How to uninstall DominantPartition adware from the operating system
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is DominantPartition?
DominantPartition is an adware-type app with browser hijacker characteristics. This application operates by running intrusive advertisement campaigns and making changes to browser settings to promote fake search engines. Additionally, most adware-type apps and browser hijackers collect browsing-related information.
Since users typically download/install DominantPartition inadvertently, it is also classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA).
This app has been observed being spread via fake Adobe Flash Player updates. These bogus software updaters are employed to proliferate PUAs, Trojans, ransomware, and other malware.
Adware delivers pop-ups, banners, coupons, surveys, full-page and other intrusive advertisements. These significantly diminish the browsing experience by overlaying page content and reducing browsing speed.
Furthermore, intrusive advertisements are dangerous. When clicked, they redirect to dubious/malicious sites and some can even stealthily download/install software (e.g. PUAs).
Browser hijackers reassign the homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URLs to the addresses of fake search engines. Therefore, with this browser hijacker installed, new browser tabs/windows opened and web searches made via the URL bar redirect to the promoted address.
Rogue search engines are seldom able to provide search results, and so they usually redirect to (or cause redirection chains ending with) Google, Yahoo, Bing and other genuine sites. Browser hijackers can also restrict/deny access to browser settings and/or undo any permitted changes made.
Most PUAs (adware and browser hijackers included) have data tracking capabilities. They monitor browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and gather personal information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). The collected data is then shared with and/or sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals).
To summarize, the presence of data-tracking software on devices can lead to system infections, serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. Therefore, you are strongly advised to remove all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.
| Name | Ads by DominantPartition |
| Threat Type | Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Detection Names (installer) | Avast (MacOS:Bundlore-DY [Adw]), BitDefender (Adware.MAC.Bundlore.EJD), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Bnodlero.ay), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Detection Names (DominantPartition.service.app) | Avast (MacOS:Agent-MT [Trj]), Elastic (Malicious (high Confidence)), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/TrojanDownloader.Adloa), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Cimpli.m), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Detection Names (DominantPartition.system) | Avast (MacOS:Agent-MT [Trj]), Elastic (Malicious (high Confidence)), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/TrojanDownloader.Adload.AE), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Cimpli.m), 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. |
FPMPlayer, ProductChannel, InitialProgram, ElementaryType, and ActivityElement are some examples of other apps within the adware category. They may seem legitimate and offer various "useful" features, however, the promised functionality rarely works. In fact, this applies to most PUAs.
The sole goal of this unwanted software is to generate profit at users' expense. Therefore, rather than delivering any real value, PUAs run intrusive ad campaigns, hijack browsers, cause redirects, and collect private data.
How did DominantPartition install on my computer?
PUAs are distributed via download/installation set-ups of other products. This deceptive marketing tactic of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".
Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps and settings, etc.) increases the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the system.
Some PUAs have "official" download sites. Intrusive advertisements proliferate these applications as well. Once clicked, they can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without users' consent.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
You are advised to research all software before download/installation or purchase. All downloads must be done from official and verified sources, since dubious channels such as unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders commonly offer deceptive or bundled content.
When downloading/installing, read the terms, explore all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of supplementary apps, tools, features, etc. Intrusive ads may seem normal and harmless, however, they can redirect to various dubious web pages (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, and many others).
If you encounter ads or redirects of this kind, inspect the system and remove any suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately.
If your computer is already infected with DominantPartition, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.
Pop-up window displayed when DominantPartition adware is installed:
Text presented in this pop-up:
"DominantPartitiond" will damage your computer.
This file was downloaded on an unknown date.
OK
Show in Finder
Screenshot of the fake Flash Player updater/installer that promotes DominantPartition adware (Step 1):
Screenshot of the fake Flash Player updater/installer that promotes DominantPartition adware (Step 2):
Files related to DominantPartition adware that need to be removed:
- ~/Library/Application Support/.[random_string]/Services/com.DominantPartition.service.app
- ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.DominantPartition.service.plist
- /Library/Application Support/.[random_string]/System/com.DominantPartition.system
- /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.DominantPartition.system.plist
IMPORTANT NOTE! In some cases, malicious applications like OriginalModule alter system proxy settings, thereby causing unwanted redirects to a variety of dubious websites.
The redirects are likely to remain even after removing the application itself. Thus, you must restore them manually.
Step 1: Click on the gear icon in the Dock to navigate to the system settings. If the icon is not present in the Dock, you can find it in the Launchpad.
Step 2: Navigate to the Network settings.
Step 3: Select the connected network and click "Advanced...".
Step 4: Click on the "Proxies" tab and untick all the protocols. You should also assign the settings of each protocol to the default: "*.local, 169.254/16".
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 DominantPartition?
- STEP 1. Remove DominantPartition related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove DominantPartition ads from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove DominantPartition adware from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove DominantPartition ads from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove DominantPartition adware using Combo Cleaner:
DominantPartition adware removal:
Remove DominantPartition-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.
Outstanding!
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