NetUpdate Mac virus (Free Guide)

What is NetUpdate Mac virus?

NetUpdate – a sneaky Mac virus that can compromise your online safety

NetUpdate is a harmful software targeting Mac devices, part of a broad adware family known as Adload, which has many versions. Although its primary purpose is to deliver advertisements, its deeper activities and system processes classify it as a Trojan.

Users often accidentally infect their computers by falling for fake Flash Player updates or by installing pirated applications from unreliable sources. Once NetUpdate is installed, it deploys various malicious components, including a browser extension and a system-level application.

This setup allows the virus to achieve its main objective: to remain on the device as long as possible without easy detection or removal by the user. While it hijacks browsers, it shows intrusive ads at every opportunity. Some of these ads can be harmful, leading to further malware infections. Additionally, phishing attempts and scam messages are common, posing risks of data theft or financial loss. Therefore, it is crucial to remove the infection promptly.

Distribution techniques

The methods of malware distribution can vary, but the creators of the NetUpdate virus typically use two main strategies, which we will discuss further.

Pirated software installers

While many websites offering pirated software have been shut down, cybercriminals continually create new ones. Users looking to obtain paid applications for free often visit these risky sites. However, there are many reasons to avoid them.

Torrents and similar websites are notorious for their connection to malware, primarily because they lack proper regulation. You might end up downloading an infected installer, clicking on a malicious link, or encountering a harmful script. Additionally, there are many look-alike websites that only serve malware.

Fake Flash Player updates

Fake prompts encouraging users to install Flash to view content online have been a favorite tactic among malware developers. For years, Flash was the go-to tool for playing multimedia content, so many users still believe it is essential.

In reality, Adobe discontinued Flash at the end of 2022, and it is no longer supported. Therefore, any message claiming you need to install or update Flash is fraudulent and likely to result in a malware infection. If you see such a message, you should close the page immediately.

More about Adload

NetUpdate is part of a well-known malware family that releases new versions frequently. This software is more harmful than typical adware, though it shares some of its characteristics.

The primary objective of NetUpdate is to ensure that advertisements reach as many victims as possible. The wider the infection spread, the greater the profits from ad clicks and views. Unfortunately, much of the promoted content is unsafe, leading users to install additional malicious software. For instance, many users have also fallen victim to the dangerous Shlayer Trojan through these ads.

Another critical feature of NetUpdate is browser hijacking. By taking control of Safari or other web browsers, it can promote specific search providers, increasing ad revenue. However, this function is more harmful than it appears. The installed extension has advanced privileges, enabling it to collect passwords, credit card information, and other sensitive data, significantly raising privacy concerns.

Moreover, NetUpdate employs various persistence mechanisms to bypass Gatekeeper and Xprotect defenses. Many versions of this malware family are notorious for this trait, using built-in Applescript to maintain their presence on the system. Below, we explain how to remove the infection.

How to remove the virus?

A distinctive visual sign of a NetUpdate infection is its icon. Those impacted will notice a browser extension and an application on their systems featuring a magnifying glass icon on a gray background. Previous versions had different colors like blue, teal, or green, but this is no longer the case.

Removing these components is essential, but it might be more challenging than expected. The “Uninstall” button for the browser extension may be grayed out, preventing regular removal. Similarly, if the system-level application is not correctly terminated, it can reinstall itself later.

To effectively deal with the NetUpdate infection, we suggest using SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes anti-malware software. This approach ensures that all components of the NetUpdate virus are thoroughly removed, along with any other infections present on your system.

For those who prefer manual removal, instructions are provided below. Regardless of whether you choose manual or automatic removal, it is advisable to clean your web browsers of any leftover files to ensure complete removal of the infection.

Remove the main app component

Before you uninstall the main application, you need to shut down malware's background processes. To do that, follow these steps:

• Open Applications folder
• Select Utilities
• Double-click Activity Monitor
• Here, look for suspicious processes related to adware and use the Force Quit command to shut them down
• Go back to the Applications folder
• Find MajorSector in the list and move it to Trash.

The PLIST files are small config files, also known as “Properly list.” They hold various user settings and hold information about certain applications. In order to remove the virus, you have to find the related PLIST files and remove them.

• 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.

Login items and Profiles can also be used to increase persistence. Hence, if you see any of the unknown ones, remove them as follows:

• Go to Preferences and pick Accounts
• Click Login items and delete everything suspicious
• Next, pick System Preferences > Users & Groups
• Find Profiles and remove unwanted profiles from the list.

Take care of your browser

Your browser remains at risk as long as the extension is installed. Even after automatic removal, it is essential to carefully check what has been cleaned, as some elements might still be present on your system, such as tracking cookies. Start by removing any extensions or add-ons:

• Click Safari > Preferences…
• In the new window, pick Extensions.
• Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.

In some cases, the malicious extension might be grayed out, which would make removing it in a regular way impossible. You can opt to reset your browser altogether; it would eliminate all your add-ons, although you can reinstate the trustworthy ones later:

• Click Safari > Preferences…
• Go to the Advanced tab.
• Tick the Show Develop menu in the menu bar.
• From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.

If you haven't reset your browser, it's crucial to ensure it is thoroughly cleaned. Cookies and other tracking technologies can collect data like IP addresses, clicked links, visited websites, and even personal information, especially with malicious extensions. To prevent this, you should remove any web data that might remain after the malware is eliminated. We recommend using FortectIntego for an automatic solution, but you can also clean it manually:

• Click Safari > Clear History…
• From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
• Confirm with Clear History.

If you are using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, refer to the instructions for these browsers below.