How to remove ConnectivityRepair adware and the adverts it delivers

What kind of application is ConnectivityRepair?

While checking out new file submissions to the VirusTotal platform, our researchers found the ConnectivityRepair application. After analyzing this piece of software, we determined that it is adware belonging to the AdLoad malware family. This app is designed to deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns.

ConnectivityRepair adware overview

Adware stands for advertising-supported software. It enables the placement of ads on visited webpages and/or other interfaces. This third-party graphical content (e.g., pop-ups, overlays, coupons, etc.) mainly endorses online scams, untrustworthy/harmful software, and even malware. When clicked on, some of the advertisements can execute scripts to perform downloads/installations without user consent.

It is noteworthy that any genuine content encountered on and through these adverts is unlikely to be promoted in this manner by any official parties. It is most probable that this promotion is undertaken by scammers who abuse the products' affiliate programs to acquire illegitimate commissions.

Advertising-supported software might not run intrusive advert campaigns if specific conditions are unsuitable (e.g., incompatible browser/system or user geolocation, particular websites not visited, etc.). However, regardless of whether ConnectivityRepair displays ads – it remains a threat to device integrity and user safety.

While browser-hijacking functionalities are common for AdLoad adware, we did not observe them during our analysis of ConnectivityRepair.

Furthermore, software within this classification usually gathers sensitive information, and data-tracking might be among ConnectivityRepair's abilities. Targeted information may include: visited URLs, viewed webpages, searched queries, Internet cookies, usernames/passwords, personally identifiable details, finance-related data, and so forth. The collected information can then be sold to third-parties or otherwise abused for profit.

To summarize, software like ConnectivityRepair may cause system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by ConnectivityRepair
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:Adload-CC [Adw]), Combo Cleaner (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.Adload.32), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.F), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Adload.h), 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

EscapeUpdate, BootEfficient, PersonalProsper, CompanyOperating, and LogManager are just some examples of adware we have analyzed recently.

Advertising-supported software seldom appears suspicious; it tends to look legitimate and innocuous. It can also offer a broad range of "advantageous" functionalities. However, these features seldom work as promised, and in most cases – they do not work at all.

It must be mentioned that even if a piece of software operates as indicated by its promotional material – that is not definitive proof of either legitimacy or safety.

How did ConnectivityRepair install on my computer?

The "bundling" marketing tactic – packing ordinary program installation setups with unwanted/malicious additions. Downloading from dubious channels (e.g., freeware and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc.) and treating installations with negligence (e.g., skipping steps/sections, using "Easy/Quick" settings, etc.) – increase the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the system.

Furthermore, adware is promoted on legitimate-looking download and scam webpages. Visitors primarily access them via redirects generated by sites employing rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, mistyped URLs, intrusive ads, or installed adware (with webpage force-opening capabilities).

Intrusive advertisements proliferate advertising-supported software as well. Some of the adverts can be triggered (i.e., by being clicked) to execute scripts that perform downloads/installations without user permission.

How to avoid installation of adware?

We recommend researching software and downloading it only from official/trustworthy sources. When installing, we advise reading terms, studying available options, using the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings, and opting out of all supplementary applications, extensions, tools, and so forth.

Another recommendation is to be vigilant when browsing since fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears genuine and innocuous. For example, intrusive ads may look harmless – yet they redirect to unreliable and questionable sites (e.g., gambling, pornography, scam-promoting, adult dating, etc.).

In case of continuous encounters with adverts/redirects of this kind, inspect the system and immediately remove all suspicious apps and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with ConnectivityRepair, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

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

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

Video showing how to remove ConnectivityRepair adware using Combo Cleaner:

ConnectivityRepair adware removal:

Remove ConnectivityRepair-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 displays adverts that may promote content capable of causing system infections, privacy issues, financial losses, etc. The software typically has data-tracking functionalities – hence, it is classed as a privacy threat.

What does adware do?

Adware stands for advertising-supported software. It displays advertisements on visited websites and/or other interfaces. Some types may also cause redirects and collect sensitive data.

How do adware developers generate revenue?

Adware developers profit predominantly via affiliate programs by promoting various applications, extensions, sites, products, services, and so forth.

Will Combo Cleaner remove ConnectivityRepair adware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your device and eliminate detected adware-type applications. It is pertinent to mention that manual removal (performed without security software) might be ineffective. Since after the advertising-supported software has been manually removed – various file leftovers can stay hidden within the system. Furthermore, the remnants can continue to run and cause issues. Therefore, adware must be eliminated thoroughly.

▼ Show Discussion