Docallisec ads on Mac: what it is and how to remove it
Docallisec - the potentially unwanted program that shows various commercial content to trigger needed processes on the infected machine. This app displays pop-ups injects advertising content on websites that are typically not having anything like that. This page covers it on macOS.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps checked against Apple's current documentation and the security vendors' reports. We have not run the malware on a Mac. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Docallisec ads: summary
| Distribution | The program is delivered via deceptive pop-ups, free software installers, misleading distribution pages, fake Flash Player installers and other files downloaded from the web or torrent, pirating platforms |
|---|---|
| Name | Docallisec |
| Type | Adware/ Mac virus |
| Issues | The program triggers issues with online material delivery because it makes users time online frustrating with all the pop-ups and banners showing commercial material. |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Removal | Scan the Mac with security software to find the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect for Mac scans for malware and unwanted programs. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 5 more facts
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
|---|---|
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | Docallisec |
| First seen | 30 July 2020 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Docallisec ads dangerous?
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Docallisec the adware-type program that triggers frustration on macOS device
Docallisec - the potentially unwanted program that shows various commercial content to trigger needed processes on the infected machine.
This app displays pop-ups injects advertising content on websites that are typically not having anything like that. Coupons, details, and discount codes appear on banners, layered windows of the browser, so you have little to no chance to avoid clicking on them. Furthermore, this application tracks and monitors your activities online, so your internet searches-related data can be accessed by third-party commercial content creators and other companies.
PUPs create issues with your privacy and the security of a device in general. The deceptive site and application appear on the screen and triggers serious issues with the speed and performance of the device to ensure that sponsored sites receive traffic and page visits.
Docallisec mac virus is the term that is used to describe the particular program due to the intrusive behavior and detection rate that shows the suspicious behavior and possibly harmful purpose. You need to react immediately if your AV tool delivers a particular alert about the program. If not- any suspicious behaviors should be checked using security software.
Docallisec is one of many applications from the Adload family of macOS threats like Central Locator, SectionBrowser, OperativeDesktop, ArchimedesLookup, SearchMainInfo, CreativeSearch, Main Ready, DataQuest, Libexec, SearchWebSvc.
All these pieces are not associated with any legitimate program or valuable tool, especially when macOS is the system that is not easily affectable. However, there are no devices that could be called fully immune to malware and cyber intruders, so you will need to remove Docallisec yourself.
Manual tips for Docallisec removal do not exist because the program manages to change settings, alter preferences, and trigger other issues while running in the background. The program even triggers pop-ups with allow or deny options, so you may get tricked into installing other PUP or a different virus, so your machine might get more affected if you ignore all the red flags.
Docallisec acts as a browser hijacker too since the application is universal and triggers various issues just to make the time online affected for the user. It triggers redirects, causes pop-ups, banners, changes settings, and preferences to reroute search queries to associated engine or domain.
When you encounter the installation of a shady tool like that, you, in most cases, cannot see any symptoms, so Docallisec runs silently. However, the following issues should indicate the PUP infection:
When it gets installed it starts focusing on redirects and even changes in such parts of the system like startup preferences. This is why experts talk about the damage these programs can easily cause. Docallisec virus damage can be found and even possibly removed with optimizer like .
- web browser's default search engine changed;
- browser's search queries are redirected through shady domains;
- The "Docallisec" browser extension or any other browser-based program is installed on your computer.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
PUP running on the computer triggers redirects and performance issues
Typically this app is distributed as a fake Flash Player update or installation pop-ups because people commonly get these pop-ups on the screen.
Also, such potentially unwanted programs can be distributed via third-party commercialized, torrent, or pirating pages and platforms.
If your web browser keeps redirecting to suspicious sites, shows banners, pop-ups, or receives installation out of nowhere, you need to determine the issue and clear the system. There might be some other programs added behind your back. Do not think that macOS cannot get any threats from the internet when you visit misleading and deceptive pages.
Be careful when you install anything or visit sites that seem suspicious. If you get programs from the internet, pay attention to details, and choose Advanced or Custom installation options to see possibly pre-bundled programs.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Docallisec virus termination involves proper security tools
The proper Docallisec removal guide can show you how to get rid of the intruder, but the app is not one-sided.
This potentially unwanted program is the one that works from the background and triggers issues by adding or disabling programs, files on the computer.
You cannot properly use the machine when the program runs and triggers unwanted changes, especially when you keep the program for a while. Unfortunately, you cannot be sure how long it is on the system already, so you need to remove Docallisec as soon as you notice anything suspicious.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Docallisec
- Docallisec removal procedure consists of proper system checking with anti-malware tool because there is a need to find all associated files and programs
- Try to fix the damage that PUP may have caused on the system by running on the computer
How to remove Docallisec ads
Remove the app and what starts it, then check the browsers.
Step 1: Delete apps and downloads you did not intend to install
Open the Applications folder and your Downloads folder. Drag any app you did not install, and any disk image (
.dmg), installer (.pkg) or archive (.zip) that came from Docallisec or a site you do not trust, to the Bin, then empty the Bin.Also check
~/Library/Application Supportfor a folder with the same name as the app you removed.Step 2: Remove unknown login items and background items
Open System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. Under Open at Login and Allow in the Background, switch off or remove anything you do not recognize, especially items whose developer is shown as an unknown name or that appeared on the day you ran the command.
Then open Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder and check
~/Library/LaunchAgents,/Library/LaunchAgentsand /Library/LaunchDaemons for property list (.plist) files you did not add. Drag suspicious ones to the Bin, then restart the Mac.Step 3: Check the browsers for extensions and changed settings
In Safari open Settings > Extensions and General (homepage). In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Firefoxabout:addons.Remove any extension you did not add, and reset the homepage and search engine if they changed. Browsers hold saved passwords and cookies, which is why the password step comes first.
Step 4: Quit what is running that you do not recognize
Open Activity Monitor (in Applications > Utilities, or search for it with Command + Space).
In the CPU or Network tab, look for a process you did not install or whose name is random, select it, click the stop button (the octagon with an X) and choose Quit or Force Quit.
Note the name first: you will look for the same name in the next steps. Malware that comes back after a restart is handled in the next two steps.
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
Questions about Docallisec ads
Is Docallisec a virus?
Most programs that appear the way Docallisec did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
Docallisec will not uninstall. What can I do?
First restart the PC and try again, because the program may have been running and locked its own files. If the uninstaller is missing or fails, start Windows in Safe Mode, where most third-party programs do not start, and remove Docallisec from Installed apps there.
If it still refuses, delete its startup entry and its scheduled task, restart, and try once more. A program that actively prevents removal is behaving like malware, so finish with a Microsoft Defender offline scan. Avoid third-party uninstallers offered on search ads; several of them are unwanted programs themselves.
I clicked on one of the ads. Am I infected?
Probably not. Clicking an ad usually only opens a page, and a page cannot install programs on an up-to-date Windows PC without your help.
You are at risk only if you then downloaded and ran a file, allowed notifications, entered card or login details, or called a phone number shown on the page. Delete any download and run a full and offline scan.
Change passwords you typed, from a clean device. Call your bank if you gave card details. If you called a number or allowed remote access, see the next question.
An ad showed a phone number and I called it. What now?
The number belongs to scammers, not to Microsoft or an antivirus company. If you only talked, hang up and do not call back. If you let them connect to the PC, disconnect it from the internet, uninstall the remote access program they used, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, ScreenConnect or UltraViewer, and run a full and offline scan.
If you paid or gave bank details, call your bank at once on the number printed on your card. Change any passwords you typed while they were connected, and report the call.
Can adware slow down my PC?
Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.
The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.
Does adware steal passwords?
Ordinary adware is built to show ads, not to steal logins, and most of it never touches saved passwords. The line is blurry, though. Extensions that can read every page could capture what you type, and adware ads sometimes lead to phishing pages that ask for passwords directly.
If you entered credentials on a page reached through an ad, change that password from a clean device and turn on two-step verification. Otherwise, removing adware extension and clearing cookies is usually enough.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Docallisec?
Many security products do not block adware or notification sites by default, because users often agreed to them, even through a misleading prompt. Notification spam installs nothing at all, so there is no file to detect.
In Windows 11 you can make Microsoft Defender block potentially unwanted apps: open Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking. If notifications caused the pop-ups, no scanner will report them; the fix is in the browser's site settings.
What is Docallisec?
Docallisec - the potentially unwanted program that shows various commercial content to trigger needed processes on the infected machine. This app displays pop-ups injects advertising content on websites that are typically not having anything like that.
The summary table at the top of this guide lists the type, the detection names, the symptoms and the damage of Docallisec. Reading it first helps you decide whether your computer shows the same signs. The removal plan below it works in order, from the safest step to the more thorough ones.
Will Fortect remove Docallisec?
Fortect for Mac scans for malware and unwanted programs, and its free scan shows what it finds on your Mac before you decide anything.
For Docallisec, follow the plan on this page as well: removing a launch item or an app is done in macOS itself, and a scanner cannot undo what was typed or entered on the infected Mac, such as saved passwords that were copied.
Change your passwords from another device first, and if the page tells you to erase the Mac, a scan is not a substitute. The free scan costs nothing and the full-featured product needs a license.
Sources
- Virustotal: Detection rate of Docallisec (read October 7, 2026)
- Reddit: Docallisec (read October 7, 2026)
- Virusai: Virusai (read October 7, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)