Automator virus / Virus Removal Guide - Oct 2020 update
Automator virus Removal Guide
What is Automator virus?
Automator is a Mac OS tool that can be misused by malware for creating AppleScripts to automatically perform suspicious activities
Automator is a legitimate application for Mac OS[1] allowing users to perform particular tasks on the system automatically. It has an inbuilt list of AppleScripts allowing to create workflows – the sequence of actions that have to be performed to finish some kind of tasks. It may be extremely useful for tasks like renaming many photos at once, extracting texts from PDF files, archiving files and folders, combine documents, quit all applications, create backups, and so on. However, this application is considered as one of the most vulnerable since both Apple and third-party developers can add new scripts and create tasks. Therefore, it may initiate suspicious activities on your Mac, which is why many regular PC users consider it to be an Automator virus.
At the moment, Automator can be set to handle tasks in more than 80 applications. The biggest risk of this application is to get affected by malware and filled with scripts that download other malware or perform tasks such as injection of unwanted web browser's toolbars, add-ons, or enabling third-party cookies on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and other web browsers. Therefore, in case Mac runs in an abnormal manner due to malware infection, we recommend scanning your PC with a reputable anti-malware program designed for Mac and eliminate suspicious programs. Automator removal is usually not permitted unless your device has a rogue version.
| Summary of the malware | |
| Name | Automator |
| Type | Malware |
| Specifications | A general Automator app is a pre-installed Mac OS component, which can be used for creating workflows in scripts to tell the system what tasks it should do automatically without the user's intervention. Therefore, this application stands at a high risk of being affected by malware. |
| Symptoms | Normally, the application does not exhibit any signs of malfunctioning unless the user sets the scripts in the wrong way. In case the poorly made script is opened, the system may start encountering errors or even crash. If malware resides on Mac and regularly sends scripts to the Automator, the system may start displaying ads, opening apps without being asked for, automatically send email messages from the user's account, and so on. |
| Location | The original Automator application is kept in /Applications/Utilities folder. |
| Danger | The application can be exploited by malware. Although it's not dangerous in its nature, malicious scripts can be injected by criminals forcing the system to perform suspicious tasks |
| Removal | Trying to remove Automator from Mac OS may fail because it's one of the pre-installed system's tools. Although it is possible to get rid of it, it is advisable to use a professional anti-malware program and check your Mac for malicious applications in the first place. |
| Optimizing performance | If this tool caused damage to the system, we strongly recommend you to fix malware damage with FortectIntego tool. It will check the libraries, folders, and processes that may have been corrupted and fix them. |
The term Automator virus is not suitable when we talk about a malware-free Mac OS system. This application has been developed with an intention to help users make specific tasks automated and turn them into a routine. However, the scripts that are used for creating the workflows can be injected by both Mac apps and third-party developers. In other words, adware, browser hijacker, spyware, or other malware installed on the device can program a scrip and command the device to initiate particular activities without the user's permission.
As pointed out by several Mac users on Reddit[2], the Automator malware managed to download MacKeeper without being asked for. Besides, it forces the Safari web browser to open every five minutes, thus disrupting normal web browsing activities.
I accidentally installed a malware and it keeps popping the safari browser every five minutes. It had installed mackeeper application and I am unable to find mackeeper under the applications. However there is an app called automator and when I try to uninstall it, an error window appears '“automator” can’t be modified or deleted because it’s required by macos.' Can someone help me with this?
That can be explained by the presence of malware on the affected Mac OS device. Since third-party apps can attempt to add new Automator tasks support to both new and existing applications, the malware might have added a task to download specific items and created a routine to open Safari.
There are many apps that may trigger the Automator app on Mac to start working abnormally, including Adware Cleaner or LiveShoppers. In addition to doubtful MAC activities, the web browser may be compromised by adding unwanted toolbars, add-ons, and plug-ins. Besides, a questionable search engine and start page can manifest.
Although malware is not extremely dangerous if comparing to ransomware or spyware. Nevertheless, questionable advertising material positions on random websites can expose people to rogue websites used as phishing for spreading more dangerous cyber infections.
Therefore, if you suspect that your device has been affected by malware and initiated changes in MacScripts, we strongly recommend you to download a professional anti-malware program dedicated to Mac OS, for example SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes and perform a full scan to eliminate malware.
If you are still having a problem or no malware has been found, try to remove Automator from the system. For that, you should disable the process via Activity Monitor and then delete the app from the Applications/Utilities folder.
If Automator removal ends up with a notification saying that “Automator” can’t be modified or deleted because it’s required by MacOS,” it means that the app is currently in use by another application or runs in the background. Thus, force quit the app and then perform the removal.
Malware typically enters the system bundled with freeware but can be downloaded as a stand-alone installer from reputable sources
There are many free applications that are offered on reputable download sources, such as Google App Store or Mac App Store[3]. Besides, often unwanted applications have dedicated official websites and direct downloads. However, if they are flagged as potentially dangerous by cybersecurity experts, having a direct download website does not make it less questionable.
Experts from lesvirus.fr[4] explain that an app is referred to as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) as soon as it is detected as being distributed by bundling or other doubtful methods. Besides, such apps statistically show a high tendency to initiate advertising campaigns and track users' activities behind their backs.
Therefore, to protect the system from PUPs and malware, it's very important to stay away from applications that are underrated or do not have clear specifications. When downloading an app to the system, always opt for an Advanced installation setup, which generates more setup windows and indicates the fact that additional programs are being installed alongside.
Besides, do not fully trust the inbuilt Mac security system. There is more than enough proof that the anti-malware filters often fail to recognize suspicious programs, which is why we highly recommend keeping a professional anti-virus program installed to strengthen the protection.
Remove malware from Mac to get rid of Automator virus
If you suspect that your Mac is infected by malware and all the suspicious activities directly to the Automator app, do not blame the app itself. Although it may start malfunctioning due to incorrect scripting, it is very likely that the tool causes problems because of adware or browser hijacker infection.
Automator virus removal may be a tiresome task if you don't know which program is responsible for ads, redirects, unexpected app running, slowdowns, and other symptoms. First of all, you should the Applications folder and remove apps that you are not familiar with. In case that did not help, launch SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes tool and scan the system for suspicious entries.
Finally, if there is no other solution except to remove Automator Mac virus, then you have to perform several steps: force quit related process, eliminate the utility from the Apps folder, and then delete its remnants. You can find an explicit guide on how to do that below. In case your web browser has been also compromised and now keeps displaying ads and causing redirects to doubtful websites, reset web browser's settings to delete plug-ins.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Automator virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
The following guide explains how to get rid of Automator. Upon removal, you should also navigate to the Accounts folder and open Login Items. Here you should see the processes that start automatically when you boot up the device. Check the list for Automator and select the Minus icon to stop the process from launching.
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data…
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
Google Chrome's settings can be compromised after a malware infiltration. To reset the start page, search engine or eliminate advertising material, reset web browser's settings as explained below.
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
If you see Automator ads or other related content on Safari, perform the steps shown below to fix your web browser's settings.
Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Automator registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting malware
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
If this free guide helped you and you are satisfied with our service, please consider making a donation to keep this service alive. Even a smallest amount will be appreciated.
- ^ Automator User Guide. Support Apple. Official manufacturer's website.
- ^ Trouble uninstalling malware Automator. Reddit. The biggest collection of forums.
- ^ ACTUALITÉS SUR LA SÉCURITÉ ET LES LOGICIELS ESPIONS. Lesvirus. Virus and spyware news.
- ^ Apps Infected with Malware on Google Play Store. Alert Logic. SaaS-enabled managed detection and response (MDR) provider.