How to uninstall ChannelSystem app/extension from Mac

What is ChannelSystem

ChannelSystem is supposed to be a program that will improve the browsing experience, but according to security experts, this program is an adware. Adware can cause issues for your machine. The ChannelSystem adware can display unwanted advertisements on your internet browser so that your cannot stop them, redirect your web browser to misleading web-sites, and it can cause unwanted webpages to pop up on your web browser. Adware software might end up on your machine after you download and install free programs from a suspicious source.

Does adware software steal your confidential information? Adware be able to collect your surfing history and personal data, including passwords and credit card numbers. In the future, user information about you can be sold to third parties.

In the few simple steps below, we will explain useful methods on how to remove ChannelSystem adware from your MAC OS and free your web-browser of undesired ads.

How does ChannelSystem get on your MAC system

The most common way to get adware is a freeware setup file. In many cases, a user have a chance to disable all additional modules, but certain installation packages are created to confuse the average users, in order to trick them into installing PUPs and adware. Anyway, easier to prevent adware rather than clean up your machine after one. So, keep your internet browser updated (turn on automatic updates), run good antivirus programs, double check free software before you start it (do a google search, scan a downloaded file with VirusTotal), avoid suspicious and unknown websites.

Threat Summary

Name	ChannelSystem, ChannelSystem 1.0 app
Type	adware, PUP (potentially unwanted program), pop-ups, popup virus, popup ads
Symptoms	advertising popups won’t go away your web browser is redirected to web sites you did not want your MAC starts automatically installing unwanted apps unwanted toolbars unwanted changes in your internet browser such as using a new default search engine slow Internet or slow browsing your machine is no stable leading to freezes
Removal	ChannelSystem removal guide

How to remove ChannelSystem

As with removing adware software, malware or PUPs, there are few steps you can do. We recommend trying them all. If you do only one part of the tutorial, then it should be run malicious software removal utility, because it should delete adware and block any further infection. But to completely get rid of ChannelSystem you’ll have to at least reset your web browser settings like default search provider, startpage and new tab page to default state, delete all unwanted and suspicious applications, and remove adware software with malware removal tools. Read it once, after doing so, please bookmark this page (or open it on your smartphone) as you may need to exit your browser or restart your machine.

To remove ChannelSystem, complete the following steps:

1. Remove profiles created by ChannelSystem
2. Uninstall ChannelSystem related programs through the Finder
3. Remove ChannelSystem related files and folders
4. Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes
5. Remove ChannelSystem from Safari, Chrome, Firefox
6. How to stay safe online
7. Finish words

Remove profiles created by ChannelSystem

ChannelSystem can make changes to the Mac system such as malicious changes to browser settings, and the addition of malicious system profiles. You need to check the system preferences, find and remove malicious profiles and ensure your settings are as you expect.

Click Apple menu ( ) > System Preferences.

In System Preferences, select Profiles. if there is no Profiles in the list of preferences, that means there are no profiles installed on the Mac computer. If there is Profiles in the list, then click on it, then select a profile associated with ChannelSystem.

To delete a malicious profile, click on the minus button ( – ) located at the bottom-left of the Profiles screen.

Uninstall ChannelSystem related programs through the Finder

It is of primary importance to identify and remove potentially unwanted programs, adware and browser hijackers through ‘Applications’ section of your Finder.

1. Open the Finder.
2. Click “Applications”.
3. It will show a list of all software installed on the machine.
4. Scroll through the all list, and remove questionable and unknown software. Pay maximum attention to the program you installed last.
5. Drag the questionable program from the Applications folder to the Trash.
6. Empty Trash.

Remove ChannelSystem related files and folders

Now you need to try to find ChannelSystem related files and folders, and then delete them manually. You need to look for these files in certain directories. To quickly open them, we recommend using the “Go to Folder…” command.

Click on the Finder icon. From the menu bar, select Go and click “Go to Folder…”. As a result, a small window opens that allows you to quickly open a specific directory.

Check for ChannelSystem generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/LaunchAgents

This will open the contents of the “/Library/LaunchAgents” folder. Look carefully at it and pay special attention to recently created files, as well as files that have a suspicious name. Move all suspicious files to the Trash. A few examples of files: ChannelSystem.plist, com.machelper.plist, search.plist, macsearch.plist and installapp.plist. Most often, adware, browser hijackers and PUPs create several files with similar names.

Check for ChannelSystem generated files in the /Library/Application Support folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/Application Support

This will open the contents of the “Application Support” folder. Look carefully at its contents, pay special attention to recently added/changed folder. Move all suspicious folders to the Trash.

Check for ChannelSystem generated files in the “~/Library/LaunchAgents” folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
~/Library/LaunchAgents

Proceed in the same way as with the “/Library/LaunchAgents” and “/Library/Application Support” folders. Look for suspicious and recently added files. Move all suspicious files to the Trash.

Check for ChannelSystem generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/LaunchDaemons

Carefully browse the entire list of files and pay special attention to recently created files, as well as files that have a suspicious name. Move all suspicious files to the Trash. A few examples of files to be deleted: com.search.plist, com.macsearch.plist, com.ChannelSystem.plist, com.machelper.plist and com.installapp.plist. In most cases, PUPs, browser hijackers and adware create several files with similar names.

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

We advise using MalwareBytes Free. You can download and install MalwareBytes Free to scan for and remove ChannelSystem associated apps from your Mac computer. When installed and updated, the malicious software remover automatically detects and deletes all security threats present on the MAC OS.

Visit the following page to download the latest version of MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) for Apple Mac.

Once downloading is complete, close all software and windows on your Apple Mac. Run the saved file. Follow the prompts.

The MalwareBytes will automatically start and you can see its main screen as shown in the following example.

Now click the “Scan” button to perform a system scan for the ChannelSystem . This procedure may take quite a while, so please be patient. When a threat is detected, the number of the security threats will change accordingly. Wait until the the checking is finished.

When that process is complete, the results are displayed in the scan report. All detected threats will be marked. You can delete them all by simply click the “Quarantine” button. The MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) will start to delete ChannelSystem adware.

Remove ChannelSystem from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

If you’re still getting ChannelSystem adware software, then you can try to get rid of it by removing harmful plugins.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
Click on ‘three dots menu’ button at the top right corner of the Google Chrome window. Select ‘More tools’, then ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to remove ChannelSystem adware software by reset Chrome settings.	Click on ‘menu’ button and select ‘Add-ons’. Go to ‘Extensions’ tab. To uninstall an add-on, click on ‘Remove’ button next to it. If you are still experiencing problems with ChannelSystem removal, you need to reset Firefox browser.
Safari
On the top menu select ‘Safari’, then ‘Preferences’. Select ‘Extensions’ tab. Select an extension you want to delete and click ‘Uninstall’ button next to it.

How to stay safe online

By installing an ad-blocker application like AdGuard, you’re able to block malicious webpages, stop autoplaying video ads and delete a lot of distracting and intrusive ads on webpages.

Visit the page linked below to download AdGuard.

After downloading is done, run the downloaded file. The “Setup Wizard” window will show up on the computer screen.

Follow the prompts. AdGuard will then be installed. A window will show up asking you to confirm that you want to see a quick tutorial. Press “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” to see an quick guidance that will help you get to know AdGuard better.

Each time, when you run your MAC OS, AdGuard will start automatically and stop intrusive pop-ups, block harmful and misleading webpages.

Finish words

Now your MAC OS should be clean of the ChannelSystem adware. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you block unwanted popup advertisements and annoying malicious websites) and MalwareBytes Free (to periodically scan your MAC OS for new adware softwares and other malicious software).

If you are still having problems while trying to remove ChannelSystem from the Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Chrome, then ask for help here here.