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MyMacUpdater/Shopperify virus: remove fake MacUpdate from Mac

Learn how the MyMacUpdater and Shopperify ads viruses manifest themselves and remove them from Mac using a specially crafted security procedure.

Malvertising is shaping up to be an increasingly serious issue for Macs. A slew of PUAs (potentially unwanted applications) out there infiltrate computers and laptops stealthily and then wreak havoc with the way web pages are rendered to users. A really unsettling thing about this segment of the threat landscape is that the ne’er-do-wells in charge of such schemes are starting to employ growingly intricate tactics to reach their goals. For example, there is an ongoing large-scale malware campaign revolving around the app called MyMacUpdater, or MacUpdater. As it is running in the background on a targeted host beyond the victim’s sight, its main objective is to promote additional perpetrating code like the Shopperify adware.

‘Official’ website for Shopperify

MyMacUpdater virus proper is making the rounds via trojanized downloads. The infection chain typically involves a free application offered on uncertified software portals for Mac. The harmless-looking applet of the would-be prey’s choice can only be installed as part of a package, so it is a run-of-the-mill bundling hype. The contamination takes place on condition that the user accepts the default setup terms without exploring the custom option that allows deselecting unwanted items. Once inside, the offending code adds the com.MyMacUpdater.agent.plist entry to LaunchDaemons path under Library directory. This way, it gets enough privileges to manage system processes and trigger certain events behind the scenes.

MyMacUpdater promotes ad-serving malware that affects web pages

As it has been mentioned, the MyMacUpdater virus is aimed at downloading various types of malware onto a target Mac. In the past, it propped the distribution of the ad-serving infection known as OptiBuy. Currently, it is promoting an adware sample called Shopperify. When on board, it establishes obfuscated connection with a remote server and downloads said PUA without the victim’s authorization. An entry called com.Shopperify.agent.plist consequently ends up inside LaunchDaemons, just like the original infection.

The adware then focuses on tweaking the display of visited web pages. It generates what’s called a virtual layer that includes a variety of advertisements. These ads are presented on top of original site content. They include deals, comparison shopping boxes, special offers, coupons, freebies, banners, in-text and interstitial ads. The latter two types are particularly obnoxious – hyperlinked inline text is a piece of cake to click accidentally, and transitional ads assume the form of splash screens that may sit in the background and eat up the Mac’s resources. These items are usually labeled “Ads by Shopperify”, “Shopperify ads”, or “Brought by Shopperify”. Long story short, neither MyMacUpdater virus nor its protégé Shopperify adware belongs inside a Mac, so follow the steps below to get rid of both.

MyMacUpdater / Shopperify virus manual removal for Mac

The steps listed below will walk you through the removal of this malicious application. Be sure to follow the instructions in the order specified.

• Open up the Utilities folder as shown below

Open up the Utilities

• Locate the Activity Monitor icon on the screen and double-click on it

Locate the Activity Monitor

• Under Activity Monitor, find the entry / entries for MyMacUpdater, Shopperify, MacUpdater, MySoftUpdate, My-Soft-Update, or CoreUpdates, select it and click Quit Process

• A dialog should pop up, asking if you are sure you would like to quit the troublemaking process. Select the Force Quit option

• Click the Go button again, but this time select Applications on the list. Find the entry for MyMacUpdater / Shopperify on the interface, right-click on it and select Move to Trash. If user password is required, go ahead and enter it

Shopperify icon under Applications

• Now go to Apple Menu and pick the System Preferences option

Pick the System Preferences

• Select Accounts and click the Login Items button. Mac OS will come up with the list of the items that launch when the box is started up. Locate MyMacUpdater / Shopperify there and click on the “-“ button

 

Get rid of Shopperify ads in web browser

To begin with, settings for the web browser that got hit by the Shopperify ads malware should be restored to their default values. The overview of steps for this procedure is as follows:

1. Reset Safari

• Open the browser and go to Safari menu. Select Reset Safari in the drop-down list

• Make sure all the boxes are ticked on the interface and hit Reset

Resrt Safari

2. Reset Google Chrome

• Open Chrome and click the Customize and Control Google Chrome menu icon

• Select Options for a new window to appear

• Select Under the Hood tab, then click Reset to defaults button

Reset Chrome

3. Reset Mozilla Firefox

• Open Firefox and select HelpTroubleshooting Information

• On the page that opened, click the Reset Firefox button

Reset Firefox

 

Get rid of MyMacUpdater / Shopperify virus using Combo Cleaner removal tool

The Mac maintenance and security app called Combo Cleaner is a one-stop tool to detect and remove fake MacUpdate virus. This technique has substantial benefits over manual cleanup, because the utility gets hourly virus definition updates and can accurately spot even the newest Mac infections.

Furthermore, the automatic solution will find the core files of the malware deep down the system structure, which might otherwise be a challenge to locate. Here’s a walkthrough to sort out the fake MacUpdate issue using Combo Cleaner:

  1. Download Combo Cleaner installer. When done, double-click the combocleaner.dmg file and follow the prompts to install the tool onto your Mac.

    Download Combo Cleaner

    By downloading any applications recommended on this website you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. The free scanner checks whether your Mac is infected. To get rid of malware, you need to purchase the Premium version of Combo Cleaner.

  2. Open the app from your Launchpad and let it run an update of the malware signature database to make sure it can identify the latest threats.
  3. Click the Start Combo Scan button to check your Mac for malicious activity as well as performance issues.

    Combo Cleaner Mac scan progress

  4. Examine the scan results. If the report says “No Threats”, then you are on the right track with the manual cleaning and can safely proceed to tidy up the web browser that may continue to act up due to the after-effects of the malware attack (see instructions above).

    Combo Cleaner scan report – no threats found

  5. In case Combo Cleaner has detected malicious code, click the Remove Selected Items button and have the utility remove fake MacUpdate threat along with any other viruses, PUPs (potentially unwanted programs), or junk files that don’t belong on your Mac.

    Combo Cleaner – threats found

  6. Once you have made doubly sure that the malicious app is uninstalled, the browser-level troubleshooting might still be on your to-do list. If your preferred browser is affected, resort to the previous section of this tutorial to revert to hassle-free web surfing.
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