Q: How to remove Adware?

Thanks this was amazing help, step by step I followed and my macbook pro  is happy again.

Thank you so much!  I was at wits end.  I am deeply grateful.

Thank you for your help.  I am very grateful. 

I am so grateful for this forum.  The outline for the removal is awesome.  I did as the directions said and the adware is now gone.  yay! 

Sorry to bother you Linc Davis,
I just recently have been plagued by Spigot. Which causes my homepage to be yahoo (no matter what I do).
I have been doing research and I think that the answer above would solve it but I defer to your judgment.
I tried following your steps but I could not find Vsearch.

I have a Macbook Pro late 2011 model - OS X 10.9.4

I have backed up my computer, if you have time. Could you give me some info how to get rid of this Spigot?

Thank you

Spigot is not the same as Downlite, so the removal instructions are different. See my Adware Removal Guide.

(Fair disclosure: The Safe Mac is my site, and contains a Donate button, so I may receive compensation for providing links to The Safe Mac. Donations are not required.)

@thomas_r.

Thank you so much! That worked so well. I have spent hours trying to learn computer talk to get rid of the problem.

I am all good.
I will happily Donate.
I get paid on Monday (in Australia) and it will be the first thing I do!

Once again thank you so much for having your set of skills.

Thank you! This worked for me and it was a quick process!

I have this problem as well I've done all the steps that's on the list but the

"/Library/LaunchAgents/com.vsearch.agent.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vsearch.daemon.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vsearch.helper.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/Jack.plist

/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/Jack

/System/Library/Frameworks/VSearch.framework "

Is not in the folder I can't complete the process with out deleting those items.

I have this problem as well I've done all the steps that's on the list but the

"/Library/LaunchAgents/com.vsearch.agent.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vsearch.daemon.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vsearch.helper.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/Jack.plist

/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/Jack

/System/Library/Frameworks/VSearch.framework "

Is not in the folder I can't complete the process with out deleting those items.

You either aren't looking in the right places or you don't have Downlite. (Most likely the latter, as Downlite is not the only adware that causes these symptoms.)

Try my Adware Removal Guide and see if that helps.

(Fair disclosure: The Safe Mac is my site, and contains a Donate button, so I may receive compensation for providing links to The Safe Mac. Donations are not required.)

Hi Linc, this worked for me. Thank you very much.

I have the following problem: This post appears at random websites

My internet research only provided me with information on how to deal with it on windows computers. Can anyone help?

I tried to run the safe mac removal tool, but it did not remove anything.

Boot Mode: Normal

Model: MacBookPro9,2

System diagnostics

   2014-07-06 mdmclient crash

   2014-07-06 mdmclient crash

   2014-07-06 mdmclient crash

   2014-07-06 mdmclient crash

   2014-07-06 mdmclient crash

   2014-07-06 mdmclient crash

   2014-07-06 mdmclient crash

   2014-07-06 mdmclient crash

   2014-07-13 avbackendproxy,avbackendproxy,avguard-ondemand-mgmt,avguard-onde shutdownStall

   2014-07-20 avlogwriter crash

User diagnostics

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-06 usernoted crash

   2014-07-11 AcroExt crash

Kernel messages

   --- last message repeated 13 times ---

   Jul 21 11:06:40   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #4, bssid bc:05:43:68:a9:e9

   Jul 21 11:09:30   PM notification timeout (pid 99804, Messages)

   Jul 21 11:26:26   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #2, bssid d0:c7:89:cc:33:fe

   --- last message repeated 2 times ---

   Jul 21 11:31:52   PM notification timeout (pid 99804, Messages)

   Jul 21 11:31:57   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #2, bssid d0:c7:89:cc:33:fe

   Jul 21 18:05:04   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #8, bssid bc:05:43:68:a9:e9

   Jul 21 18:40:34   PM notification timeout (pid 99804, Messages)

   Jul 21 19:56:57   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #8, bssid bc:05:43:68:a9:e9

   --- last message repeated 5 times ---

   Jul 21 22:14:14   MacAuthEvent en1 Auth result for: bc:05:43:68:a9:e9 Auth timed out

   Jul 21 22:17:26   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #3, bssid bc:05:43:68:a9:e9

   Jul 21 22:40:39   PM notification timeout (pid 99804, Messages)

   Jul 22 09:48:22   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #8, bssid 74:31:70:e1:d2:c0

   Jul 22 10:46:48   PM notification timeout (pid 99804, Messages)

   --- last message repeated 2 times ---

   Jul 22 12:41:24   Previous Shutdown Cause: -60

   Jul 22 13:00:47   PM notification timeout (pid 99804, Messages)

   Jul 22 14:02:07   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #8, bssid 74:31:70:e1:d2:c0

   Jul 22 15:02:12   PM notification timeout (pid 99804, Messages)

   --- last message repeated 2 times ---

   Jul 22 16:52:37   check_file_access 934 (ERROR <74649>):ERROR sleep interrupted: TIMEOUT EXPIRED

   Jul 22 16:52:48   check_file_access 934 (ERROR <66480>):ERROR sleep interrupted: TIMEOUT EXPIRED

   Jul 22 17:37:04   wl0: Roamed or switched channel, reason #4, bssid 74:31:70:e1:d2:c0

Loaded extrinsic kernel extensions

   com.avira.kext.FileAccessControl (1.0.0d1)

   net.tunnelblick.tun (1.0)

Extrinsic daemons

   com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper

   com.avira.helper.watchdox

   com.avira.antivirus.ipm.loader

   com.avira.antivirus.dbcleaner

   com.adobe.fpsaud

Extrinsic agents

   com.avira.antivirus.update.default

   com.avira.antivirus.telemetry_agent

   com.avira.antivirus.systray

   com.avira.antivirus.scheduler_agent

   com.avira.antivirus.odscan.default

   com.avira.antivirus.notifications_agent

   com.avira.antivirus.ipm.ui

   com.google.keystone.user.agent

   com.adobe.ARM.UUID

launchd items

   /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avira.antivirus.ipm.ui.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.ipm.ui)

   /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avira.antivirus.notifications.agent.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.notifications_agent)

   /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avira.antivirus.odscan.default.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.odscan.default)

   /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avira.antivirus.scheduler.agent.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.scheduler_agent)

   /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avira.antivirus.systray.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.systray)

   /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avira.antivirus.telemetry.agent.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.telemetry_agent)

   /Library/LaunchAgents/com.avira.antivirus.update.default.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.update.default)

   /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.fpsaud.plist

    (com.adobe.fpsaud)

   /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.avira.antivirus.dbcleaner.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.dbcleaner)

   /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.avira.antivirus.ipm.loader.plist

    (com.avira.antivirus.ipm.loader)

   /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.avira.helper.watchdox.plist

    (com.avira.helper.watchdox)

   /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist

    (com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper)

   Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.ARM.UUID.plist

    (com.adobe.ARM.UUID)

   Library/LaunchAgents/com.google.keystone.agent.plist

    (com.google.keystone.user.agent)

Startup items

   /Library/StartupItems/HWNetMgr/HWNetCfg

   /Library/StartupItems/HWNetMgr/HWNetMgr

   /Library/StartupItems/HWPortDetect/HWPortCfg

   /Library/StartupItems/HWPortDetect/HWPortDetect

   /Library/StartupItems/StartOuc/RunOuc

   /Library/StartupItems/StartOuc/StartOuc

   /Library/StartupItems/StartOuc/StartupParameters.plist

Extrinsic loadable bundles

   /System/Library/Extensions/FileAccessControl.kext

    (com.avira.kext.FileAccessControl)

   /System/Library/Extensions/HuaweiDataCardDriver.kext

    (com.huawei.driver.HuaweiDataCardDriver)

   /System/Library/Extensions/USBExpressCardCantWake_Huawei.kext

    (com.apple.dts.driver.USBExpressCardCantWake)

   /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/AdobePDFViewer.plugin

    (com.adobe.acrobat.pdfviewer)

   /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/AdobePDFViewerNPAPI.plugin

    (com.adobe.acrobat.pdfviewerNPAPI)

   /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/DirectorShockwave.plugin

    (com.adobe.director_12_0.shockwave.pluginshim)

   /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/Flash Player.plugin

    (com.macromedia.Flash Player.plugin)

   /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/SharePointBrowserPlugin.plugin

    (com.microsoft.sharepoint.browserplugin)

   /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/SharePointWebKitPlugin.webplugin

    (com.microsoft.sharepoint.webkitplugin)

   /Library/PreferencePanes/Flash Player.prefPane

    (com.adobe.flashplayerpreferences)

   Library/Address Book Plug-Ins/SkypeABDialer.bundle

    (com.skype.skypeabdialer)

   Library/Address Book Plug-Ins/SkypeABSMS.bundle

    (com.skype.skypeabsms)

sysctl.conf

   net.inet.tcp.rfc1323=1

   net.inet.tcp.sockthreshold=0

   net.inet.tcp.sendspace=65560

   net.inet.tcp.recvspace=65560

Global login items

   /Library/Printers/hp/hpio/HPEventHandler.app/

This is not an adware problem, this is your browser trying to prevent you from going to known bad sites, using the Google Safe Browsing blacklist. The one listed in that window is a known malware site.

See:

https://www.virustotal.com/en/url/23fb951a64413787e39d654d11bd49f856b8b99f134c8f 96048d19331a718799/analysis/

So, the solution is to stop going to sites that trigger that message.

If this message is being triggered on mainstream sites, then you probably have some kind of network compromise that is redirecting you to malicious sites. See How to manage a hacked wireless router.

(Fair disclosure: The Safe Mac is my site, and contains a Donate button, so I may receive compensation for providing links to The Safe Mac. Donations are not required.)

Thank You Anon4876!!! It worked for me!!!