Our marketing department called the IT department today and was seeing a big dialog box open about 'Mac Ads Cleaner' that had been installed on their MacOS systems. We had no idea at all how it got there. We tell them to try to quit it, removed it from autostart, and deleted the app out of the Applications folder. But the thing kept appearing again and again.Removing its stuff from the Library did not help either because another pop-up box appeared asking us to register Mac Ads Cleaner.
But our talented Steve figured out how to get rid of it.
May 15, 2016 Advanced Mac Cleaner is considered a malicious program. PUP like Advanced Mac Cleaner is tied to a myriad of security problems, the most dangerous one being a potential ransomware infection. There’s a term among the IT community for such software – PUP. The abbreviation stands for Potentially Unwanted Program. In the case of Advanced Mac Cleaner this means that some people. How to Uninstall Advanced Mac Cleaner - Steps Head to the Utilities subfolder in the Applications file folder. Run the embedded Activity Monitor. Hit Quit whenever you're ready. Click on the back arrow tab and check out your own Application folder. Save your work and reboot your operating.
Quick Fix
Restart into Safe Mode
Force quit the processes (Cmd+Option+Esc):
Advanced Password Manager
Mac Ads CleanerMalware Crusher
Unpollute My MacHold the shift key when rebooting until apple icon appears.
Remove the files
Run the following
find / -iname com.techy* -exec rm -rf {} ;
find / -iname hlpradc -exec rm -rf {} ;find / -iname adscleaner -exec rm -rf {} ;
find / -iname helperamc -exec rm -rf {} ;find / -iname ummhlpr -exec rm -rf {} ;
find / -iname amphelper -exec rm -rf {} ;Details
Process Architecture
Creates per user daemons. So, there will be pieces in these locations:
~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchAgents/Library/LaunchDaemons
There are files such as com.techyutils.ummhlpr.plistcom.techyutils.mchlpr.plist
Some of them may even have root ownership. Dont let that fool you.
Inspecting those files, the following suspicious items are found:
com.adscleaner.hlpradc.plist -> ~/Library/Application Support/adc/hlpradc.app/Contents/MacOS/hlpradc
com.mackeeper.MacKeeper.Helper.plist -> /Applications/MacKeeper.app/Contents/Services/MacKeeper Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/MacKeeper Helpercom.pcv.hlpramcn.plist
~/Library/Application Support/amc/helperamc.app/Contents/MacOS/helperamccom.pcvark.APMHelper
~/Library/Application Support/apm/APMHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/APMHelpercom.techyutils.mchlpr.plist
~/Library/Application Support/MCR/mchlpr.app/Contents/MacOS/mchlprcom.techyutils.ummhlpr.plist
~/Library/Application Support/umm/ummhlpr.app/Contents/MacOS/ummhlprGo ahead and remove the files.File Locations
Here is a sample cross referencing the places that have been affected:
find / -iname mchlpr.app
~/Library/Application Support/MCR/mchlpr.app/Applications/Malware Crusher.app/Contents/Resources/mchlpr.app
find / -iname com.techyutils*
/Applications/Malware Crusher.app/Contents/Resources/com.techyutils.mchlpr.plist/Applications/Unpollute My Mac.app/Contents/Resources/com.techyutils.ummhlpr.plist
~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.sharedfilelist/com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments/com.techyutils.mac-ads-cleaner.sfl/Library/Application Support/MCR/com.techyutils.mchlpr.plist
/Library/Application Support/umm/com.techyutils.ummhlpr.plist~/Library/Caches/com.techyutils.Mac-Ads-Cleaner
~/Library/Caches/com.techyutils.Malware-Crusher~/Library/Caches/com.techyutils.mchlpr
~/Library/Caches/com.techyutils.ummhlpr~/Library/Cookies/com.techyutils.Mac-Ads-Cleaner.binarycookies
~/Library/Cookies/com.techyutils.Malware-Crusher.binarycookies~/Library/Preferences/com.techyutils.Mac-Ads-Cleaner.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.techyutils.Malware-Crusher.plist~/Library/Preferences/com.techyutils.mchlpr.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.techyutils.ummhlpr.plist~/Library/Saved Application State/com.techyutils.Mac-Ads-Cleaner.savedState
~/Library/Saved Application State/com.techyutils.Malware-Crusher.savedState find / -iname ummhlp*~/Library/Logs/ummhlpr.log
~/Library/Application Support/umm/ummhlpr.app~/Library/Application Support/umm/ummhlpr.app/Contents/MacOS/ummhlpr
/Applications/Unpollute My Mac.app/Contents/Resources/ummhlpr.app/Applications/Unpollute My Mac.app/Contents/Resources/ummhlpr.app/Contents/MacOS/ummhlpr
~/Library/Application Support>sudo find / -iname prmpsc*
/Applications/Unpollute My Mac.app/Contents/Resources/prmpsc.plist~/Library/Application Support/Unpollute My Mac/prmpsc.plist
~/Library/Application Support>sudo find / -iname settpsc*
/Applications/Unpollute My Mac.app/Contents/Resources/settpsc.plist~/Library/Application Support/Unpollute My Mac/settpsc.plist
~/Library/Application Support>sudo find / -iname hlpradc*
/Applications/Mac Ads Cleaner.app/Contents/Resources/hlpradc.app/Applications/Mac Ads Cleaner.app/Contents/Resources/hlpradc.app/Contents/MacOS/hlpradc
~/Library/Application Support/adc/hlpradc.app~/Library/Application Support/adc/hlpradc.app/Contents/MacOS/hlpradc
~/Library/hlpradc~/Library/Logs/hlpradc.log
~/Library/Application Support>sudo find / -iname com.ads*
/Applications/Mac Ads Cleaner.app/Contents/Resources/com.adscleaner.hlpradc.plist~/Library/Application Support/adc/com.adscleaner.hlpradc.plist
~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.sharedfilelist/com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments/com.adscleaner.hlpradc.sfl~/Library/Caches/com.adscleaner.hlpradc
~/Library/Preferences/com.adscleaner.hlpradc.plist ~/Library/Application Support>sudo find / -iname com.pcva*/Applications/Advanced Password Manager.app/Contents/Resources/com.pcvark.APMHelper.plist
/private/var/db/receipts/com.pcvark.advancedPasswordManagerUpdate.Root.pkg.bom/private/var/db/receipts/com.pcvark.advancedPasswordManagerUpdate.Root.pkg.plist
~/Library/Application Support>sudo find / -iname apmhelper*/Applications/Advanced Password Manager.app/Contents/Resources/APMHelper.app
/Applications/Advanced Password Manager.app/Contents/Resources/APMHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/APMHelper~/Library/Application Support/apm/APMHelper.app
~/Library/Application Support/apm/APMHelper.app/Contents/MacOS/APMHelper~/Library/Logs/APMHelper.log
~/Library/Application Support>sudo find / -iname Mac File*
~/Library/Application Support/Mac File OpenerFree Mac Cleaner
~/Library/Application Support/Mac File Opener/Mac File Opener.app/Contents/MacOS/Mac File Opener
Items to remove
~/Library/Application Support/Unpollute My Mac
/Applications/Unpollute My Mac.app /Applications/Mac Ads Cleaner.app~/Library/Application Support/adc
~/Library/hlpradc ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.pcvark.APMHelper.plist~/Library/Application Support/apm
/Applications/Advanced Password Manager.app ~/Library/Application Support/Mac File OpenerPostmorterm
There are log files left behind that you can inspect to gain insight:
~/Library/Logs/ummhlpr.log
Things you can figure out:
Time it was installed: i.e. time stamp 2017-04-07 11:49:26
Their campaign tracking info for the the distibutor of the software.The files associated with it.
Advanced Mac Tuneup is a suspicious program that may appear on Macintosh system unexpectedly without user’s involvement. Its existence can flood the screen with various warning and alert messages stating a magnitude of software errors and system troubles. By holding onto this scare tactics, Advanced Mac Tuneup aims to fool user and make them think that this program is an essential tool to fix the computer.
Its scan result will produce an amount of false detection that can go to over thousands of items. It is more disturbing to see the same amount of reports even on clean or new system. Findings of Advanced Mac Tuneup states that system performance keeps on diminishing due to presence of adware, junk files, duplicate objects, and useless items occupying huge amount of hard disk space. As usual, after presenting these mock findings, it will suggest to buy Advanced Mac Tuneup in order to fix identified errors.
Official website promotes Advanced Mac Tuneup as a tool with bunch of features like one click care, cache cleaner, empty logs, and so on. However, its complete operation involves deceiving scheme that aims to swindle money from victims. Not to mention that it is utilizing malicious software bundles to spread a copy all over the web. Hence, security experts declare Advanced Mac Tuneup as a member of rogue application group that should be deleted from the computer as soon as possible.
To get rid of Advanced Mac Tuneup, we are presenting a complete guide on this page. Be sure to execute the steps in exact order and do not forget to scan the computer with suggested tools.
Online Security Scanner Report for advancedmactuneup.com:
Not yet tested | Community Rating: 0.0 | Updated: Jan. 19, 2019 |
Unverified | Feedback: No Data | Updated: Jan. 19, 2019 |
Currently safe | Feedback: No Data | Updated: Jan. 19, 2019 |
Procedures to Remove Advanced Mac Tuneup
This section contains complete instructions to assist you in removing potentially unwanted program from Mac system.
Procedures published on this page are written in method that can be easily understand and execute by Mac users.
Step 1 : Quick Fix - Scan the System 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 Tuneup. 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.
4. Open your Launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon.
5. Wait until antivirus downloads it's latest virus definition updates and click on 'Start Combo Scan' to start removing Advanced Mac Tuneup.
6. 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 in manually removing malicious objects associated with the threat.
Step 2 : Quit Advanced Mac Tuneup Process
Before proceeding with the steps below, please close Advanced Mac Tuneup 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 Tuneup. Click the name to select the malicious process.
4. Next, click the Quit Process button located in the upper left corner of the window.
5. When prompted, click on Force Quit.
6. You may now delete or remove files that belongs to Advanced Mac Tuneup. Proceed to the next steps.
Step 3 : Delete Advanced Mac Tuneup Login Items
Some malware also installs login item into compromised account under System Preferences. This object automatically runs Advanced Mac Tuneup 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 Tuneup.
5. Click on Login Items tab.
6. Select Advanced Mac Tuneup from listed entries and click on the minus [-] button and confirm your actions. Please see image below for reference.
Step 4 : Delete Malicious Files that have installed Advanced Mac Tuneup
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.
4. You will now see a folder named LaunchAgents. Take note of the following files inside the folder:
- amtuhlpr.app
- AdvancedMacTuneup.agent
- amtu.amtuhlpr
- amt.help
If you cannot find the specified file, please look for any unfamiliar or suspicious entries. It may be the one causing Advanced Mac Tuneup 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.
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.
- AdvancedMacTuneup
- AMTU
- amtuhlpr
- hlpramtu
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.
Mac Cleaner Scam
Step 5 : Run another Scan using MBAM Tool for Mac
1. Download Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac from this link:
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 Tuneup.
Advanced Mac Cleaner Uninstall
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.
5. After the scan, Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac will display a list of identified threats, Advanced Mac Tuneup 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.