Mac Adware Cleaner

[warburg]

For the past month or so, an application called Mac Adware Cleaner has been placed in the Applications folder of my MacBook Pro. I've deleted it many times, but it continues to be replaced. I suppose that it somehow downloads from a web site that I visit often, like YouTube, but I'm not certain of this. Is there any way that I can get rid of it permanently?

 

[keysofanxiety]

For the past month or so, an application called Mac Adware Cleaner has been placed in the Applications folder of my MacBook Pro. I've deleted it many times, but it continues to be replaced. I suppose that it somehow downloads from a web site that I visit often, like YouTube, but I'm not certain of this. Is there any way that I can get rid of it permanently?

Download MalwareBytes for Mac, do a full scan through that: https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac-download/

If you continue to have the issue, drag the application into AppCleaner: https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/

 

[warburg]

Thank you. MalwareBytes seems to have done the job.

 

[Fishrrman]

I believe no MacUser should be without the Malwarebytes anti-Malware app.

It seems to function as well (vs. adware) as did John Norstad's old "Disinfectant" app against viruses back in the days of the Classic Mac OS.

A great piece of Mac software.
High praise for making it freely available to download and use.

 

[thomasareed]

For the past month or so, an application called Mac Adware Cleaner has been placed in the Applications folder of my MacBook Pro. I've deleted it many times, but it continues to be replaced.

Mac Adware Cleaner is one of many junk apps made by PCVARK/Techyutils, and distributed through unethical means (such as adware installers).

Most likely, the various components left behind and still running when you just delete the app were "updating" it and installing a new copy. However, there are other possibilities as well. If you're running any adware-laden installers, or if you have another PCVARK app (such as Advanced Mac Cleaner), that could also explain how it kept coming back.

For more info on these PCVARK apps, and the malware that PCVARK also makes and distributes with some of them, see:

PCVARK plays dirty