Remove DiscoveryEngine adware from your Mac

What is DiscoveryEngine?

DiscoveryEngine is a rogue application, promoted as a tool capable of improving the browsing experience. It can supposedly provide fast and accurate search results, however, it acts as adware, running intrusive advertisement campaigns, delivering undesirable and possibly dangerous ads.

Adware often has data tracking abilities, which are employed to record information relating to users' browsing activity. Furthermore, DiscoveryEngine is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) due to its dubious proliferation methods.

Adware-type applications display a wide variety of intrusive advertisements, such as pop-ups, banners, surveys, coupons, and so on. These severely diminish the browsing experience by limiting browsing speed and site visibility (i.e. the ads overlay web page content).

More than just a nuisance, they are also a threat to device and user safety. When clicked, the ads can redirect to various sale-oriented, untrustworthy, compromised, deceptive/scam and malicious websites. Additionally, some can execute scripts designed to download/install unwanted content (such as PUAs).

As well as running advertisement campaigns, PUAs can also generate redirects to likewise harmful web pages. Other types can make unauthorized changes to browsers (hijack them) and limit/deny access to their settings.

Most PUAs possess data tracking abilities, which they employ to monitor users' browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and gather personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This private data can then be shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) intent on misusing it for financial gain.

Therefore, applications under this classification might cause browser/system infiltration and infections, and lead to serious privacy issues, financial loss, or even identity theft. You are advised to uninstall DiscoveryEngine without delay. To ensure device integrity and user safety, remove all dubious apps and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by DiscoveryEngine
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Detection Names	Full List (VirusTotal)
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), fake Flash Player installers, 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.

Most adware shares certain similarities, as is the case with PUAs. LogicalSearch, NeedWebSearch, and MightyBrowser are some examples of applications similar to DiscoveryEngine.

They often seem legitimate and entice users into downloading/installing with offers of "useful" and "beneficial" functions, however, these features are rarely operational (even if they do work, then it is not as advertised).

The only purpose of these unwanted apps is to generate revenue for the developers - they are not designed with regular users in mind and have no genuine value to them. Rather than delivering any real value, PUAs run intrusive ad campaigns, hijack browsers, cause redirects to untrustworthy/malicious sites and record sensitive data.

How did DiscoveryEngine install on my computer?

Typically, PUAs infiltrate devices through the download/installation set-ups of other products. This deceptive marketing technique of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious content is called "bundling".

By rushing through the download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring or skimming terms, skipping steps and sections, using pre-set options, etc.), many users risk inadvertently allowing bundled applications onto their systems. Certain PUAs have "official" web pages, from which they can often be downloaded "free". When clicked, intrusive ads stealthily download/install these apps.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

You are advised to research content to verify its legitimacy, before downloading/installing. All downloads should be done only from official and verified sources. Download channels such as Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.), unofficial and free file-hosting websites and other third party downloaders are classed as untrustworthy.

These sources should be avoided, as they can offer deceptive and bundled software. Treat download and installation processes with caution. Read the terms, explore all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and decline offers to download/install additional apps, tools, functions, etc.

Intrusive ads usually seem normal and harmless, however, they can redirect to various dubious web pages (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating and others).

If you encounter advertisements/redirects of this nature, check the system and immediately remove all suspect applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with DiscoveryEngine, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Pop-up window displayed once DiscoveryEngine installation is complete:

DiscoveryEngine installed on Safari:

DiscoveryEngine installation folder and files:

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

Video showing how to remove DiscoveryEngine adware using Combo Cleaner:

DiscoveryEngine adware removal:

Remove DiscoveryEngine-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.

▼ Show Discussion