Ads by TopDeals (Mac)
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is TopDeals?
TopDeals is a dubious browser extension identical to DealTop. This application supposedly saves time and money by providing coupons, displaying special deals/discounts on various online stores, etc. - "TopDeals is a browser add-on that provides a better online shopping experience leading to higher user value."
These false claims often trick users into believing that TopDeals is a legitimate plug-ing, however, due to rogue behavior (stealth installation, tracking of browsing activity, and display of intrusive ads), TopDeals is classed as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and adware.
Once infiltrated, TopDeals generates coupon, price comparison, banner, pop-up, and other similar ads. All are displayed using a ‘virtual layer’ (a tool enabling placement of third party graphical content on any site) and, therefore, underlying website content is often concealed.
This significantly diminishes the Internet browsing experience. Furthermore, the displayed advertisements can lead to websites containing infectious content - clicking them might cause further high-risk computer infections. TopDeals tracks Internet browsing activity by gathering Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (to determine geographic location), web browser and operating system, website URLs visited, search queries, and other similar information.
This information may seem insignificant, however, the data types will contain personally identifiable details that TopDeals share with third parties who use them to generate revenue. Thus, data tracking can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. We strongly advise you to uninstall TopDeals adware immediately.
TopDeals is not the only app that claims to save time and money when shopping online. There are hundreds of apps offering identical features including, for example, FunFeedr, Dealnj, ClashOfCash. These apps may seem legitimate, however, none provide the functionality promised.
Apps such as TopDeals are designed to generate revenue for the developers. Rather than providing the features promised, they generate intrusive advertisements and collect personally identifiable information.
How did TopDeals install on my computer?
Research shows that, although TopDeals has an official download website, many users install this add-on inadvertently, since they often do not pay enough attention during download/installation processes. Aware of this, developers hide TopDeals within the 'Custom/Advanced' settings.
This deceptive software marketing method is called 'bundling'. By rushing the download/installation processes, users expose their systems to risk of various infections.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
The key to computer safety is caution. Be attentive when downloading and installing software. Closely analyze these processes using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings. In addition, never accept offers to download or install additional applications, and opt-out of those already included, since it is highly probable that bundled software will be malicious.
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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:
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Quick menu:
- What is TopDeals?
- STEP 1. Remove TopDeals related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove TopDeals ads from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove TopDeals adware from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove TopDeals ads from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:
TopDeals adware removal:
Remove TopDeals-related potentially unwanted applications from the "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 browser hijacker-related files and folders
Click the Finder icon from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...
Check for browser hijacker 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 browser hijackers - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Browser hijacker commonly installs several files with the exact same string.
Check for browser hijacker 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 browser hijacker 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 browser hijackers - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Browser hijacker commonly installs several files with the exact same string.
Check for browser hijacker 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 browser hijackers, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.
Remove browser hijackers from Internet browsers
Remove Safari browser hijackers:
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.
Change your homepage:
In the "Preferences" window, select the "General" tab. To set your homepage, type the preferred website URL (for example: www.google.com) in the Homepage field. You can also click the "Set to Current Page" button if you wish to set your homepage to the website you are currently visiting.
Change your default search engine:
In the "Preferences" window, select the "Search" tab. Here you will find a drop-down menu labeled "Search engine:" Simply select your preferred search engine from the drop-down list.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.
Remove Google Chrome browser hijackers:
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".
Change your homepage
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable the malicious extension (if present), look for a browser hijacker URL below the "Open a specific or set of pages" option. If present, click on the three vertical dots icon and select "Remove".
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list look for a browser hijacker URL, when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Delete".
- 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".
Change your homepage
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Settings", in the opened window disable malicious extension (if present), remove the browser hijacker URL and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type "about:config" and press Enter. Click "Accept the Risk and Continue".
In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled". Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the button.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.
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