How to Remove Advanced Mac Booster

Advanced Mac Booster is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and is known to be a strain of rogue tool from PCVARK family. It claims to boost Macintosh computer performance by fixing issues on duplicate files, system startup, drive clutters, rogue applications, and so on. Though, Advanced Mac Booster requires monetary compensation first before any Mac user can unlock the fully operational version of this tool. In short, it is employing payment-first scheme just like most rogue applications that intends to swindle money from victims.

Looking at the scan console, no one can deny that Advanced Mac Booster adopts the graphical user interface (GUI) design pattern of Auto Mac Speedup, Speedup Mac Pro, and many more similar bogus tools from the same group. Clearly, the only visible disparity is product name. Everything else is just complete mock-up of previous versions. This means that Advanced Mac Booster is also applying the same misleading tactics to persuade users into purchasing the registered version and asserts that it is the only way to resolve identified Mac issues.

Bear in mind that rogue programs love to convey panic to computer users in order to force them to deal with detected issues with urgency. To sustain this alarming impression, Advanced Mac Booster will continue to bombard the screen with fake warnings and alerts. This is also in support of its claims about the thousands of detected problems during a thorough scan, which is eventually described by security experts as simple simulation.

Advanced Mac Booster

It is not a surprise anymore to see fake scans and bogus alerts from counterfeit optimization and security tool as Advanced Mac Booster. So, before being a victim of this malware, it is suggested to eliminate it as soon as possible using the procedures below.

Procedures to Remove Advanced Mac Booster

This section contains complete instructions to assist you in removing potentially unwanted program from Mac computer.

Procedures published on this page are written in method that can be easily understand and execute by Mac users.

Quick Fix - Scan the Mac Computer with Combo Cleaner

Combo Cleaner is a trusted Mac utility application with complete antivirus and optimization features. It is useful in dealing with adware and malware. Moreover, it can get rid of unwanted program like Advanced Mac Booster. You may need to purchase full version if you require to maximize its premium features.

1. Download the tool from the following page:

2. Double-click the downloaded file and proceed with the installation.

3. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon onto your Applications folder icon.

Install Combo Cleaner

4. Open your Launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon.

5. Wait until antivirus downloads its latest virus definition updates and click on "Start Combo Scan" to start removing Advanced Mac Booster.

Combo Cleaner Scanner

6. As shown in the image below, Combo Cleaner accurately detects Advanced Mac Booster rogue program. Proceed with the removal of the virus by upgrading Combo Cleaner to full version.

Combo Cleaner Scan Result

Free features of Combo Cleaner include Disk Cleaner, Big Files finder, Duplicate files finder, and Uninstaller. To use antivirus and privacy scanner, users have to upgrade to a premium version.

Proceed with the rest of the removal steps if you are comfortable manually removing malicious objects associated with the threat.

Step 1 : Quit Advanced Mac Booster Process

Before proceeding with the steps below, please close Advanced Mac Booster window if in case it is open.

1. Go to Launchpad, Utilities folder, open Activity Monitor.

2. Choose All Processes from the upper right corner of the window.

3. Under Process Name column, look for Advanced Mac Booster. Click the name to select the malicious process.

4. Next, click the Quit Process button located in the upper left corner of the window.

Force Quit Apps

5. When prompted, click on Force Quit.

6. You may now delete or remove files that belongs to Advanced Mac Booster. Proceed to the next steps.

Step 2 : Delete Advanced Mac Booster Login Items

Some malware also installs login item into compromised account under System Preferences. This object automatically runs Advanced Mac Booster during user log in.

1. Go to Apple menu and choose System Preferences.

2. Select Users & Groups from the preferences window.

3. You may need to Unlock this area in order to make changes. Click on the Lock icon on lower left corner of the window.

4. Next, select user account that runs Advanced Mac Booster.

5. Click on Login Items tab.

6. Select Advanced Mac Booster from listed entries and click on the minus [-] button and confirm your actions. Please see image below for reference.

Screenshot of Login Items

As stated, the creation of Login Items or profile is case-to-case basis. Some unwanted application may add their entry on this section but others are not concern on making one. So, if Advanced Mac Booster Login item is not present, please continue with the succeeding steps.

Step 3 : Delete Advanced Mac Booster Application

1. Go to Finder.

2. On the menu, click Go and then, select Applications from the list to open Applications Folder.

3. Find Advanced Mac Booster or any unwanted program.

Delete Unwanted App

4. Drag the Advanced Mac Booster to Trash Bin to delete the application from Mac.

5. Right-click on Trash icon and click on Empty Trash.

Step 4 : Delete Malicious Files that have installed Advanced Mac Booster

1. Select and copy the string below to your Clipboard by pressing Command + C on your keyboard.

~/Library/LaunchAgents

2. Go to your Finder. From the menu bar please select Go > Go to Folder...

3. Press Command + V on your keyboard to paste the copied string. Press Return to go to the said folder.

Command + V

4. You will now see a folder named LaunchAgents. Take note of the following files inside the folder:

  • ambhlpr.app
  • amb.help
  • Helperamb
  • AdvancedMacBooster.agent

If you cannot find the specified file, please look for any unfamiliar or suspicious entries. It may be the one causing Advanced Mac Booster to be present on your Mac. Arranging all items to see the most latest ones may also help you identify recently installed unfamiliar files. Please press Option + Command + 4 on your keyboard to arrange the application list in chronological order.

Option+Command+4

5. Drag all suspicious files that you may find to Trash.

6. Repeat Step 2, numbers 1-5 procedures on the following folder (without ~):

/Library/LaunchAgents

7. Please restart the computer.

8. Open another folder using the same method as above. Copy and Paste the following string to easily locate the folder.

~/Library/Application Support

9. Look for suspicious objects or folders with the following names and drag them to the Trash.

  • Advanced Mac Booster
  • Ambhlpr

10. Repeat procedures 8 and 9 on the following folders if necessary.

~/Library/Caches

11. Go to your Finder and open the Applications Folder. Look for subfolders with names similar above and drag them to Trash.

12. Lastly, please Empty your Mac's Trash bin.

Step 5 : Run another Scan using MBAM Tool for Mac

1. Download Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac from the link below.

2. Run Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac. It will check for updates and download if most recent version is available. This is necessary in finding recent malware threats including Advanced Mac Booster.

3. If it prompts to close all running web browser, please do so. Thus, we advise you to PRINT this guide for your reference before going offline.

4. Once it opens the user interface, please click on Scan button to start scanning your Mac computer.

MBAM for Mac

5. After the scan, Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac will display a list of identified threats, Advanced Mac Booster is surely part of it. Be sure to select all items in the list. Then, click Remove button to clean the computer.

6. You may now restart the computer.

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