How to remove SmartToolboxSearch adware

What is SmartToolboxSearch?

The AdLoad adware family includes a number of adware-type applications, including SmartToolboxSearch. Adware programs serve various advertisements, which is the case with this particular app, but SmartToolboxSearch also promotes a fake search engine. It might also gather information.

In most cases, users download and install adware unintentionally. Therefore, these apps are also known as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs). Note that SmartToolboxSearch is installed and distributed through a fake Adobe Flash Player installer.

After installation, adware-type applications such as SmartToolboxSearch feed users with intrusive advertisements. If clicked, these open untrusted pages or cause download/installation of unwanted apps by executing certain scripts. In most cases, adware displays ads in the form of pop-ups, banners, surveys and coupons.

SmartToolboxSearch promotes the address of a fake search engine, so it operates as adware but also as a browser hijacker. Typically, browser hijackers promote fake search engines by modifying browser settings such as the address of the default search engine, homepage, and new tab.

Fake search engines are useless and redundant, since they provide results generated by other search engines (such as Yahoo, Bing), however, some also provide misleading information.

Furthermore, SmartToolboxSearch might also track and record browsing related, and other, data such as geolocations, entered search queries, addresses of visited pages, IP addresses and other details. It might also collect sensitive, confidential information.

The developers seek to generate revenue by selling the data to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who could misuse it in other ways.

Remove SmartToolboxSearch and any other, similar apps from the browser and operating system immediately. Note that, as well as SmartToolboxSearch, fake Adobe Flash Player installers can be used to promote malicious software such as ransomware, Trojans, etc. These installers should never be used for any purpose.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by SmartToolboxSearch
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:Adload-AD [Trj]), BitDefender (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.Adload.4), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/TrojanDownloader.Adload.AE), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Cimpli.k), 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.

MajorChannelSearch, SkilledDeskSearch and WebAidSearch are example of apps also part of the AdLoad adware family. Generally, adware-type apps display ads and/or collect data. In any case, most do not deliver any real value and simply cause problems relating to privacy, browsing safety, etc.

Adware users can become victims of identity theft and, therefore, this software should never be downloaded or installed.

How did SmartToolboxSearch install on my computer?

Research shows that SmartToolboxSearch can be is installed and distributed through a fake Adobe Flash Player installer, which does not update or install the genuine Adobe Flash Player. People also unintentionally download and install PUAs such as SmartToolboxSearch through deceptive advertisements and via the set-ups of other programs.

If clicked, some ads cause download/installation of unwanted apps by running certain scripts. In other cases, PUAs are distributed by including them into the download/installation set-ups of other programs as "additional offers". This distribution method is called "bundling".

Generally, offers to download or install PUAs are mentioned in "Advanced", "Custom", or "Manual" settings of the set-ups. Many users allow PUAs to be downloaded and installed together with regular software when they leave the settings unchanged.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Peer-to-Peer networks (eMule, torrent clients and so on), unofficial pages, third party downloaders, installers, etc., should not be used to download or install software, since they are often used to distribute unwanted or even malicious software. All programs and files should be downloaded from official websites and via direct links.

Check all download/installation settings ("Advanced", "Manual, "Custom") and dismiss offers to download or install unwanted software. Do not finish any downloads and installations without first checking those settings.

Do not click intrusive ads that are displayed on dubious web pages - they can open rogue sites or run scripts that cause download/installation of unwanted software. If the browser causes unwanted redirects and/or displays ads, remove any unwanted, suspicious and unknown extensions, add-ons and plug-ins that are installed on the browser immediately.

Also uninstall programs of this kind that are installed on the operating system. If your computer is already infected with SmartToolboxSearch, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Files related to SmartToolboxSearch adware that need to be removed:

• ~/Library/Application Support/com.SmartToolboxSearch/SmartToolboxSearch
• ~/Library/Application Support/com.SmartToolboxSearchDaemon/SmartToolboxSearch
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.SmartToolboxSearch.plist
• ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.SmartToolboxSearchDaemon.plist

IMPORTANT NOTE! Rogue setups/apps that promote SmartToolboxSearch adware are designed to create a new device profile. Therefore, before taking any further removal steps, perform these actions:

1) Click the "Preferences" icon in the menu bar and select "Profiles".

2) Select the "SmartToolboxSearch" profile and delete it.

3) Perform a full system scan with Combo Cleaner anti-virus suite.

After performing these actions, you can proceed with further removal steps for this browser hijacker.

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

Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:

SmartToolboxSearch adware removal:

Remove SmartToolboxSearch-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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