How to uninstall MainPanelSearch adware

What is MainPanelSearch?

MainPanelSearch is a rogue application categorized as adware. It runs intrusive ad campaigns (i.e., enables the placement of various ads on any visited website). Additionally, this app has browser hijacker characteristics, such as modification of browser settings and promotion of fake search engines.

Most adware and browser hijackers can track browsing-related data. MainPanelSearch has been distributed using fake Adobe Flash Player update/installation set-ups. Due to these dubious proliferation methods, MainPanelSearch is also classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).

Furthermore, bogus updaters/installers are often used to spread PUAs and even Trojans, ransomware and other malware.

MainPanelSearch adware can deliver intrusive advertisements including pop-ups, surveys, banners, coupons and others. These significantly diminish the browsing experience, since they overlay web page content and limit browsing speed. Once clicked, the ads redirect to various untrusted and malicious websites.

Some can even be triggered (when clicked) to execute scripts designed to download/install rogue software (e.g. PUAs) without users' consent. Browser hijackers operate by assigning the addresses of fake web search engines as the homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs.

Therefore, all new browser tabs/windows opened and each search made via the URL bar redirects to these bogus addresses. Rogue search engines typically cannot generate unique results, and so they tend to redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other genuine sites.

When users attempt to make any changes to their browsers, they are automatically reset (if access to settings is allowed at all). To recover an affected browsers, it is necessary to eliminate the browser hijacker. It is highly likely that MainPanelSearch also has data tracking capabilities.

These capabilities are employed to monitor users' browsing activity (browsing and search engines histories) and collect personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and other details).

To summarize, the presence of unwanted apps on systems can lead to various infiltration and infections, financial loss, serious privacy issues and identity theft. You are strongly advised to remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by MainPanelSearch
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.

TechAdviseSearch, SelectionDaily, and ExpertProjectSearch are some examples of other adware infections. These products may seem legitimate and people are often tempted into download/installation with offers of "useful" features, which are rarely operational.

This extends to most PUAs. These apps have just one purpose: to generate revenue at users' expense. Therefore, rather than delivering any real value, PUAs run intrusive advertisement campaigns, cause redirects, hijack browsers and gather vulnerable data.

How did MainPanelSearch install on my computer?

PUAs are promoted via the download/installation set-ups of other software. This deceptive marketing technique of packing regular content with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".

By rushing through download/install processes (e.g. ignoring terms, skipped steps and sections, using pre-set options, etc.), many users inadvertently endanger their devices with infiltration and infections originating from bundled software. Certain PUAs have "official" download web pages.

Intrusive ads can infiltrate these applications into systems as well. When clicked, they can execute scripts to stealthily download/install PUAs.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

All products should be researched to verify their legitimacy, prior to download/installation. Use only official and trustworthy download sources, as opposed to unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders.

When downloading/installing, you are advised to read the terms, explore all available options, use "Custom" or "Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features, etc. Intrusive ads may seem normal and innocuous, however, once clicked, they can redirect to dubious websites (e.g. pornography, adult-dating, gambling and others).

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

Files related to MainPanelSearch adware that need to be removed:

• ~/Library/Application Support/com.MainPanelSearch/MainPanelSearch
• ~/Library/Application Support/com.MainPanelSearchDaemon/MainPanelSearch
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.MainPanelSearch.plist
• ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.MainPanelSearchDaemon.plist

IMPORTANT NOTE! Rogue setups/apps that promote MainPanelSearch 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 "MainPanelSearch" 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.

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

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

MainPanelSearch adware removal:

Remove MainPanelSearch-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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