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

What is LocalTech

LocalTech is an adware app. Adware is a form of malicious software that delivers unwanted advertisements on your computer. Some of these advertisements are scams or fake ads developed to trick you. Even the harmless advertisements can become really irritating. Adware can be installed unintentionally and without you knowing about it, when you open email attachments, install free software.

Adware software is often harmless, but sometimes the adware software you inadvertently download can also be spyware. Spyware can sometimes seek out your privacy information stored on your Mac, gather this information and use it to steal your identity.

How does LocalTech get on your MAC OS

Most often, adware spreads together with the installers from file sharing and torrents web sites. So, install free applications is a a good chance that you will find a bundled adware. If you don’t know how to avoid it, then use a simple trick. During the install, select the Custom or Advanced installation option. Next, click ‘Decline’ button and clear all checkboxes on offers that ask you to install optional applications. Moreover, please carefully read Term of use and User agreement before installing any applications.

Threat Summary

Name	LocalTech, LocalTech 1.0 app
Type	adware, PUP (potentially unwanted program), Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	OSX.Trojan.Gen, Trojan-Downloader.OSX.Adload, Osx.Adware.Cimpli, Adware/Adload!OSX, ApplicUnwnt, Program:MacOS/Vigram.A, Adware.MAC.Generic and MacOS.Agent-MT
Distribution	Freeware installers, fake software updaters, dubious pop-up ads and torrent downloads
Symptoms	The webpage links redirect to a web-pages different from what you expected, pop-ups and new tabs are loaded without your request, unwanted application installed without your knowledge, unexpected browser extensions or toolbars keep coming back, your browser start page has modified and you are unable to modify it back, your internet browser slows to a crawl.
Removal	LocalTech removal guide

How to remove LocalTech from Mac device

The answer is right here on this web-page. We have put together simplicity and efficiency. It will allow you easily to free your MAC OS of the adware. Moreover, you can select manual or automatic removal method. If you’re familiar with the MAC OS then use manual removal, otherwise run the free anti-malware utility developed specifically to delete adware software. Of course, you can combine both methods. Read it once, after doing so, please bookmark this page (or open it on your smartphone) as you may need to exit your web-browser or restart your MAC OS.

To remove LocalTech, complete the steps below:

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

Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device

LocalTech can install a configuration profile on the Mac system to block changes made to the browser settings. Therefore, you need to open system preferences, find and delete the profile installed by the adware software.

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 LocalTech.

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, which is normal.

Delete LocalTech related programs through the Finder

Check out the Finder (Applications section) to see all installed applications. If you see any unknown and questionable programs, they are the ones you need to uninstall.

Open Finder and click “Applications”.

Very carefully look around the entire list of programs installed on your MAC. Most likely, one of them is the LocalTech adware. Once you have found a suspicious, unwanted or unused application, right click to it and choose “Move to Trash”. Another solution is drag the program from the Applications folder to the Trash.

Don’t forget, choose Finder -> “Empty Trash”.

Remove LocalTech related files and folders

Now you need to try to find LocalTech 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.

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

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

Some files created by LocalTech 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 LocalTech 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, , com.LocalTech.service.plist, com.net-preferences.plist, installapp.plist, macsearch.plist, com.machelper.plist and search.plist. Most often, PUPs, adware and browser hijackers create several files with similar names.

Check for LocalTech 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.LocalTech.system, then this folder must be deleted. Move all suspicious folders and files to the Trash.

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

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

You can delete LocalTech associated files automatically through the use of MalwareBytes Free. We suggest this free malware removal utility because it can easily remove browser hijackers, toolbars, potentially unwanted programs and adware software with all their components such as files, folders and system entries.

1. Please go to the following link to download the latest version of MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) for Mac.
   
   

   Malwarebytes Anti-malware (Mac)
   20996 downloads
   Author: Malwarebytes
   Category: Security tools
   Update: September 10, 2020
   
2. Once the download is finished, close all applications and windows on your computer. Open a file location. Run the downloaded file and follow the prompts.
3. Press the “Scan” button to perform a system scan with this tool for the LocalTech adware. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the count of files on your computer and the speed of your MAC system. While the MalwareBytes AntiMalware is scanning, you can see number of objects it has identified either as being malicious software.
4. After that process is complete, MalwareBytes Free will open a list of found items. Next, you need to press “Quarantine”.

Remove LocalTech from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

This step will show you how to delete harmful extensions. This can delete LocalTech adware and fix some surfing problems, especially after adware software infection.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
Click on ‘three dots menu’ button at the top right corner of the Google Chrome window. 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 get rid of LocalTech 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 issues with LocalTech removal, you need to reset Mozilla 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

If you browse the Internet, you cannot avoid malvertising. But you can protect your web-browser against it. Download and run an ad-blocking program. AdGuard is an ad blocker which can filter out a large amount of of the malicious advertising, blocking dynamic scripts from loading malicious content.

1. Installing the AdGuard is simple. First you’ll need to download AdGuard by clicking on the link below. Save it on your Desktop.
   
   

   AdGuard for Mac download
   3773 downloads
   Author: © Adguard
   Category: Security tools
   Update: January 17, 2018
   
2. Once downloading is complete, run the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” program window. Follow the prompts.
3. After the installation is finished, click “Skip” to close the installation application and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” to see an quick tutorial that will allow you get to know AdGuard better.
4. In most cases, the default settings are enough and you don’t need to change anything. Each time, when you launch your MAC, AdGuard will run automatically and stop annoying advertisements, block malicious and misleading webpages.

Finish words

Now your MAC should be clean of the LocalTech adware. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you block unwanted popup advertisements and intrusive malicious webpages) and MalwareBytes Free (to periodically scan your Apple Mac for new adware softwares and other malware).

If you are still having problems while trying to delete adware software from the Google Chrome, Safari and Mozilla Firefox, then ask for help here here.