How to uninstall AtlantaLookup adware from the operating system

What is AtlantaLookup?

AtlantaLookup is an adware-type application that possesses browser hijacker capabilities. It runs intrusive advertisement campaigns. I.e., delivers various unwanted and harmful ads. Additionally, AtlantaLookup modifies browser settings to promote a bogus search engine.

Adware and browser hijackers usually monitor users' browsing activity. Most users install this app unintentionally and so it is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).

AtlantaLookup has been observed being spread via fake Adobe Flash Player updaters and installers, which are commonly used to distribute adware, browser hijackers and even malware (e.g. ransomware, Trojans, etc.).

AtlantaLookup enables the placement of pop-ups, banners, coupons, surveys and other advertisements on any visited website. These intrusive ads significantly diminish the browsing experience, as they limit browsing speed and site visibility (by overlaying web page content).

Furthermore, once clicked, the ads can cause redirects to untrusted and malicious web pages, and can execute scripts to stealthily download/install rogue software (e.g. PUAs). Operating as a browser hijacker, AtlantaLookup reassigns the homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URL to the address of a fake search engine.

Therefore, each new browser tab/window opened and each search query typed into the URL bar redirects to the bogus search engine. These fake searching tools are typically unable to generate unique results and simply to redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other legitimate search engines.

It is highly likely that AtlantaLookup can also track data - monitor browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, etc.) and collect users' personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). The data is then shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) intent on misusing it for profit.

To summarize, the presence of unwanted apps can lead to system infiltration and infections, serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. To protect device and user safety, remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by AtlantaLookup
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:Adload-AD [Trj]), DrWeb (Adware.Mac.Loader.17), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/TrojanDownloader.Adlo), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Cimpli.k), Full List (VirusTotal).
Additional Information	This application belongs to the Adload malware family.
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.

UltraSearchApp, ActiveTrack, ValueKnow are some examples of other adware infections. These apps often seem legitimate and people are tempted into download/installation with offers of "useful" functions. These features are seldom operational, and this extends to most PUAs.

The only purpose of these unwanted apps is to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than delivering any real value, PUAs run intrusive ad campaigns, hijack browsers, force-open dubious and malicious websites, and track private data.

How did AtlantaLookup install on my computer?

PUAs proliferate via download/installation set-ups of other products. This deceptive marketing technique of pre-packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".

By rushing through download/installation processes (e.g. skipping steps and sections, using pre-set options, etc.), many users risk unintentionally allowing bundled content onto their systems. Some PUAs have "official" download web pages. Once clicked, intrusive advertisements can execute scripts designed to download/install PUAs without users' permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

All products should be researched to verify their legitimacy, before download/installation. You are advised to use official and trustworthy download channels. Unofficial and free file-hosting sites, P2P sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.) and other third party downloaders are untrusted and should be avoided.

When downloading/installing, it is important to read the terms, explore all available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features and so on. Intrusive ads may seem normal and harmless, however, they can redirect to dubious pages (e.g. gambling, adult-dating, pornography, etc.).

If you encounter these ads/redirects, inspect the system and immediately remove all dubious applications and suspect browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with AtlantaLookup, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Files related to AtlantaLookup adware that need to be removed:

• ~/Library/Application Support/com.AtlantaLookup/AtlantaLookup
• ~/Library/Application Support/com.AtlantaLookupDaemon/AtlantaLookup
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.AtlantaLookup.plist
• ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.AtlantaLookupDaemon.plist

IMPORTANT NOTE! Rogue setups/apps that promote AtlantaLookup 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 "AtlantaLookup" 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 adware/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 AtlantaLookup?
• STEP 1. Remove AtlantaLookup related files and folders from OSX.
• STEP 2. Remove AtlantaLookup ads from Safari.
• STEP 3. Remove AtlantaLookup adware from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove AtlantaLookup ads from Mozilla Firefox.

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

AtlantaLookup adware removal:

Remove AtlantaLookup-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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