How to remove PanelNotes adware

What is PanelNotes?

PanelNotes and similar apps are designed to feed users with intrusive advertisements. This particular app not only serves ads, but also promotes the Safe Finder page via the akamaihd.net web address. PanelNotes might also be designed to track and record information.

In any case, this app should never be trusted. Note that people often download and install these bogus apps accidentally. One distribution method used by developers to promote PanelNotes is by disguising its installer as the official Adobe Flash Player installer.

Typically, adware-type applications serve banners, pop-ups, coupons, surveys and other ads that, when clicked, open various untrusted websites. In some cases, ads that appear due to installed adware execute scripts that cause download/installation of unwanted, potentially malicious apps.

Therefore, never click ads displayed by PanelNotes or other adware. Furthermore, PanelNotes is capable of accessing and recording sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, telephone numbers and other data. It might also record browsing data (e.g., IP addresses, geolocations, entered search queries, addresses of visited websites).

The data is sold by PanelNotes's developers to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse it to generate revenue in other ways. Information collected by this app could be used for various malicious purposes. For example, to steal identities and accounts, make fraudulent purchases and transactions, etc.

Users are then risk becoming victims of identity theft, losing access to personal accounts, suffering monetary loss and other serious issues. Therefore, if PanelNotes or other apps of this type are already installed on the browser and/or operating system, remove them immediately.

As mentioned, the PanelNotes installer is disguised as an Adobe Flash Player installer. Deceptive installers are often used to distribute PUAs such as PanelNotes, and also malware including ransomware, Trojans, and other malicious programs. Therefore, these bogus installers should never be used to install any software.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by PanelNotes
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Detection Names	Endgame (Malicious (high Confidence)), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.C), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Adload.h), ZoneAlarm by Check Point (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Adload.h), 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.

More examples of apps that are very similar to PanelNotes include OptimalPromo, AccessSide and StockCommon. Generally, most adware-type applications are designed only to serve ads and collect data. Therefore, they are useless and can be the reason behind serious problems. Therefore, adware and other PUAs should never be downloaded or installed.

How did PanelNotes install on my computer?

PanelNotes is distributed through a fake installer, which is disguised as the official Adobe Flash Player installer. Developers also distribute PUAs through deceptive ads and the set-ups of other programs. When clicked, some ads can run scripts to cause download/installation of unwanted applications.

Yet PUAs are more often distributed by including them into the set-ups of other programs as 'additional offers'. This distribution method is called "bundling". Typically, offers to download and install PUAs can be found in settings such as "Advanced", "Custom", and "Manual".

Many users fail to decline these offers, leaving the settings unchanged. In doing so, they agree by default with offers to download and install additional PUAs with their required software.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Check all "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual" and other similar settings of the download/installation setup, and decline offers to download or install additionally-included apps.

Avoid unofficial websites, torrent clients, eMule (or other Peer-to-Peer networks), third party downloaders, installers, and other channels of this kind to download or install your software - they are often used to distribute unwanted, malicious apps. The safest way to download software is using official websites and direct links.

Do not click intrusive ads that appear on dubious pages, since these can open other bogus websites or cause unwanted downloads and installations. Remove any unwanted or suspicious apps (extensions, add-ons, plug-ins) installed on the browser, and programs of this kind that installed on the operating system.

If your computer is already infected with PanelNotes, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Deceptive Adobe Flash Player installer used to distribute PanelNotes:

Pop-up window displayed once PanelNotes installation is complete:

PanelNotes redirecting users to Safe Finder website via akamaihd.net:

PanelNotes extension installed on Safari:

PanelNotes installation folder:

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

Video showing how to remove PanelNotes adware using Combo Cleaner:

PanelNotes adware removal:

Remove PanelNotes-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