How to remove KeyData adware and the advertisements it displays?

What is KeyData?

KeyData is a rogue app categorized as adware. It also has browser hijacker qualities. Due to the questionable techniques used to distribute software products within these categories, they are also considered to be PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Application).

KeyData adware in detail

Adware enables the placement of pop-ups, coupons, surveys, banners, and other intrusive adverts - on any visited website and/or different interfaces. The displayed ads seriously diminish the browsing experience and endanger device/user safety.

Intrusive advertisements promote various sale-oriented, untrustworthy, deceptive/scam, and malicious sites. Furthermore, some of these ads can stealthily download/install software (e.g., PUAs) - when clicked on.

Browser hijackers assign fraudulent web searcher addresses as browsers' default search engine, and new tab/window, and homepage URLs. Therefore, new browser tabs/windows opened and search queries typed into the URL bar - redirect to the promoted address.

Fake search engines usually cannot provide search results, so they redirect to Yahoo, Google, Bing, and other genuine ones. Browser hijackers can undo any user-made changes or deny access to the browser settings outright. Hence, restoring a browser is impossible without removing the software hijacking it.

Most PUAs have data tracking abilities. Information of interest includes browsing and search engine histories, IP addresses, personally identifiable details, and so on. The gathered data is then shared with and/or sold to third-parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

In summary, the presence of unwanted apps on devices can lead to system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by KeyData
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:Adload-AG [Adw]), Combo Cleaner (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.AdLoad.13), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.G), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Adload.j), Full List (VirusTotal)
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.

Adware in general

FocusDeploy, BeyondLaunch, and BufferRecord are a few examples of adware. This software looks harmless and offers "useful" features that are rarely operational. This is true of nearly all PUAs. Furthermore, these applications typically have harmful abilities, e.g., running intrusive advertisement campaigns, hijacking browsers, causing redirects, and gathering private data.

How did KeyData install on my computer?

PUAs are distributed using the "bundling" marketing method - packing regular programs with various additions. Rushed download/installation processes increase the risk of unintentionally allowing bundled content into the device. Intrusive adverts proliferate PUAs as well. Once clicked on, the ads can execute scripts to make downloads/installations without user permission. PUAs may also have "official" download sites.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is recommended to research software and download it from official/trustworthy sources. Dubious download channels, e.g., unofficial and freeware websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, and other third-party downloaders - often offer bundled/dangerous content.

When downloading/installing, it is recommended to read terms, study possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt-out from all supplements. Intrusive advertisements appear legitimate, yet they redirect to questionable sites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).

In case of encounters with ads and/or redirects of this type, the system must be inspected and all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - immediately removed from it. If your computer is already infected with KeyData, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

Pop-up window displayed once KeyData adware's installation is over:

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

Video showing how to remove KeyData adware using Combo Cleaner:

KeyData adware removal:

Remove KeyData-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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What harm can adware cause?

Adware infiltrated into a system can decrease its performance and diminish the browsing experience. This software typically has data tracking abilities, which also makes it a threat to user privacy. What is more, adware-delivered advertisements often promote questionable and even malicious sites and apps.

What does adware do?

Adware stands for advertising-supported software. It operates by running intrusive advert campaigns, i.e., displaying various ads on any visited website and/or different interfaces.

How do adware developers generate revenue?

Adware developers generate profit by promoting websites, applications, services, etc. Commission may be gained from ad clicks, website visits, file downloads, product purchases, or similar.

Will Combo Cleaner remove KeyData adware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan devices and eliminate adware-type apps. It is noteworthy that manual removal may not be a perfect solution. In some cases, even after the adware itself is removed - various leftovers (files) remain in the system. Furthermore, the remaining components can continue running and causing problems.

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