How to remove the FreshSkill adware from your operating system

What is FreshSkill?

Discovered by our research team during a routine inspection of new submissions to VirusTotal, FreshSkill is a rogue application. After analyzing it, we determined that it is a piece of advertising-supported software (adware) belonging to the AdLoad malware family.

FreshSkill adware overview

Adware can require certain conditions to be met to operate as designed (i.e., run intrusive advertisement campaigns). For example, if the device/browser specs are incompatible, users do not visit specific websites, etc. - advertising-supported software may not display ads. Therefore, while FreshSkill did deliver adverts on our test system, it might not on others.

Adware-delivered advertisements promote untrustworthy/hazardous sites and software, online scams, and even malware. Additionally, some intrusive ads can infiltrate software into systems - upon being clicked.

It is noteworthy that reputable developers are highly unlikely to promote their products using these adverts. Legitimate content encountered through them is most likely endorsed by scammers abusing affiliate programs to obtain illegitimate commissions.

Since FreshSkill belongs to the AdLoad family, it may have browser hijacker functionalities - although it did not display any during testing.

Furthermore, this app may gather private data. Adware usually collects browsing and search engine histories, personally identifiable details, account log-in credentials, credit card numbers, etc. The collected data is then shared with and/or sold to third-parties.

To summarize, the presence of software like FreshSkill on devices can result in system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by FreshSkill
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:Adload-AG [Adw]), Emsisoft (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.AdLoad.13 (B)), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.G), Tencent (Osx.Adware.Adload.Akes), 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.

Adware examples

We have analyzed thousands of adware samples; SearchAim, MicroLocator, TradeValor - are just a few examples. Advertising-supported software typically looks legitimate and innocuous. It also offers a broad range of "useful" and "advantageous" features. However, the functions seldom work as promised, and in most cases - they do not work at all.

How did FreshSkill install on my computer?

Adware is proliferated using a wide variety of dubious distribution techniques. This software can have "official" download pages, which are mainly accessed via mistyped URLs or redirects caused by websites that use rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive adverts, or adware (capable of force-opening browsers).

Furthermore, advertising-supported software is spread using "bundling" - packing regular program installers with various additions. Download from dubious channels (e.g., Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, unofficial and freeware sites, etc.) and rushed installations - increase the risk of allowing bundled content into the system.

Intrusive advertisements are also used to proliferate adware. Once clicked on, some of these adverts can execute scripts to make downloads/installations without user permission.

How to avoid installation of adware?

We highly recommend researching software and downloading it from official/verified sources. Installation processes must be approached with caution, e.g., reading terms, studying possible options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting-out of all additions.

We also advise being vigilant when browsing - since fraudulent and malicious material tends to look legitimate. For example, intrusive ads appear harmless - however, they redirect to unreliable/questionable sites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).

If you experience ads/redirects of this kind, inspect your device and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with FreshSkill, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Pop-up window displayed once FreshSkill adware's installation is over:

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

Video showing how to remove FreshSkill adware using Combo Cleaner:

FreshSkill adware removal:

Remove FreshSkill-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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What harm can adware cause?

Adware endangers device/user safety. It can diminish the browsing experience and system performance. This software usually has data tracking abilities, which make it a privacy threat. Furthermore, adware-displayed adverts can be dubious/malicious and cause severe issues (e.g., system infections, financial losses, etc.).

What does adware do?

Advertising-supported software (adware) is designed to deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns (i.e., display ads on visited websites and/or other interfaces). Some types can also force-open questionable/harmful sites and collect private information.

How do adware developers generate revenue?

Adware developers profit primarily via affiliate programs by endorsing various websites, products, services, and similar.

Will Combo Cleaner remove FreshSkill adware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan devices and eliminate adware-type applications installed. It is worth mentioning that manual removal (unaided by security software) might not be ideal. In some instances, even after the adware itself is (manually) removed - various file leftovers remain hidden in the system. What is more, the remnants can continue running and causing problems. Therefore, it is paramount to eliminate adware thoroughly.

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