Removing the AccessUnit adware from your Mac

What is AccessUnit?

While investigating new submissions to VirusTotal, our research team discovered the AccessUnit app. This piece of rogue software operates as adware. Furthermore, we determined that this application is part of the AdLoad malware family.

AccessUnit adware overview

Adware stands for advertising-supported software. It displays advertisements (e.g., pop-ups, banners, surveys, coupons, etc.) on visited websites and/or different interfaces.

These ads promote various scams, untrustworthy/harmful software, and malware. Once clicked on, some intrusive adverts are even capable of performing stealthy downloads/installations.

It must be mentioned that any genuine content encountered through these advertisements is most likely endorsed by scammers abusing its affiliate programs for the purpose of obtaining illegitimate commissions.

Advertising-supported software may require certain conditions to run intrusive ad campaigns, e.g., compatible browser/system or user geolocation, visits to specific sites, and so on. Even if AccessUnit does not deliver adverts – its presence on a system threatens device integrity and user safety.

This application might also have browser hijacker qualities since they are common for AdLoad adware. However, AccessUnit did not exhibit such traits during our analysis.

Advertising-supported software typically has data-tracking functionalities, and this may be true of AccessUnit. Targeted information usually includes: browsing and search engine histories, account log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, finance-related data, etc. The collected information can be monetized via sale to third-parties.

In summary, the presence of software like AccessUnit on devices may result in system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by AccessUnit
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), 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 examples

AdjustableBox, ArchiveOperation, ExpandedList, AdvancedProduct – are just a few examples of adware that we have inspected recently.

This software rarely looks suspicious, it tends to appear legitimate and useful. Adware lures users into download/installation with a wide variety of functionalities. However, these features seldom work as promised, and in most cases – they are nonfunctional. Keep in mind that operational features are not proof of an app's legitimacy or safety.

How did AccessUnit install on my computer?

"Bundling" – packing ordinary program installation setups with unwanted/malicious supplements – is used to proliferate adware. Downloading from dubious channels (e.g., freeware and third-party websites, P2P sharing networks, etc.) and rushing installation processes – increase the risk of allowing bundled content into the device.

Adware is also distributed by intrusive adverts. When clicked on, some of these advertisements can execute scripts to perform downloads/installations without user consent.

Advertising-supported software often has "official" promotional pages, and it is endorsed on scam websites. Users typically access such webpages via redirects caused by spam browser notifications, sites using rogue advertising networks, mistyped URLs, intrusive ads, or installed adware (with browser force-opening abilities).

How to avoid installation of adware?

We strongly recommend research in software and downloading it only from official/verified sources. Furthermore, installation must be approached with caution. Therefore, it is important to read terms, explore available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt-out of additional apps, extensions, features, etc.

We advise vigilance when browsing since fraudulent and malicious content usually appears legitimate and harmless. For example, intrusive advertisements may look innocuous, yet they redirect to highly questionable websites (e.g., pornography, gambling, adult dating, etc.).

Should you keep encountering adverts and/or redirects of this kind, inspect the device and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with AccessUnit, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

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

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

Video showing how to remove AccessUnit adware using Combo Cleaner:

AccessUnit adware removal:

Remove AccessUnit-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 decrease browsing quality and system performance. It displays advertisements that promote deceptive/malicious content capable of causing serious problems, such as system infections, financial losses, etc. Additionally, this software is considered to be a threat to user privacy since it typically has data-tracking abilities.

What does adware do?

Adware is designed to enable the placement of advertisements on various interfaces. Some types can also force-open websites and gather private information.

How do adware developers generate revenue?

Adware developers generate revenue primarily through affiliate programs by endorsing various websites, applications, products, services, and other content.

Will Combo Cleaner remove AccessUnit adware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning devices and eliminating detected adware-type applications. It must be mentioned that manual removal (unaided by security programs) might be ineffective. In some instances, even after the adware has been manually removed – various components (files) stay hidden within the system. What is more, these remnants can continue to run and cause issues. Hence, it is paramount to remove advertising-supported software thoroughly.

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