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Remove LinkBranch (Link Branch 1.0) virus from Mac

The worst part about the LinkBranch Mac threat is that it skews web browser preferences without permission, so it is subject to immediate removal.

LinkBranch sounds like a random word combination whose components don’t really get along with each other. No matter how bizarre it appears, this is a precise reflection of a quirk inherent to a broad-sweeping adware campaign homing in on Mac computers in 2020. Also known as LinkBranch 1.0 or Link Branch, this sketchy application was designed to pull off a stealth system infiltration trick followed by an unauthorized overhaul of the user’s web browser settings. The culprit bypasses traditional user approval to replace the default search engine with a worthless replica of a trusted provider. In most cases, the landing page mimics Yahoo or Bing or actually is either one of these reputable services. The operators of this stratagem are monetizing their foothold in a Mac through furtive insertion of affiliate IDs into the resulting URLs that may look legitimate and slip below the victims’ vigilance radar.

LinkBranch adware is easy to identify based on its app icon design

As far as the behavior is concerned, LinkBranch follows in the footsteps of its numerous precursors. A few examples are UtilityParze, IdeaShared, SystemSpecial, and MainReady. Aside from the weird naming convention that doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense, all of these threats share uniform app icon design featuring a magnifying glass symbol, similar persistence hallmarks, and common distribution mechanisms that will be covered further down. Once inside a machine running macOS, the pest typically adds itself to the Login Items list so that its executable is automatically triggered at startup time. Another element of obstinacy is the creation of a device profile, which is an otherwise benign entity that’s supposed to help administrators tune computers on the same network according to a set of applicable enterprise policies and restrictions. In the case of LinkBranch, though, the adware abuses this feature to superimpose a wrong browser configuration without asking for the user’s consent.

A particularly disruptive side of this influence is manifested in Google Chrome. When the victim realizes that a great deal of control over the browser has slipped out of their hands, the usual plan is to head to its settings and take a look at what might have changed there. At this point, Chrome’s main pull-down menu says “Managed by your organization” in its bottom part. This is a very widespread trick employed by Mac adware makers these days. It entails a situation where specific web surfing preferences are managed by a strain of toxic code and cannot be manually modified. As a result, the user is stuck with settings they never agreed to put into effect. It’s noteworthy that a similar interference makes itself felt in Safari and Mozilla Firefox on Mac, except that this foul play isn’t accompanied by a specific browser status notification mentioned in the clear.

This adware also adds a new extension named LinkBranch 1.0 to whichever browser is hit. This add-on doesn’t permit a manual disabling option, nor can it be easily sent to the Trash – again, this is the aftermath of affecting the system at the level of configuration profiles. The preferred search provider value will show up as “Search (Default)” and include a dodgy destination address that will be henceforth holding sway over the user’s Internet routine. This way, the infection causes all queries entered in the URL bar to be forwarded to a malicious service such as Safe Finder via several intermediate pages. To add insult to injury, regular sites that the victim visits will be laced with redundant ads, including commercially-flavored splash screens, in-text links, and interstitial adverts. At the end of the day, the attack gets too obnoxious to endure. As LinkBranch removal gets close to the top of the infected user’s to-do list, the following steps will come in handy.

LinkBranch 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 specified order.

  1. Expand the Go menu in your Mac’s Finder bar and select Utilities as shown below.

    Go to Utilities

  2. Locate the Activity Monitor icon on the Utilities screen and double-click on it.

    Select the Activity Monitor

  3. In the Activity Monitor app, look for a LinkBranch or another process that appears suspicious. To narrow down your search, focus on unfamiliar resource-intensive entries on the list. Keep in mind that its name isn’t necessarily related to the way the threat is manifesting itself, so you’ll need to trust your own judgement. If you pinpoint the culprit, select it and click on the Stop icon in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.

    Stop malicious process

  4. When a follow-up dialog pops up asking if you are sure you want to quit the troublemaking process, select the Force Quit option.

    Select the Force Quit option

  5. Click on the Go menu icon in the Finder again and select Go to Folder. You can as well use the Command-Shift-G keyboard shortcut.

    Use the Go to Folder feature

  6. Type /Library/LaunchAgents in the folder search dialog and click on the Go button.

    Open /Library/LaunchAgents folder

  7. Examine the contents of the LaunchAgents folder for dubious-looking items. Be advised that the names of files spawned by malware may give no clear clues that they are malicious, so you should look for recently added entities that appear to deviate from the norm.

    As an illustration, here are several examples of LaunchAgents related to mainstream Mac infections: com.pcv.hlpramc.plist, com.updater.mcy.plist, com.avickUpd.plist, and com.msp.agent.plist. If you spot files that don’t belong on the list, go ahead and drag them to the Trash.

    Root-level LaunchAgents folder contents

  8. Use the Go to Folder lookup feature again to navigate to the folder named ~/Library/Application Support (note the tilde symbol prepended to the path).

    Open ~/Library/Application Support folder

  9. When the Application Support directory is opened, identify recently generated suspicious folders in it and send them to the Trash. A quick tip is to look for items whose names have nothing to do with Apple products or apps you knowingly installed. A few examples of known-malicious folder names are LinkBranch, ProgressMatch, SystemSpecial and IdeaShared.

    Application Support folder contents

  10. Enter ~/Library/LaunchAgents string (don’t forget to include the tilde character) in the Go to Folder search area.

    Open ~/Library/LaunchAgents directory

  11. The system will display LaunchAgents residing in the current user’s Home directory. Look for dodgy items related to LinkBranch virus (see logic highlighted in subsections above) and drag the suspects to the Trash.

    Contents of LaunchAgents folder in user’s home directory

  12. Type /Library/LaunchDaemons in the Go to Folder search field.

    Go to /Library/LaunchDaemons

  13. In the LaunchDaemons path, try to pinpoint the files the malware is using for persistence. Several examples of such items cropped by Mac infections are com.pplauncher.plist, com.startup.plist, and com.ExpertModuleSearchDaemon.plist. Delete the sketchy files immediately.

    LaunchDaemons folder contents

  14. Click on the Go menu icon in your Mac’s Finder and select Applications on the list.

    Go to Applications screen on Mac

  15. Find the entry for LinkBranch (LinkBranch 1.0, Link Branch) or another app that clearly doesn’t belong there and move it to the Trash. If this action requires your admin password for confirmation, go ahead and enter it.

    Drag malicious app to the Trash

  16. Expand the Apple menu and select System Preferences.

    Select System Preferences

    Open System Preferences

  17. Proceed to Users & Groups and click on the Login Items tab.

    Proceed to Users & Groups

    The system will display the list of items launched when the computer is starting up. Locate LinkBranch or another potentially unwanted app there and click on the “-” (minus) button.

    Delete unwanted login item

  18. Now select Profiles under System Preferences. Look for a malicious item in the left-hand sidebar. Several examples of configuration profiles created by Mac adware include TechSignalSearch, MainSearchPlatform, AdminPrefs, and Chrome Settings. Select the offending entity and click on the minus sign at the bottom to eliminate it.

    Select Profiles under System Preferences

    Remove malicious configuration profile from Mac

    If your Mac has been infiltrated by adware, the infection will most likely continue to hold sway over your default web browser even after you remove the underlying application along with its components sprinkled around the system. Use the browser cleanup instructions below to address the remaining consequences of this attack.

Get rid of LinkBranch virus in web browser on Mac

To begin with, the web browser settings taken over by the LinkBranch virus should be restored to their default values. Although this will clear most of your customizations, web surfing history, and all temporary data stored by websites, the malicious interference should be terminated likewise. The overview of the steps for completing this procedure is as follows:

  1. Remove LinkBranch virus from Safari
    • Open the browser and go to Safari menu. Select Preferences in the drop-down list.

      Go to Preferences in Safari

    • Once the Preferences screen appears, click on the Advanced tab and enable the option saying “Show Develop menu in menu bar”.

      Advanced tab under Safari Preferences

    • Now that the Develop entry has been added to the Safari menu, expand it and click on Empty Caches.

      Empty Caches in Safari

    • Now select History in the Safari menu and click on Clear History in the drop-down list.

      Clear history in Safari

    • Safari will display a dialog asking you to specify the period of time this action will apply to. Select all history to ensure a maximum effect. Click on the Clear History button to confirm and exit.

      Select all history to clear

    • Go back to the Safari Preferences and hit the Privacy tab at the top. Find the option that says Manage Website Data and click on it.

      Manage Website Data option under Privacy tab

    • The browser will display a follow-up screen listing the websites that have stored data about your Internet activities. This dialog additionally includes a brief description of what the removal does: you may be logged out of some services and encounter other changes of website behavior after the procedure. If you’re okay with that, go ahead and click on the Remove All button.

      Confirmation dialog

    • Restart Safari
  2. Remove LinkBranch in Google Chrome
    • Open Chrome, click the Customize and control Google Chrome (⁝) icon in the top right-hand part of the window, and select Settings in the drop-down

      Chrome Settings

    • When on the Settings pane, select Advanced
    • Scroll down to the Reset settings section.

      Reset settings in Chrome on Mac

    • Confirm the Chrome reset on a dialog that will pop up. When the procedure is completed, relaunch the browser and check it for malware activity.

      Here’s how to reset settings in Chrome on Mac

  3. Remove LinkBranch from Mozilla Firefox
    • Open Firefox and go to Help – Troubleshooting Information (or type about:support in the URL bar and press Enter).

      Open Firefox and go to Help

      Select Troubleshooting Information

    • When on the Troubleshooting Information screen, click on the Refresh Firefox button.

      Refresh Firefox on Mac

    • Confirm the intended changes and restart Firefox.

Get rid of LinkBranch virus using Combo Cleaner removal tool

The Mac maintenance and security app called Combo Cleaner is a one-stop tool to detect and remove LinkBranch 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 LinkBranch 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 LinkBranch 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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