and transactions, steal identities and accounts, and for other malicious purposes.

The details could also be sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals). Therefore, installation of InitialWindow can lead to problems such as identity theft, lost access to various accounts, monetary loss, issues relating to browsing safety, online privacy, and others. If this app is installed on the browser and/or computer, uninstall it immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by InitialWindow
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:AdAgent-L [Adw]), AVG (MacOS:AdAgent-L [Adw]), ESET-NOD32 (Multiple Detections), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Adload.h), 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.

In summary, apps such as InitialWindow can cause various problems. Note that these apps are often advertised as useful, legitimate when in fact they are useless to regular users and designed only to generate revenue for the developers. Many users download and install adware, browser hijackers and other PUAs inadvertently.

More examples of apps similar to InitialWindow are ConnectionFormat, ExpandedSkill and CoordinatorBoost.

How did InitialWindow install on my computer?

Browser hijackers, adware-type apps, and other types of PUAs are commonly distributed by integrating them into the download and/or installation set-ups of other programs, so that a proportion of users inadvertently download and install them together with their chosen software.

This distribution method is known as "bundling". Offers to download and install additionally-included apps usually appear in "Advanced", "Custom" and other settings of the set-ups (where they can usually be declined).

Many users fail to check and change these settings, thereby granting permission for PUAs to be downloaded and installed by default. In addition, unwanted downloads and installations are sometimes caused by clicking deceptive advertisements capable of executing certain scripts.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Check all "Advanced" "Custom", and "Manual" settings and decline offers to download or install unwanted programs. Files and software should be downloaded from official sites, via direct links, and not from unofficial pages, through third party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks such as torrent clients, eMule or other sources of this kind.

Do not click advertisements that are shown on dubious pages, since they can open other sites of this kind or even execute scripts to download and install unwanted software. Remove any unwanted, unknown or suspicious apps (extensions, plug-ins, add-ons) that are installed on the browser, and software of this kind that is installed on the operating system.

If your computer is already infected with InitialWindow, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Pop-up window displayed once InitialWindow installation is complete:

a6airr.com displays results by Yahoo (GIF):

adjustablesample.com generates its own results (GIF):

InitialWindow installed on Safari:

InitialWindow installation folder:

Fake flash player installers like the one below disguise InitialWindow as Search Manager (searchpolicies.com):

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

Video showing how to remove InitialWindow adware using Combo Cleaner:

InitialWindow adware removal:

Remove InitialWindow-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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