rormiston
Level 1
(0 points)
Q: how do i remove flashmall adware
I inadvertently (carelessly) downloaded flashmall adware. How do I remove it?
Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
Linc Davis
Level 10
(208,059 points)
You installed the "Flashmall" trojan. Take the steps below to disable it.
Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. This procedure works as of now, as far as I know. It may not work in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for a more recent discussion, or start a new one.
Back up all data before continuing.
1. Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
~/Library/LaunchAgents
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return. A folder named "LaunchAgents" will open.
2. Inside the folder you just opened, there may be files with a name beginning in any of the following ways:
com.crossrider
com.extensions
com.flashmall
com.Installer.completer
com.webhelper
com.webtools
flashmall
UpdateDownloader
WebSocketServerApp
Move any such files to the Trash and close the Finder window. Log out or restart the computer. The trojan will now be inactive, but there are a few more components of it that should be cleaned up.
3. Do as in Step 1 with this line:
~/Library/Application Support
A folder named "Application Support" will open. Inside it there may be a subfolder with either of these names:
webHelperApp
IM.Installer
If so, move that subfolder—not the "Application Support" folder—to the Trash.
4. Open this folder in the same way as above:
~/Library/ScriptingAdditions
and remove an item named
BrowserHelper.osax
if present.
5. Open this folder:
~/Library
Look for subfolders with either of these names:
flashmall
WebTools
and move them to the Trash, if present.
6. Open the Applications folder. If it contains an item named "Flashmall" or "WebTools", move that to the Trash.
Important: You can't delete applications by trying to drag them from the Dock or the LaunchPad. Open the Applications folder in the Finder.
7. Open this folder in the same way as above:
~/Applications
This is not the usual Applications folder, but a different one inside your home folder. Look for an application with a name like this:
flashmall
and move it to the Trash, if present.
Empty the Trash.
8. From the Safari menu bar, select
Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Extensions
Uninstall all extensions you don't know you need, including one called "GoldenBoy," if it's present. If in doubt, remove all of them. None is required for normal operation. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those.
