Another computer security impostor to watch for is Mac Security Plus. The program is not really disseminated competently via official website, therefore the creators of this rogue app is relying intensively on unfailing software bundling method of distribution. This chosen channel to propagate Mac Security Plus is expected to infect scores of Mac users while it is inside the expansive circulation of freeware bundles.
The program itself appears to be an efficiently developed tool and gives user a misleading notion that having Mac Security Plus will keep their Mac computers safe from virus, malware, and similar threats. On the other hand, the program clearly demonstrates the property of rogue anti-virus software. From World Wide Web propagation to local installation of this rogue app, the unlawful mechanics of cyber criminals is obviously effective.
The dreadful scheme of Mac Security Plus starts with flooding the host computer with fake virus detection and other sorts of tests that triggers scary warnings and alerts to pop-up on the screen. While emulating the system scans, Mac Security Plus blends the report with less significant findings to establish a perception that computer requires immediate fixing. To support these troublesome discoveries and to sustain the scare factor that it had inflicted to victims, Mac Security Plus continually issues alarming pop-ups containing reminders that ignoring the current deprived system status may result to a more serious problems.
Keep in mind that all rogue security products are dubbed as ‘scareware’. This denotes that they are employing emulated scans and false-positive findings to pressure victims into buying the paid version of the computer security application. As mentioned, Mac Security Plus is malicious and to fix the system, the focus of troubleshooting should be on this unlawful product alone. The guide on this page is helpful in cleaning up the infected Mac system. Please execute the procedures in exact order.
Procedures to Remove Mac Security Plus
This section contains complete instructions to assist you in removing potentially unwanted program from Mac computer.
A summary of the step-by-step manual removal process:
Instant Removal : Scan the Mac computer with antivirus program
Combo Cleaner is a trusted Mac utility application with complete antivirus and optimization features. It is useful in dealing with adware, malware, and PUP's. Moreover, it can get rid of malicious unwanted application like Mac Security Plus.
1. Download the tool from the following page:
2. Double-click the downloaded file, combocleaner.dmg and proceed with the installation.
3. The installation window will open. Please double-click or drag the Combo Cleaner icon to the Applications folder.
4. Proceed with the installation. When it displays the Software License Agreement, please click Continue, and then click on Agree in the confirmation window. Continue with the default installation.
5. The program should run automatically after installation. If not, open your Launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon.
6. Wait until antivirus downloads its latest virus definition updates and click on "Start Combo Scan" to start removing Mac Security Plus and other issues on the Mac computer.
7. After the virus and disk scan processes, the tool will display the results. Click on Remove Selected to start cleaning the computer.
To fully optimize the features of antivirus and privacy scanners, users may have to upgrade to the premium version.
If you are comfortable enough to manually delete the unwanted application and any other potentially harmful objects associated to it, please move on to the next set of instructions.
Step 1 : Quit Mac Security Plus Process
Before proceeding with the steps below, please close the Mac Security Plus window if it is open.
1. Go to Launchpad > Other folder, open the Activity Monitor.
2. Select the process you want to quit.
3. In the upper part of the window, click the Stop button.
4. Click on the Force Quit button.
5. You may now delete or remove files that belong to Mac Security Plus. Proceed to the next steps.
Step 2 : Delete Mac Security Plus Login Items
Some malware also installs login items into compromised accounts under System Settings. This object automatically runs Mac Security Plus during user log in.
1. Go to your Dock and open System Settings.
2. Select and click General from the sidebar.
3. Next, click on Login Items on the right panel to see if there are malicious items.
4. In the "Open at Login" area, review the items and select Mac Security Plus or any suspicious entry.
5. Click on the minus [-] button and confirm your actions.
As stated, the creation of Login Items or Profiles is done on a case-to-case basis. Some malware may add their entries to this section, but others are not concern with making one. So, if the Mac Security Plus Login item is not present, please continue with the succeeding steps.
Step 3 : Delete Mac Security Plus Application
1. Go to Finder.
2. On the menu, click Go and then, select Applications from the list to open Applications Folder.
3. Find Mac Security Plus or any unwanted program.
4. Drag Mac Security Plus to Trash Bin to delete the application from Mac.
5. Next, go to the Dock, right-click on the Trash icon, and click on Empty Trash.
Step 4 : Delete Malicious Files that have installed Mac Security Plus
1. Go to your Finder. From the menu bar, please select Go > Go to Folder.
2. Input the following string and press Enter on the keyboard.
~/Library/LaunchAgents
3. You will now see a hidden folder named LaunchAgents. Take note of the following files inside the folder:
- com.Mac Security Plus.plist
- unknown.service.plist
- unknown.system.plist
- unknown.download.plist
- unknown.update.plist
4. The term unknown is just a representation of the actual malware name. Attackers may use the following file names:
- , (random characters).plist
If you cannot find the specified file, please look for any unfamiliar or suspicious entries. It may be the one causing Mac Security Plus to be present on your Mac. Arranging all items to see the latest ones may also help you identify recently installed unfamiliar files.
5. Please click on "Show items as..."
6. To arrange the items in chronological order, click Date Modified.
7. Drag all suspicious files that you may find to Trash.
Take note of all the suspicious files, as you may also delete the same item in another folder as we go on.8. Please restart the Mac computer.
9. Open another folder using the same method as above. Copy and paste the following string to easily locate the folder:
~/Library/Application Support
10. Select any suspicious items that you have noted previously. Drag them to the Trash.
11. Repeat the process in the following non-hidden folders (without ~):
/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
/Library/Application Support
12. Lastly, go to your Finder > Go and open the Applications folder. Look for subfolders with the following names and drag them to Trash.
- , (random characters)
Optional : For locked files that cannot be removed, do the following:
1. Go to Launchpad > Other folder, open the Activity Monitor.
2. Select the process you want to quit.
3. In the upper part of the window, click the Stop button.
4. Click on Force Quit button.
5. You may now delete or remove the locked file that belongs to Mac Security Plus homepage hijacker.
Step 5 : Run another Scan using Malwarebytes for Mac
Use Malwarebytes for Mac to do another scan to make sure the machine is already clear of viruses, malware, and adware. This efficient anti-malware application allows you to detect things that other security software was unable to recognize.
1. Download Malwarebytes for Mac from the link below.
2. Locate the downloaded Malwarebytes-Mac.pkg and install it with the default settings.
3. Run Malwarebytes for Mac. It will check for updates and download the most recent version if one is available. This is necessary for finding recent malware threats, including Mac Security Plus.
4. Once you are on the Malwarebytes dashboard, please click on the Scan button to start scanning your Mac computer.
5. After the scan, Malwarebytes for Mac will display a list of identified threats, and Mac Security Plus is surely part of it. Be sure to select all items in the list. Then, click the Remove button to clean the computer.
System Compatibility Notice
To provide you with easy and accurate methods, the commands used in the guide are common, useful, and tested. We ensured that our tutorial to get rid of Mac Security Plus is compatible with the majority of Mac operating systems. Please let us know via email or the comment section below if you run into any incompatibility when using this tutorial. We will be pleased to reply and make the required corrections.
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