How to uninstall EssentialOptimizer adware?

What is EssentialOptimizer adware?

EssentialOptimizer is rogue piece of software, categorized as adware and it also possesses browser hijacker qualities. Following successful installation, this application runs intrusive advertisement campaigns, modifies browsers and promotes fake search engines. EssentialOptimizer promotes Safe Finder through akamaihd.net.

Most PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Application), adware and browser hijackers included, gather browsing-related information. Since users tend to download/install EssentialOptimizer unintentionally, it is considered to be a PUA.

Adware runs intrusive ad campaigns. In other words, it delivers various banners, pop-ups, surveys, full-page and other advertisements. These adverts seriously diminish the browsing experience, as they limit website visibility and browsing speed. Once clicked on, they can redirect to untrustworthy, sale-oriented, deceptive/scam and malicious sites.

Some intrusive ads can even execute scripts (when they are clicked) to download/install software (e.g. PUAs) without user permission. Browser hijackers operate by assigning the addresses of illegitimate web searchers as browsers' homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs.

Therefore, with such a piece of software installed, every new browser tab/window opened and every web search done via the URL bar redirects to the promoted address. EssentialOptimizer promotes (through akamaihd.net) Safe Finder. Furthermore, browser hijackers can restrict/deny access to the browser's settings and/or promote fake search engines.

Illegitimate web searchers are seldom able to generate search results, so they redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other legitimate search engines. What is more, most PUAs record browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and gather personal information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details).

The gathered data is typically shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals), intent on misusing it for financial gain. In summary, presence of unwanted apps on devices can lead to personal financial loss, serious privacy issues and even identity theft. Therefore, it is highly recommended to remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by EssentialOptimizer
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Additional Information	This application belongs to 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.

LeadingAdviseSearch, ManagerBoost, OperativeField and OdysseusLookup are some examples of other adwares. This software appears ordinary and useful. Users are enticed into download/installation with a wide variety of "handy" features. The promised functionalities are usually nonoperational.

In fact, this applies to nearly all PUAs. Unwanted applications have just one goal - to generate revenue for the developers. Therefore, instead of delivering on any promises, PUAs run intrusive advert campaigns, modify browsers, cause redirects and track private information.

How did EssentialOptimizer install on my computer?

PUAs are often proliferated via download/installation setups of other products. This false marketing tactic of pre-packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions - is termed "bundling". Rushed download/installation processes (e.g. skipped steps, used pre-set options, etc.) - increase the risk of unintentionally allowing bundled content into the device.

Some PUAs also have "official" download pages. Intrusive ads are used to distribute these applications as well. Upon being clicked, they can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without user permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

All products must be researched prior to download/installation and/or purchase. Only official and verified sources are to be used.

Untrustworthy download channels, such as: unofficial and free file-hosting websites, P2P sharing networks (BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule, etc.) and other third party downloaders - often offer deceptive and/or bundled content; hence, they are advised against use.

When downloading/installing, it is important to read terms, study all available options, use the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings and opt-out from supplementary apps, tools, functions, and so on. Intrusive advertisements rarely appear legitimate and innocuous, however they redirect to questionable webpages (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).

Should users experience adverts/redirects of this kind, they must inspect the system and immediately remove all suspicious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins from it. If your computer is already infected with EssentialOptimizer, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Pop-up window displayed once EssentialOptimizer installation is over:

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

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

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

EssentialOptimizer adware removal:

Remove EssentialOptimizer-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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