How to eliminate the SearchAim adware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of application is SearchAim?
We have discovered the SearchAim application after executing a fake Adobe Flash Player installer downloaded from a deceptive page. While installed, SearchAim displayed various untrustworthy advertisements. Thus, we have concluded that SearchAim is an advertising-supported application.
SearchAim adware in detail
Our team has examined numerous apps like SearchAim and found that most of them generate advertisements used to promote various scams (and other untrustworthy pages), shady applications, etc. Sometimes, those ads cause unwanted downloads or even installations (by running certain scripts).
Additionally, a big part of apps of this type function as browser hijackers: they change the settings of the affected browser to promote a fake search engine. Usually, fake search engines show results generated by other (untrustworthy or legitimate) search engines and (or) promote shady websites.
| Name | Ads by SearchAim |
| Threat Type | Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Detection Names | Avast (MacOS:Adload-AD [Trj]), Combo Cleaner (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.AdLoad.7), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/TrojanDownloader.Adload.AD), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Cimpli.l), 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. |
Adware in general
SearchAim is a type of software that shows annoying ads and can be used to collect sensitive information and promote fake search engines. In most cases, adware gets installed accidentally. Examples of apps similar to SearchAim are AthenaResults, CharacterVirtualSearch, EasyMacSoft.
How did SearchAim install on my computer?
SearchAim is distributed via a fake installer designed to look like the installer for Adobe Flash Player. That fake installer is promoted on a deceptive website claiming that Flash Player is out of date. It is also common for adware to be bundled with other software.
Downloaders and installers containing adware have "Advanced", "Custom", or similar settings. Adware gets installed when the software installation is finished without changing those settings. Sometimes, unwanted apps get downloaded/installed via shady advertisements.
How to avoid installation of unwanted applications?
Do not use third-party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks, shady websites, and similar sources as tools to download any software or files. Always use official/legitimate pages and platforms for that. Do not trust advertisements appearing on dubious pages. Check downloaders/installers for unwanted apps before downloading/installing programs.
If your computer is already infected with SearchAim, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.
Files related to the SearchAim adware that need to be removed:
- ~/Library/Application Support/com.SearchAim/SearchAim
- ~/Library/Application Support/com.SearchAimDaemon/SearchAim
- ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.SearchAim.plist
- ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.SearchAimDaemon.plist
IMPORTANT NOTE! Rogue setups/apps that promote the SearchAim adware are designed to create a new device profile. Therefore, before taking any further removal steps, perform these actions:
1) Click the "Preferences" icon in the menu bar (Dock) and select "Profiles".
2) Locate all suspicious profiles and delete them.
3) Perform a full system scan with Combo Cleaner anti-virus suite.
After performing these actions, you can proceed with further removal steps for this adware.
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 SearchAim?
- STEP 1. Remove SearchAim related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove SearchAim ads from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove SearchAim adware from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove SearchAim ads from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove SearchAim adware using Combo Cleaner:
SearchAim adware removal:
Remove SearchAim-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?
Usually, adware affects computer performance (slows it down) and diminishes the Internet browsing experience (bombards users with unwanted ads). Sometimes, software of this type can gather various data which poses a threat to online privacy.
What does adware do?
The main purpose of most adware-type apps is to generate advertisements. However, they can have additional capabilities. For example, they can hijack web browsers (and collect various data).
How do adware developers generate revenue?
Typically, they use adware to promote various services, products, web pages, etc. Most of the times, the main source of income is affiliate programs.
Will Combo Cleaner remove SearchAim adware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your computer and eliminate all adware-type applications. It will get rid of adware without leaving any files or other components that are part of the adware. Pretty often, when adware is removed manually, files belonging to it remain in the system even when the adware itself is no longer present.
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