How to remove AccessibleBoost

AccessibleBoost is a potentially unwanted program that might be related to a Trojan infection

AccessibleBoost is a Mac virus^[1] that can infiltrate your computer at any time via fake Flash updates or software bundles downloaded from insecure websites. Since the main functionality of this parasite is to deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns to users, popups, deals, offers, coupons, in-text links, and other ads are frequent occurrences on Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, or other web browsers.

While unwanted ads and redirects might seem bad enough, AccessibleBoost virus is capable of much more. In the background, the app can engage in sensitive information theft via the installed browser extension or prevent users from using their default search provider, as it sets Safe Finder or z6airr.com instead. Besides, since AccessibleBoost uses built-in macOS resources to elevate its permissions on the system, victims might also see other programs installed without permission on their devices.

Since the malicious app uses fake Flash Player installers or software bundles to gain access to Macs, many users might not even notice that they have been infected. Hence, they will not know that they need to remove AccessibleBoost to prevent various suspicious activities, which may include:

• Unknown browser extension installed on the web browser;
• Suspicious apps and .plist files spread across the computer;
• New profiles or Login items appended;
• Homepage and new tab address altered to something else;
• Search results are filled with sponsored links
• Redirects occur through various URLs, including akamaihd.net. or z6airr.com

AccessibleBoost belongs to Mac malware family known as Adload – a set of malicious programs that use same magnifying glass icon but have identical functionality. Therefore, apps such as BufferKey, ArchimedesLookup, SectionBrowser, CreativeSearch, SearchMainInfo, and many others, are just copies of one another that is spread across the internet in various deceptive methods.

Unfortunately, AccessibleBoost gains elevated permissions on the system by using the built-in Apple script. Therefore, users might find unknown applications or malware installed on their computers that come with their own set of capabilities – one of the most prominent infections that might be associated with Adload is Shlayer Trojan.

Speaking of capabilities, AccessibleBoost adware is capable of stealing sensitive data via the browser the extension is installed on:

AccessibleBoost 1.0

Permissions for “AccessibleBoost”:

Webpage contents
Can read sensitive information from webpages, including passwords, phone numbers, and credit cards on all webpages

Browsing history
Can see when you visit all webpages

Thus, by continuing to use your browser while infected with AccessibleBoost, you are risking of sensitive data exposure to unknown parties or even cybercriminals. Later on, you might be a target of phishing or scam campaigns, might get your money stolen from your bank account, or even suffer from identity theft.

To make matters worse, AccessibleBoost removal might be a total pain, as the installed components do not allow its complete elimination. Thus, even if you drag the unwanted app to Trash, you will still see the extension present on your browser, and redirects and ads will continue. To stop this, you need to locate and eliminate all the related elements of the AccessibleBoost virus.

To do that, you can either rely on a reputable anti-malware solution (which is highly recommended, as it allows effortless elimination) or find the malicious entries yourself. If you are up for the latter, you can check the manual guide we provide in the last section of this article.

To complete AccessibleBoost uninstall, you should also reset all the installed web browsers and then perform a full system scan with FortectIntego optimization software.

You can effectively prevent your Mac from being infected

Most users who have Mac malware installed on their systems are not even aware of it, as it is most commonly spread in various deceptive techniques. While potentially unwanted programs such as adware or browser hijackers are not uncommon, it is important to note that Adload-related apps typically come from dubious sources. There are two main methods that should be taken into consideration:

• Fake alerts that ask you to update something or prevent malware from stealing your data;
• Pirated software installers or software cracks downloaded from torrent sites or similar sources.

Keep in mind that, before you install a malicious application on your Mac, you are asked to enter your AppleID. However, if you believe that you are installing something as seemingly harmless as a Flash Player update, malware manages to break your Mac's security by deceiving you with social engineering tricks.

Thus, it is important to be vigilant and practice safe online behavior. First of all, reputable anti-malware tools can protect you from most malware that is designed for Macs. Also, you should avoid downloading pirated applications from torrent sites. Finally, Flash Player is no longer needed for any modern web browsers, so experts^[2] recommend staying away even from the legitimate version of this flawed^[3] plugin.

Recommended method to remove AccessibleBoost is to scan the computer with anti-malware

Unlike most other potentially unwanted programs, AccessibleBoost removal might be much more complicated. Since the app gains persistence with the help of various components that it establishes during the infection routine, it might be difficult to find all of them manually, especially for those that are novice macOS users.

Thus, we recommend you remove AccessibleBoost automatically with the help of a powerful security application. Although, make sure you download an app that is trustworthy, as there are plenty of fake security tools such as Advanced Mac Cleaner or Quick Mac Fixer.

Nonetheless, if you are keen on trying to eliminate AccessibleBoost virus yourself, check the following locations for the suspicious entries and delete them at once:

• System Preferences > Accounts> Login Items
• System Preferences > Users&Groups > Profiles
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents
• ~/Library/Application Support
• ~/Library/LaunchDaemons