How to uninstall SearchConsole adware?

What is SearchConsole adware?

SearchConsole is the name of an application that generates advertisements, changes affected web browser's settings, and possibly collects information about its users. This app has a functionality of an adware-type app and a browser hijacker.

SearchConsole adware in detail

Typically, the main purpose of adware-type applications like SearchConsole is to display advertisements (coupons, banners, pop-up ads, surveys, and so on). It is common for those ads to promote questionable websites or even distribute unwanted applications.

In some cases, advertisements displayed by adware can be designed to execute certain scripts and start downloading or even installing unwanted applications. In one way or another, it is strongly recommended not to click ads generated by SearchConsole or similar applications.

As mentioned in the introduction paragraph, SearchConsole modifies browser's settings - it changes the address of a default search engine, homepage and new tab to an address of a fake search engine. These changes can be undone only when SearchConsole is no longer installed.

It is worth mentioning that search engines promoted by browser hijackers can generate results containing links to untrustworthy websites, unwanted advertisements. Therefore, it is recommended to browse the web using a legitimate search engine, for example, Google or Yahoo.

Additionally, it is likely that SearchConsole is designed to collect browsing-related information, for example, IP addresses, geolocations, addresses of visited websites, entered search queries. There is a possibility that it can access sensitive information like credit card details, passwords, as well.

The information gathered by an app like SearchConsole could be misused for marketing purposes, to steal identities, personal accounts, etc. Therefore, it is highly advisable not to have apps like SearchConsole installed on the operating system (or a browser).

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by SearchConsole
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:Adload-AD [Trj]), AVG (MacOS:Adload-AD [Trj]), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/TrojanDownloader.Adload.AE), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Cimpli.l), Full List (VirusTotal)
Additional Information	This application belongs to 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.

Similarities with other adware

Usually, applications like SearchConsole are monetized by designing them to generate advertisements, promote questionable websites, and (or) collecting various data. More adware examples are NetworkSync, AccessibleTask, and DesignDefault.

It is uncommon for apps of this type to be downloaded and installed intentionally. For this reason, they are called potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

How did SearchConsole install on my computer?

It is known that SearchConsole is distributed using a fake installer that looks like the installer for Adobe Flash Player. Typically, fake installers are promoted via deceptive websites. It is important to know that they can be used to distribute malware (e.g., ransomware).

Another popular way to distribute potentially unwanted applications is to bundle them with other programs. In such cases, PUAs are included in downloaders, installers as optional offers.

Users download and install PUAs together with other programs when they do not change settings in downloaders, installers. In most cases, unwanted offers can be declined via "Advanced", "Manual", "Custom" or other settings, or by unticking checkboxes.

In other cases, users unintentionally cause unwanted downloads or installations by clicking deceptive advertisements. They cause it by clicking ads designed to run certain scripts.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Applications should never be downloaded or installed via third-party downloaders or installers, Peer-to-Peer networks like eMule, torrent clients, unofficial websites, and other questionasble sources, tools. It is recommended to download apps from legitimate pages, platforms like App Store.

Downloaders and installers with "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings or checkboxes should be checked for optional applications. Unwanted offers should be declined before finishing downloads, installations.

Advertisements on shady websites (e.g., pages related to gambling, adult dating, pornography) should not be clicked as well. It is common for those advertisements to be designed to open untrustworthy websites or download, install unwanted applications by running certain scripts.

Unwanted extensions, plug-ins or add-ons installed on a browser and apps of this kind installed on the operating system should be removed as soon as possible. If your computer is already infected with SearchConsole, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

List of SearchConsole's files that need to be removed:

• ~/Library/Application Support/com.SearchConsole/SearchConsole
• ~/Library/Application Support/com.SearchConsoleDaemon/SearchConsole
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.SearchConsole.plist
• ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.SearchConsoleDaemon.plist

IMPORTANT NOTE! Rogue setups/apps that promote the SearchConsole adware are designed to create a new device profile. Therefore, before taking any further removal steps, perform these actions:
1) Click the "Preferences" icon in the menu bar and select "Profiles"

2) Select the "SearchConsole" profile and delete it.

3) Perform a full system scan with Combo Cleaner anti-virus suite.

After performing these actions, you can proceed with further removal steps for this adware/browser hijacker.

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

Video showing how to remove SearchConsole adware using Combo Cleaner:

SearchConsole adware removal:

Remove SearchConsole-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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