How to uninstall TechBoardSearch adware from the operating system

What is TechBoardSearch?

TechBoardSearch is an adware-type application that possess characteristics typical of browser hijackers. It operates by running intrusive ad campaigns and modifying browser settings to promote a fake search engine. Furthermore, most adware programs and browser hijackers track browsing-related data, and it is highly likely that TechBoardSearch also performs this function.

This app has been observed being distributed via fake Adobe Flash Player updates and is therefore classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA). Bogus software updaters/installers proliferate PUAs and also ransomware, Trojans and other malware.

Software classified as adware enables the placement of various intrusive advertisements (e.g. pop-ups, banners, coupons, surveys, etc.) on any visited website. These ads diminish the browsing experience by overlaying web pages and limiting browsing speed.

When clicked, they redirect to untrusted/malicious sites and can even stealthily download/install rogue content such as PUAs. Browser hijackers also affect the browsing experience. They reassign the homepage, default search engine and new tan/window URLs to the addresses of bogus search engines.

Therefore, each search query typed into the URL bar and each new browser tab/window opened redirects to the promoted address. Fake search engines are usually unable to generate unique results, and so they redirect to (or cause redirection chain ending with) Yahoo, Google, Bing and other legitimate sites.

Recovering a hijacked browser is impossible without removing the hijacking software, since any changes users attempt to make are automatically reset, if access to the browser settings is allowed at all. Furthermore most PUAs (including adware and browser hijackers) can track data.

They can record browsing activity (browsing and search engine histories) and collect personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This sensitive data is typically monetized by sharing with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) seeking to misuse it for profit.

To summarize, the presence of unwanted apps on systems can lead to serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. To ensure device integrity and user safety, all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins must be removed without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by TechBoardSearch
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.

ExtraDevice, WebAssistSearch and SystemHelper are some examples of other adware-type apps. They may seem legitimate and often tempt users into download/installation with offers of "useful" functionality. Despite how good these features may sound, they are usually nonoperational, and this is true of all PUAs.

These unwanted applications have just one purpose: to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than delivering any real value, PUAs run intrusive ad campaigns, cause redirects, hijack browsers and gather private information.

How did TechBoardSearch install on my computer?

PUAs proliferate via the download/install set-ups of other products. This deceptive marketing technique of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is termed "bundling". Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps, using pre-set options, etc.) increases the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content onto the device.

Some PUAs have "official" download sites. Intrusive ads can also infiltrate these applications into systems. Once clicked, they can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without users' permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

You are strongly advised to research all software prior to download/installation or purchase. Download only from official and verified sources. Unofficial and free file-hosting sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule, etc.) and other third party downloaders are untrusted, as they can offer bundled content.

Treat download/Installation processes with caution. Read the terms, study all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and decline download/installation of additional apps, tools, features and so on. Intrusive advertisements may seem normal and harmless, however, they often redirect to dubious web pages (e.g. gambling, adult-dating, pornography, etc.).

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

Files related to TechBoardSearch adware that need to be removed:

• ~/Library/Application Support/com.TechBoardSearch/TechBoardSearch
• ~/Library/Application Support/com.TechBoardSearchDaemon/TechBoardSearch
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.TechBoardSearch.plist
• ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.TechBoardSearchDaemon.plist

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

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

TechBoardSearch adware removal:

Remove TechBoardSearch-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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