Removing ElectronicPersonal adware and the adverts it delivers

What kind of application is ElectronicPersonal?

Our researchers discovered the ElectronicPersonal app while reviewing file submissions to the VirusTotal platform. After examining this piece of software, we determined that it is adware from the AdLoad malware family. ElectronicPersonal is designed to generate revenue for its developers through advertising.

ElectronicPersonal adware overview

Adware stands for advertising-supported software. It feeds users with unwanted and potentially dangerous ads. The software may display advertisements on various interfaces, such as visited websites, desktops, or others.

It must be noted that adware might not run intrusive ad campaigns if the browser/system specs are incompatible, particular sites are not visited, etc. Regardless of whether ElectronicPersonal delivers adverts – its presence on a system threatens device/user safety.

Adware-displayed advertisements predominantly promote online scams, unreliable/harmful software, and even malware. Some intrusive ads can be triggered (i.e., by being clicked) to execute scripts that perform stealthy downloads/installations. Keep in mind that any genuine content encountered via these adverts is most likely endorsed by scammers abusing its affiliate programs in order to obtain illegitimate commissions.

While there are many AdLoad adware-type applications with browser-hijacking capabilities, ElectronicPersonal did not exhibit these qualities during testing.

Advertising-supported software usually gathers sensitive information, and data tracking might be an ability of ElectronicPersonal as well. Targeted data may include: browsing and search engine histories, Internet cookies, account log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, credit card numbers, etc. The collected information can be monetized via sale to third-parties.

To summarize, the presence of software like ElectronicPersonal on devices may result in system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by ElectronicPersonal
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:AdAgent-DH [Adw]), Combo Cleaner (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.Adload.23), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.H), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Searchproxy.f), 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), 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 examined numerous adware samples; OperativeSignal, NetProcess, UsualAccess, and EngineRotator are merely a few of our newest finds. Software within this category rarely appears suspicious – it tends to look legitimate and harmless.

Users can be enticed into downloading/installing adware by promises of "handy" functionalities. In most cases, these features are fake, and their only purpose is to serve as bait. However, even if a piece of software operates exactly as indicated by its promotional material – that is not definitive proof of either legitimacy or safety.

How did ElectronicPersonal install on my computer?

Adware is distributed using the bundling marketing tactic, which entails packing ordinary program installation setups with unwanted/malicious supplements.

Downloading from untrustworthy sources (e.g., freeware and third-party sites, P2P sharing networks, etc.) and treating installations with negligence (e.g., skipping steps, using "Easy/Express" settings, etc.) – increase the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the system.

Some intrusive advertisements are capable of performing stealthy downloads/installations upon being clicked. These adverts are also used to proliferate adware.

Additionally, advertising-supported software can have "official" promotional pages, and it is endorsed on scam websites. Most visitors to these webpages access them via redirects caused by sites using rogue advertising networks, mistyped URLs, spam browser notifications, intrusive ads, or installed adware (with browser force-opening abilities).

How to avoid installation of adware?

It is important to always research software before downloading or purchasing it. We recommend downloading only from official and verified channels. When installing, we advise reading terms, inspecting available options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting out of all supplementary apps, extensions, etc.

Another recommendation is to be vigilant while browsing since fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears genuine and innocuous. For example, despite their harmless appearance – intrusive adverts redirect to highly questionable websites (e.g., scam-promoting, pornography, gambling, adult dating, etc.).

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

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

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

Video showing how to remove ElectronicPersonal adware using Combo Cleaner:

ElectronicPersonal adware removal:

Remove ElectronicPersonal-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 displays advertisements that promote harmful content capable of causing system infections, privacy issues, financial losses, and other serious problems. The presence of this software on a device can decrease browsing quality and system performance. Additionally, adware is considered to be a threat to user privacy since it typically collects sensitive information.

What does adware do?

Adware stands for advertising-supported software. Its primary functions can include enabling the placement of adverts on various interfaces, generating redirects, and gathering private data.

How do adware developers generate revenue?

Adware generates revenue primarily through affiliate programs by promoting content (e.g., sites, products, services, software, etc.).

Will Combo Cleaner remove ElectronicPersonal adware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan systems and eliminate all adware-type apps installed. It must be mentioned that manual removal (performed without security tools) might not be a perfect solution. In some cases, file remnants stay hidden within the system after the software has been manually removed. Furthermore, the remaining components might continue to run and cause issues. Therefore, advertising-supported software must be eliminated thoroughly.

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