How to remove KeyWright adware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of application is KeyWright?
KeyWright displays advertisements and promotes a fake search engine. It is advertising-supported software that has traits of a browser hijacker. Additionally, KeyWright can read sensitive information from websites. Usually, apps of this kind are promoted and distributed using questionable (often deceptive) methods.
KeyWright adware in detail
Advertisements displayed by KeyWright can open phishing websites, scams, websites promoting shady applications, and so on. Also, they may download or install unwanted apps by running specific scripts. Therefore, ads generated by KeyWright cannot be trusted.
KeyWright hijacks a web browser by modifying its setting such as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab page. It changes them to a fake search engine (its address). Fake search engines should never be used/trusted: they can promote shady websites, show results generated by untrustworthy, and generate misleading results.
| Name | Ads by KeyWright |
| Threat Type | Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Detection Names | Avast (MacOS:AdAgent-AW [Adw]), AVG (MacOS:AdAgent-AW [Adw]), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.G), F-Secure (Adware.ADWARE/OSX.Synataeb), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| 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. |
More about adware
It is known that KeyWright can read credit card details, passwords, and other sensitive information from websites. Since KeyWright is not a trustworthy app, data accessed by it may be misused to steal online accounts, identities, make fraudulent purchases, and other purposes. More examples of similar apps are GlobalProcesser, DirectEnterprises, OptionPreview.
How did KeyWright install on my computer?
Adware is distributed using fake installers, installers for other software, deceptive advertisements. Fake installers usually are promoted on shady websites (for example, on pages using scare tactics to promote shady software). Ads used to distribute adware cause unwanted downloads/installations by running certain scripts once they are clicked.
Downloaders and installers for software bundled with adware or other potentially unwanted apps have "Custom", "Advanced", or other settings. Adware gets downloaded or installed when users download or install software without changing those settings.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Do not download programs (or files) from questionable sources such as unofficial pages, third-party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks, etc. Always use legitimate (official) pages and direct links to download software. Also, do not click on ads appearing on torrent sites, adult pages, and other questionable sites.
Deselect unwanted downloads and installations before downloading and installing software that has potentially unwanted apps in its downloader and installer. If your computer is already infected with KeyWright, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.
A pop-up that appears after the installation of KeyWright adware:
KeyWright installed on Safari:
KeyWright's Contents 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 KeyWright?
- STEP 1. Remove KeyWright related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove KeyWright ads from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove KeyWright adware from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove KeyWright ads from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove KeyWright adware using Combo Cleaner:
KeyWright adware removal:
Remove KeyWright-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?
The most common problems with having adware installed on the operating system are diminished web browsing experience, decrease in computer performance, invaded privacy.
What does adware do?
Adware bombards users with intrusive advertisements. Also, it can be designed to promote a fake search engine (by hijacking a web browser) and collect sensitive and/or browsing-related data.
How do adware developers generate revenue?
They generate revenue by promoting various products, web pages, services. A big part of their income comes from affiliate programs.
Will Combo Cleaner remove KeyWright adware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your computer and remove adware (automatically). It is worth mentioning that manual removal may not be the best way to eliminate adware - some of its components may remain in the system even when adware itself is no longer installed/present.
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