How to remove UpgradeSection adware-type app and the ads it delivers

What kind of application is UpgradeSection?

UpgradeSection is a piece of rogue software that our research team discovered while reviewing new file submissions to VirusTotal. Upon inspection, we determined that this application is adware belonging to the AdLoad malware family. UpgradeSection is designed to generate revenue for its developers by feeding users with undesirable and potentially malicious ads.

UpgradeSection adware overview

Adware stands for advertising-supported software. It enables the placement of advertisements on various interfaces, such as visited webpages, desktops, and others. This third-party graphical content primarily endorses scams, untrustworthy/harmful software, and even malware. Upon being clicked, some of these adverts can be triggered to perform stealthy downloads/installations.

It is pertinent to mention that while genuine products/services may be encountered via these ads – they are 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 content's affiliate programs to obtain illegitimate commissions.

Adware might not run intrusive advertisement campaigns if certain conditions are unsuitable (e.g., incompatible browser/system, specific websites are not visited, etc.). Regardless of whether UpgradeSection displays adverts – it endangers device and user safety.

While browser-hijacking functionalities are common for AdLoad apps, we did not observe these qualities while analyzing UpgradeSection.

Furthermore, advertising-supported software typically gathers private information, and this might apply to the UpgradeSection application.

Data of interest may include: browsing and search engine histories, Internet cookies, log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, credit card numbers, and so forth. The collected information can then be sold to third-parties or otherwise abused for profit.

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

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by UpgradeSection
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:AdAgent-L [Adw]), Combo Cleaner (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.Rload.4), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.C), 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

We have investigated numerous adware samples; InterfaceComputing, ExemplaryDatabase, EditExecute, and InitiatorRecord are merely a few of our latest finds.

Advertising-supported software usually appears genuine and innocuous. It can also offer a wide variety of "advantageous" functionalities, which are rarely operational. It must be mentioned that even if a piece of software works as indicated by its promotional material – that does not guarantee legitimacy or safety.

How did UpgradeSection install on my computer?

Adware can have "official" download webpages, and it is endorsed on deceptive/scam sites. Most visitors access these pages via redirects caused by websites that utilize rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs, spam browser notifications, intrusive ads, or installed adware (with webpage force-opening capabilities).

Advertising-supported software can also be bundled with regular programs. The threat of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the device is increased by downloading from untrustworthy sources (e.g., freeware and third-party sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc.) and by rushing through installation processes (e.g., ignoring terms, using "Quick/Easy" settings, etc.).

Additionally, adware is proliferated by intrusive adverts. Once clicked on, some of these advertisements can execute scripts to perform downloads/installations without user permission.

How to avoid installation of adware?

We highly recommend researching software before downloading or purchasing it. Furthermore, all downloads must be made from official and verified channels. Installation processes must be treated with caution, e.g., by reading terms, inspecting available options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting out of all additional apps, extensions, tools, features, etc.

Since fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears legitimate and innocuous – we strongly advise being vigilant while browsing. Intrusive ads are an example of this; while they look harmless – these adverts redirect to highly questionable websites (e.g., scam-promoting, pornography, gambling, adult dating, etc.).

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

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

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

Video showing how to remove UpgradeSection adware using Combo Cleaner:

UpgradeSection adware removal:

Remove UpgradeSection-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-delivered ads can promote harmful content capable of causing serious issues (e.g., system infections, financial losses, etc.). Advertising-supported software can diminish the browsing experience and system performance. Adware is also classed as a privacy threat since it usually has data-tracking abilities.

What does adware do?

Adware is designed to deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns. This software enables the placement of ads on visited websites and/or different interfaces. Additionally, some types can also generate redirects and gather private information.

How do adware developers generate revenue?

Adware developers profit primarily via affiliate programs by endorsing websites, software, products, services, and other content.

Will Combo Cleaner remove UpgradeSection adware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your computer and eliminate detected adware-type apps. Keep in mind that manual removal (performed without the aid of security programs) might be ineffective. In some cases, after the adware has been manually removed – file leftovers remain hidden within the system. Furthermore, these remnants might continue to run and cause problems. Therefore, thorough software removal is essential.

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