Loadoages.com POP-UP Redirect (Mac)
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is loadoages.com?
loadoages.com is a rogue site designed to redirect users to various other dubious (potentially, malicious) websites. Research shows that, in most cases, users visit loadoages.com inadvertently - they are redirected by intrusive ads (delivered by other deceptive websites) or potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).
Note that many PUPs infiltrate systems without consent and, as well as causing redirects, deliver intrusive advertisements and continually record sensitive information.
Following infiltration, rogue apps open new browser tabs/windows and redirect to loadoages.com, which, in turn, redirects to other deceptive websites. There is a high probability that at least one of these sites will contain malicious content. Therefore, redirects to and from loadoages.com might lead to various system infections.
With regard to redirects, PUPs deliver intrusive advertisements such as coupons, banners, pop-ups, and similar. These ads can also lead to malicious sites and even execute scripts that stealthily download and install malware. Therefore, clicking them might also result in system infections.
To deliver intrusive ads, potentially unwanted programs use tools that enable placement of third party graphical content on any site. Therefore, intrusive ads often conceal underlying content, thereby significantly diminishing the browsing experience. Another important issue is information tracking.
Potentially unwanted programs record information such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, Internet service providers (ISPs), geographic locations, URLs visited, pages viewed, queries entered into search engines, keystrokes, and so on.
The data often includes personal details that developers share with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) to generate revenue. Therefore, having data-tracking apps installed can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. Uninstall all potentially unwanted programs immediately.
Name | loadoages.com pop-up |
Threat Type | Mac malware, Mac virus |
Symptoms | Your Mac became slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you get redirected to shady websites. |
Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers, torrent file downloads. |
Damage | Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady 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. |
There are hundreds of potentially unwanted adware-type programs that are virtually identical. Almost all offer "useful features", however, these claims are merely attempts to give the impression of legitimacy. The only purpose of all PUPs is to generate revenue for the developers.
They deliver no real value for regular users, cause unwanted redirects, gather sensitive information, and deliver intrusive advertisements, thereby posing a direct threat to your privacy and Internet browsing safety.
How did potentially unwanted programs install on my computer?
Some PUPs have official download websites, however, virtually all (even those promoted via official sites) infiltrate systems without permission. Research shows that developers proliferate adware using intrusive advertisements and a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" (stealth installation of PUPs without permission).
Developers hide "bundled" programs within "Custom/Advanced" settings or other sections of the download/installation processes. Skipping these steps and clicking various advertisements often leads to inadvertent installation of rogue programs. In this way, many users expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent this situation, be very cautious when downloading/installing software and browsing the Internet. Carefully analyze each download/installation step (using "Custom/Advanced" settings) and opt-out of all additionally-included programs. Third party downloaders/installers should never be used, since developers monetize them by promoting ("bundling") potentially unwanted programs.
Download your software from official sources only, using direct download links. Developers invest many resources into intrusive ad design, thereby making them seem legitimate. Once clicked, however, they redirect to dubious websites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, and similar).
These ads typically lead to dubious websites (pornography, adult dating, gambling, and others). If you experience these redirects, immediately remove all dubious applications and browser add-ons. The key to computer safety is caution.
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 loadoages.com?
- STEP 1. Remove PUP related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove rogue extensions from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove rogue add-ons from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove potentially unwanted plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:
Potentially unwanted programs removal:
Remove PUP-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.
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