Removing UpgradeSample adware-type application from your Mac

What kind of application is UpgradeSample?

Our research team found UpgradeSample while investigating file submissions to the VirusTotal site. Upon examination, we learned that this app is adware belonging to the AdLoad malware family. Advertising-supported software is designed to run intrusive advertisement campaigns.

UpgradeSample adware overview

Adware delivers intrusive ad campaigns. The software typically displays advertisements (e.g., overlays, coupons, pop-ups, etc.) on visited webpages, desktops, or other interfaces.

Certain conditions may be necessary for advertising-supported software to work as intended (e.g., compatible browser/system specs, visits to particular websites, etc.). Regardless of whether UpgradeSample delivers ads – the application's presence on a system remains a threat to device/user safety.

Adverts delivered by adware may promote various scams, unreliable/harmful software, and malware. Once clicked on, some of these advertisements can execute scripts to perform downloads/installations without user consent.

Keep in mind that any genuine content encountered via said ads is unlikely to be endorsed by its actual developers or other official parties. It is most probable that this endorsement is undertaken by scammers who abuse the promoted content's affiliate programs to acquire illegitimate commissions.

While AdLoad apps commonly exhibit browser-hijacking functionalities, we did not observe the traits during our analysis of UpgradeSample.

Advertising-supported software usually has data-tracking abilities, and this might apply to UpgradeSample. Adware can target browsing and search engine histories, Internet cookies, log-in credentials (usernames/passwords), personally identifiable details, finance-related information, and so forth. This vulnerable data can be monetized via sale to third-parties.

To summarize, the presence of software like UpgradeSample on devices can lead to system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ads by UpgradeSample
Threat Type	Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Avast (MacOS:AdAgent-L [Adw]), Combo Cleaner (Gen:Variant.Adware.MAC.Adload.16), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of OSX/Adware.Synataeb.H), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.OSX.Adload.j), Full List (VirusTotal)
Additional Information	This application belongs to the 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 examined thousands of adware-type applications; SectionInitiator, DeviceProgress, and ExploreBuffer are just a few examples.

Software within this classification appears legitimate and innocuous. Adware can offer a wide variety of useful functionalities as well. However, these functions rarely work as promised, and in most cases – they do not work at all.

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

How did UpgradeSample install on my computer?

Adware is promoted on legitimate-looking download pages and scam websites. They are primarily accessed through redirects caused by sites employing rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs, intrusive ads, spam browser notifications, or installed adware (with the ability to force-open webpages).

Advertising-supported software is also distributed using the bundling marketing technique, which involves packing regular program installers with unwanted/malicious additions.

These setups can be acquired from freeware and third-party websites, P2P sharing networks, and other dubious sources. The risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the system is furthered by treating installation processes with negligence (e.g., ignoring terms, skipping sections, using "Easy/Express" settings, etc.).

Intrusive adverts proliferate adware as well. Some of the advertisements can carry out stealthy downloads/installations upon being clicked.

How to avoid installation of adware?

It is essential to research software before downloading or purchasing. Additionally, all downloads must be performed from official and trustworthy channels. When installing, we recommend reading terms, exploring available options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting out of all supplementary apps, extensions, tools, features, and so forth.

The Internet is full of fake and malicious content that appears genuine and innocuous – therefore, we strongly advise exercising caution while browsing. For example, despite their harmless appearance – intrusive adverts redirect to highly questionable websites (e.g., scam-promoting, pornography, gambling, etc.).

In case of continuous encounters with such ads and/or redirects, inspect the device and immediately remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with UpgradeSample, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

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

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

Video showing how to remove UpgradeSample adware using Combo Cleaner:

UpgradeSample adware removal:

Remove UpgradeSample-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. The advertisements it displays may promote content capable of causing severe issues (e.g., system infections, financial losses, etc.). This software is also considered a privacy threat, as it usually gathers private information.

What does adware do?

Adware stands for advertising-supported software. It enables the placement of third-party graphical content (ads) on various interfaces. Adware may also be capable of causing redirects and collecting sensitive information.

How do adware developers generate revenue?

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

Will Combo Cleaner remove UpgradeSample adware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan devices and eliminate detected adware-type apps. Note that manual removal (performed without the aid of security software) might be ineffective. In some instances, after the adware has been manually removed – file remnants stay hidden within the system. What is more, these components might continue to run and cause issues. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate advertising-supported software thoroughly.

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