How to remove AssistiveUnit adware from your operating system

What is AssistiveUnit?

AssistiveUnit is rogue software classified as adware. This app also has browser hijacker traits. It operates by running intrusive advertisement campaigns, making alterations to browser settings and promoting fake search engines. AssistiveUnit promotes Safe Finder through akamaihd.net in this manner.

Most adware-type programs and browser hijackers monitor users' browsing activity, and it is highly likely that AssistiveUnit does so as well. Due to the dubious techniques employed to proliferate AssistiveUnit, it is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA). 

Adware enables the placement on pop-ups, surveys, coupons, banners and other intrusive ads, typically on any visited website. These ads seriously affect the browsing experience, since they limit browsing speed and web page visibility. Intrusive advertisements are more than just a nuisance, they are also a threat to device/user safety.

When clicked, they redirect to various dubious/malicious sites and some can even execute scripts to stealthily download/install rogue software (e.g. PUAs). Browser hijackers reassign the homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs to the addresses of bogus search engines.

AssistiveUnit makes these modifications to browsers as well in order to promote Safe Finder via akamaihd.net. Fake search engines are seldom capable of generating search results, and so they redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other legitimate sites.

Recovering a hijacked browser is impossible without removing the software affecting it, since any changes users attempt to make to their browsers are automatically reset, if access to the setting is permitted at all. Most PUAs (adware and browser hijackers included) can track data.

They can record browsing activity (visited URLs, viewed pages, searched queries, etc.) and collect personal information derived from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This vulnerable data is usually monetized by selling to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

Therefore, the presence of unwanted apps on devices can result in system infections, financial loss, serious privacy issues and even identity theft. To protect device integrity and user safety, remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by AssistiveUnit
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:AdAgent-L [Adw]), Symantec (OSX.Trojan.Gen), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.C), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Adload.j), 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.

PracticalDivision, OperativeDesktop, and BinarySignSearch are some examples of other adware-type applications. This software may seem legitimate and harmless, and users are often enticed into download/installation with promises of "useful" functionality.

Despite how good the advertised features may sound, they rarely work. This applies to most PUAs. The only purpose of these unwanted apps is to generate profit for the developers. Rather than delivering any real value, PUAs run intrusive ad campaigns, hijack browsers, cause redirects and track private data.

How did AssistiveUnit install on my computer?

PUAs can be downloaded/installed with other products. "Bundling" is the term used to define this deceptive marketing method of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions.

By rushing through download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, using pre-set options, etc.), many users risk unintentionally allowing bundled content into their devices. Certain PUAs have "official" download sites. Intrusive ads can infiltrate these applications into systems as well.

Once clicked, they can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without users' consent.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

All products should be researched to verify their legitimacy, prior to download/installation and/or purchase. You are advised to use only official and trustworthy download channels. Unofficial and free file-hosting websites, P2P sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.) and other third party downloaders can offer bundled content, and are therefore untrusted sources.

When downloading/installing, read the terms, explore all available options, use the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings and opt-out of supplementary apps, tools, functions and other additions. Intrusive ads may seem normal and innocuous, however, they can redirect to dubious web pages (e.g. pornography, adult-dating, gambling, and so on).

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

Pop-up window displayed once AssistiveUnit installation is complete:

AssistiveUnit redirecting users to the Safe Finder website via akamaihd.net:

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

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

AssistiveUnit adware removal:

Remove AssistiveUnit-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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