How to uninstall LeadingUpdater app/extension from Mac (Virus removal guide)

What is LeadingUpdater

LeadingUpdater is a PUA (potentially unwanted application) that falls under the category of Adware. Adware is short for ‘ad supported’ software. Additionally, some malware contains adware or behaves similarly to adware software. Adware displays unwanted advertisements that appear in unclosable windows or advertising links on computer. In order to display unwanted adverts as often as possible adware software can alter web-browser settings. You may even find that your Mac settings are changed without your conscious permission. The developers of adware software do so in order to make money via third-party ad network. Thus every your click on the adverts makes revenue for them.

Does adware software steal your privacy information? LeadingUpdater is able to collect your surfing history and sensitive info, including passwords and credit card numbers. In the future, your privacy information can be transferred to third parties. So, if you happen to encounter the adware, then be quick and take effort to delete it ASAP. Follow the guide below to remove LeadingUpdater adware. Let us know how you managed by sending us your comments please.

How does LeadingUpdater get on your MAC system

Adware usually comes on the MAC OS with free programs. Most commonly, it comes without the user’s knowledge. Therefore, many users aren’t even aware that their Apple Mac has been affected by potentially unwanted applications and adware. Please follow the easy rules in order to protect your MAC OS from adware and potentially unwanted programs: do not install any suspicious software, read the user agreement and select only the Custom, Manual or Advanced install type, don’t rush to press the Next button. Also, always try to find a review of the program on the Net. Be careful and attentive!

Threat Summary

Name	LeadingUpdater, LeadingUpdater 1.0 app
Type	adware, PUP (potentially unwanted program), Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	OSX.Trojan.Gen, Adware/Adload!OSX, Trojan-Downloader.OSX.Adload, MacOS.Agent-MT, Osx.Adware.Cimpli, Program:MacOS/Vigram.A, ApplicUnwnt and Adware.MAC.Generic
Distribution	Freeware installers, fake update tools, torrent downloads and misleading pop up ads
Symptoms	Your web browser is redirected to websites you did not want, pop up advertisements won’t go away, new entries appear in your Applications folder, unwanted web-browser toolbars, unwanted changes in your web-browser like displaying new tabs you did not open, fast Internet but slow browsing speeds.
Removal	LeadingUpdater removal guide

How to Remove LeadingUpdater adware (removal tutorial)

The following instructions will help you to remove LeadingUpdater from the Chrome, Safari and Firefox. Moreover, the steps below will help you to delete malware, hijackers, potentially unwanted software and toolbars that your computer may be infected. Please do the guidance step by step. If you need help or have any questions, then ask for our assistance or type a comment below. Certain of the steps will require you to restart your machine or exit this web site. So, read this instructions carefully, then bookmark this page or open it on your smartphone for later reference.

To remove LeadingUpdater, complete the following steps:

1. Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device
2. Delete LeadingUpdater associated software by using the Finder
3. Remove LeadingUpdater related files and folders
4. Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes
5. Remove LeadingUpdater from Safari, Chrome, Firefox
6. How to stay safe online
7. Finish words

Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device

LeadingUpdater 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 the System Preferences icon ( ) in the Dock, or choose Apple menu ( ) > System Preferences.

In System Preferences, click Profiles, then select a profile associated with LeadingUpdater.

Click the minus button ( – ) located at the bottom-left of the Profiles screen to remove the profile.
Note: if you do not see Profiles in the System Preferences, that means there are no profiles installed on your Mac device, which is normal.

Delete LeadingUpdater associated software by using the Finder

Check the list of installed programs on your Mac and uninstall all unknown and recently installed software. If you see an unknown application with incorrect spelling or varying capital letters, it have most likely been installed by malicious software and you should clean it off first with malicious software removal tool like MalwareBytes.

Make sure you have closed all browsers and other software. Next, remove any unrequested and suspicious programs from MAC using the Finder.

Open Finder and click “Applications”.

Look around the entire list of applications installed on your computer. Most likely, one of them is the LeadingUpdater adware. Choose the dubious program or the application that name is not familiar to you and delete it.

Drag the dubious program from the Applications folder to the Trash.

Most important, don’t forget, select Finder -> Empty Trash.

Remove LeadingUpdater related files and folders

Now you need to try to find LeadingUpdater 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.

LeadingUpdater creates several files, these files must be found and removed. Below is a list of files associated with this unwanted program.

• /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.LeadingUpdater.system.plist
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.LeadingUpdater.service.plist
• /Library/Application Support/.(RANDOM)/System/com.LeadingUpdater.system
• ~/Library/Application Support/.(RANDOM)/Services/com.LeadingUpdater.service.app

Some files created by LeadingUpdater are hidden from the user. To find and delete them, you need to enable “show hidden files”. To do this, use the shortcut CMD + SHIFT + . Press once to show hidden files and again to hide them. There is another way. Click Finder -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal. In Terminal, paste the following text: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

Press Enter. Hold the ‘Option/alt’ key, then right click on the Finder icon in the dock and click Relaunch.

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 LeadingUpdater 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: com.google.defaultsearch.plist, , installapp.plist, com.net-preferences.plist, macsearch.plist, search.plist, com.LeadingUpdater.service.plist and com.machelper.plist. Most often, adware, browser hijackers and PUPs create several files with similar names.

Check for LeadingUpdater 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 folders and files. Check the contents of suspicious folders, if there is a file with a name similar to com.LeadingUpdater.system, then this folder must be deleted. Move all suspicious folders and files to the Trash.

Check for LeadingUpdater 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 LeadingUpdater 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.installapp.system.plist, com.machelper.system.plist, com.search.system.plist, com.LeadingUpdater.system.plist and com.macsearch.system.plist. In most cases, browser hijackers, adware and potentially unwanted programs create several files with similar names.

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

If you’re still having issues with the LeadingUpdater removal or just wish to scan your Mac device occasionally for adware and other malware, then download MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM). It is free for home use, and finds and deletes various undesired applications that attacks your MAC OS or degrades machine performance. MalwareBytes Free can remove adware, browser hijackers, PUPs and toolbars as well as malicious software, including ransomware and trojans.

Click the link below to download MalwareBytes Anti-Malware.

After the download is complete, close all windows on your machine. Further, run the saved file. Follow the prompts.

The MalwareBytes will automatically start and you can see its main window as displayed on the image below.

Next, click the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan with this utility for the LeadingUpdater . Depending on your MAC OS, the scan may take anywhere from a few minutes to close to an hour. When a malware, adware or PUPs are detected, the number of the security threats will change accordingly. Wait until the the scanning is done.

When that process is done, MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) will create a list of unwanted applications and adware software. When you’re ready, press the “Quarantine” button.

The MalwareBytes AntiMalware will remove LeadingUpdater and move the selected threats to the program’s quarantine.

Remove LeadingUpdater from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

This step will show you how to remove malicious add-ons. This can remove LeadingUpdater and fix some browsing issues, especially after adware infection.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
In the top right hand corner, click on ‘three vertical dots’, and this will open up the main menu on Chrome. When the drop-down menu appears, select ‘More tools’ and click on ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to remove LeadingUpdater adware by reset Google 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 issues with LeadingUpdater 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

Run adblocker application such as AdGuard in order to block ads, malvertisements, pop-ups and online trackers, avoid having to install harmful and adware browser plug-ins and add-ons that affect your MAC performance and impact your machine security. Surf the World Wide Web anonymously and stay safe online!

AdGuard can be downloaded from the following link.

Once the download 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 guidance. Click “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 start your MAC OS, AdGuard will launch automatically and stop intrusive popups, block malicious and misleading web-pages.

Finish words

Once you’ve complete the few simple steps shown above, your Apple Mac should be free from LeadingUpdater and other malware. The Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Safari will no longer redirect you to various unwanted websites and online ads. Unfortunately, if the step-by-step instructions does not help you, then you have caught a new adware software, and then the best way – ask for help here.