How to uninstall Proboscideous.app from computers
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of application is Proboscideous.app?
During our inspection of Proboscideous.app, we discovered that it is designed to bombard users with annoying advertisements. Thus, we classified Proboscideous.app as adware. Additionally, we found that Proboscideous.app belongs to the Pirrit family. Overall, users should avoid installing Proboscideous.app.
Proboscideous.app adware in detail
Ads originating from Proboscideous.app can be various pop-ups, banners, coupons, and other forms of ads. Since Proboscideous.app is not a trustworthy application, its ads should not be trusted too. Clicking these ads may lead users to websites hosting potentially malicious content.
Ads displayed by Proboscideous.app might lead users to technical support scams designed to lure them into disclosing sensitive information, paying for fake or unnecessary services or products, or downloading malicious software. Also, these ads may take users to phishing websites created to steal credit card details, passwords, or other personal data.
Moreover, users may encounter web pages hosting unwanted software (e.g., other adware or browser hijackers), or even malware. It is also possible that Proboscideous.app might show ads designed to run certain scripts and trigger unexpected downloads and installations. Therefore, it is strongly advisable to avoid interacting with ads from Proboscideous.app.
Additionally, adware like Proboscideous.app can be designed to collect various types of data, including browsing habits, search queries, and websites visited. It may also gather personal information such as IP addresses, location data, and sometimes even more sensitive details like login credentials or contact information.
For these reasons, users should not install Proboscideous.app on computers and remove it if already installed.
| Name | Ads by Proboscideous.app |
| Threat Type | Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus |
| Detection Names | Avast (MacOS:Pirrit-CH [Adw]), Combo Cleaner (Adware.MAC.Pirrit.KF), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Pirrit.BP), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Pirrit.ac), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| 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. |
Adware in general
Adware is a type of unwanted software created to display annoying and often unreliable advertisements on a user's device. In some cases, it may collect personal information, posing privacy risks. Overall, adware can slow down devices, create system instability, and lead to a degraded user experience.
More examples of apps like Proboscideous.app are MegabyteExecute, ObsessionLandscape, and ProtocolView.
How did Proboscideous.app install on my computer?
Users often install adware together with other software (mostly free or unreliable). It is common for adware to be included in the installation package as extra offer. Users agree to install adware if they do not deselect it (do not change the provided settings, like "Advanced", "Custom", or similar).
Adware can also be unintentionally installed through deceptive advertisements, notifications from shady websites, third-party app stores, P2P networks, fake warnings (pop-ups on dubious sites), third-party downloaders, and similar channels.
How to avoid installation of unwanted applications?
Download software from official websites or app stores. Check reviews and ratings before downloading any software. Deselect unwanted offers included in installers before installing software. Do not accept notifications from suspicious websites or trust ads, pop-ups, and buttons on websites of this kind.
Regularly scan your computer for unwanted apps and other threats using a reputable security tool. Keep the operating system, web browsers, and other software up to date. If your computer is already infected with Proboscideous.app, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.
When removing Proboscideous.app, it is important to check these folders for its components (the filenames may differ in each folder, yet every single one should contain "proboscideous"):
- ~/Library/LaunchAgents
- /Library/LaunchDaemons
- /Library/LaunchAgents
- /Library/StartupItems
A warning that appears before the installation of Proboscideous.app:
Text in this warning:
"Proboscideous.app" will damage your computer.
This file was downloaded on a unknown date.
OK
Show in Finder
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 Proboscideous.app?
- STEP 1. Remove Proboscideous.app related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove Proboscideous.app ads from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove Proboscideous.app adware from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove Proboscideous.app ads from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:
Proboscideous.app adware removal:
Remove Proboscideous.app-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 web browsing experience by displaying annoying advertisements. Also, it can slow down computers and invade privacy.
What does adware do?
The purpose of adware is to generate advertisements. Additionally, software of this type can collect information and promote shady websites by hijacking browsers.
How do adware developers generate revenue?
Adware developers typically earn revenue by promoting a variety of products, websites, or services, primarily through affiliate programs.
Will Combo Cleaner remove Proboscideous.app adware?
Combo Cleaner will detect and remove all installed adware-type applications. It is worth mentioning that manual removal is not always foolproof as it may leave behind residual files within the system. Even after deleting the software, certain components may still be active.
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