How to eliminate PremiumContinental adware from your operating system
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is PremiumContinental?
PremiumContinental is an adware-type application that our research team discovered while inspecting new submissions to VirusTotal. It runs intrusive advertisement campaigns (displays ads) and likely collects private data. Additionally, PremiumContinental is part of the AdLoad malware family.
PremiumContinental adware overview
Adware stands for advertising-supported software. It displays adverts on visited websites and/or other interfaces. These ads promote online scams, unreliable/harmful webpages and software, and even malware. Some intrusive advertisements can make stealthy downloads/installations - once clicked on.
It is pertinent to mention that any legitimate products encountered via these ads are most likely promoted by scammers abusing their affiliate programs in order to obtain commissions fraudulently.
It is pertinent to mention that adware might not run intrusive advert campaigns if certain conditions are unsuitable (e.g., incompatible browser/system or user geolocation, specific sites are not visited, etc.). However, even if PremiumContinental does not deliver advertisements - its presence endangers device/user safety regardless.
Additionally, this app may have browser-hijacking functionalities since they are typical for AdLoad adware, although it did not exhibit any during testing.
Furthermore, PremiumContinental likely has data tracking functionalities. Targeted information may include: browsing and search engine histories, usernames/passwords, personally identifiable details, credit card numbers, and so forth. The collected data can be shared with and/or sold to third-parties (potentially, cyber criminals).
To summarize, the presence of software like PremiumContinental on devices can lead to system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.
| Name | Ads by PremiumContinental |
| Threat Type | Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Detection Names | Avast (MacOS:Agent-TX [Trj]), Combo Cleaner (Adware.MAC.AdloadTR.1049), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.G), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Agent.gen), 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 examples
We have analyzed thousands of adware-type apps; LevelNight, VantageAdvisor, CoordinatorOptimization, and SmartRecord are just some examples.
Advertising-supported software tends to look legitimate and harmless. Users are enticed into download/installation with promises of "handy" features. However, these functions seldom work as advertised, and in most cases - they are utterly nonoperational.
How did PremiumContinental install on my computer?
Adware is spread using the "bundling" marketing method - packing regular programs with unwanted/malicious supplements. Download from untrustworthy sources (e.g., freeware and third-party sites, P2P sharing networks, etc.) and rushed installations increase the risk of allowing bundled content into the system.
Additionally, intrusive advertisements proliferate adware. When clicked on, some of the ads can execute scripts to perform downloads/installations without user permission. Fake Adobe Flash Player updaters/installers are used in distribution as well.
Advertising-supported software can have "official" download pages, and it is promoted on scam websites. Most users enter such sites through redirects caused by webpages using rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs, spam browser notifications, intrusive adverts, or installed adware (with browser force-opening abilities).
How to avoid installation of adware?
We highly recommend researching software and downloading it from official and verified channels. Installation must be treated with caution, e.g., reading terms, studying possible options, using the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings, and opting-out of all additional apps, extensions, features, etc.
We advise being vigilant when browsing since fraudulent and malicious content typically appears legitimate. For example, intrusive ads look harmless yet redirect to unreliable/questionable websites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).
In case of encounters with such adverts/redirects, inspect the system and immediately remove all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with PremiumContinental, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.
Pop-up window displayed once PremiumContinental adware's installation is over:
PremiumContinental 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
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Quick menu:
- What is PremiumContinental?
- STEP 1. Remove PremiumContinental related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove PremiumContinental ads from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove PremiumContinental adware from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove PremiumContinental ads from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware PremiumContinental adware using Combo Cleaner:
PremiumContinental adware removal:
Remove PremiumContinental-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 can diminish the browsing experience and system performance. It delivers advertisements that endorse deceptive/malicious content, which can cause severe problems (e.g., system infections, financial losses, etc.). Furthermore, this software usually has data tracking functionalities - hence, it is also considered a privacy threat.
What does adware do?
Adware is designed to run intrusive ad campaigns. In other words, this software enables the placement of adverts on various interfaces. Advertising-supported software may also be capable of causing redirects and gathering private data.
How do adware developers generate revenue?
Adware developers generate revenue primarily through affiliate programs by promoting various websites, apps, products, services, etc. The profit may come as commissions from ad clicks, site visits, file downloads, product purchases, service subscriptions, or similar.
Will Combo Cleaner remove PremiumContinental adware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your device and eliminate installed adware-type applications. It is noteworthy that manual removal (unaided by security software) might not be ideal. In some cases, even after the adware has been (manually) removed - various components (files) remain hidden within the system. Furthermore, these remnants may continue to run and cause issues. Therefore, advertising-supported software must be removed thoroughly.
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