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

What is DecryptionAssistant

DecryptionAssistant is a malicious application that acts as adware. Adware’s basic purpose is to display advertisements. These ads are often shown as in-text links, pop ups or push notifications. Clicks on the advertisements produce a monetary payoff for the adware developers. Adware can work like Spyware, since it sends user information such as searches and trends to advertisers.

Another reason why you need to remove the DecryptionAssistant app is its online data-tracking activity. It can have spyware and keyloggers built into itself leading to greater damage to your MAC and possible invasion of your data. If your computers has been affected with the adware, you must have finished any of the steps below. Once you have removed DecryptionAssistant from your MAC by following our suggestions below, make sure not to commit the same mistakes again in the future.

How does DecryptionAssistant get on your MAC

Adware usually is bundled with free apps. So, when you installing freeware, carefully read the disclaimers, choose the Custom or Advanced installation mode to watch for bundled applications that are being installed, because certain of the apps are PUAs, browser hijackers, spyware and adware.

Threat Summary

Name	DecryptionAssistant, DecryptionAssistant 1.0 app
Type	adware, potentially unwanted program (PUP), Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Adware.MAC.Generic, Adware/Adload!OSX, Program:MacOS/Vigram.A, Trojan-Downloader.OSX.Adload, Osx.Adware.Cimpli, OSX.Trojan.Gen, ApplicUnwnt and MacOS.Agent-MT
Distribution	Free software installers, fake software updaters, dubious pop-up ads and torrent downloads
Symptoms	When you go to a website, you’re randomly redirected to another webpage that you do not intend to visit, advertising popups won’t go away, new entries appear in your Applications folder, unwanted web browser addons or toolbars keep coming back, your internet browser search provider has replaced without your permission, fast Internet but slow browsing speeds.
Removal	DecryptionAssistant removal guide

How to remove DecryptionAssistant

The answer is right here on this web-page. We have put together simplicity and efficiency. It will allow you easily to clean your MAC of DecryptionAssistant adware. Moreover, you can choose manual or automatic removal solution. If you’re familiar with the MAC OS then use manual removal, otherwise use the free antimalware tool created specifically to delete adware. Of course, you can combine both methods. Read this manual carefully, bookmark it or open this page on your smartphone, because you may need to exit your web browser or reboot your Apple Mac.

To remove DecryptionAssistant, execute the following steps:

1. Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device
2. Check the list of installed programs
3. Remove DecryptionAssistant related files and folders
4. Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes
5. Remove DecryptionAssistant from Safari, Chrome, Firefox
6. How to stay safe online

Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device

DecryptionAssistant 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.

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

In System Preferences, click Profiles, then select a profile related to DecryptionAssistant.

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 computer, which is normal.

Check the list of installed programs

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

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

Remove DecryptionAssistant related files and folders

Now you need to try to find DecryptionAssistant 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.

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

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

Some files created by DecryptionAssistant 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 DecryptionAssistant 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.DecryptionAssistant.service.plist, installapp.plist, search.plist, com.machelper.plist, macsearch.plist, com.google.defaultsearch.plist, and com.net-preferences.plist. Most often, adware, potentially unwanted programs and browser hijackers create several files with similar names.

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

Check for DecryptionAssistant 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 DecryptionAssistant 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.macsearch.system.plist, com.installapp.system.plist, com.DecryptionAssistant.system.plist and com.search.system.plist. In most cases, adware, PUPs and browser hijackers create several files with similar names.

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

Manual DecryptionAssistant removal requires some computer skills. Some files and system entries that created by the adware can be not completely removed. We recommend that run MalwareBytes Free to scan the Mac. Moreover, this application will allow you to remove adware, toolbars, browser hijackers and PUPs that your machine can be affected too.

MalwareBytes Anti Malware can be downloaded from the following link.

When the download is finished, close all applications and windows on your Apple Mac. Run the saved file. Follow the prompts.

The MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) will automatically start and you can see its main screen as displayed below.

Now click the “Scan” button . MalwareBytes application will scan through the whole MAC for the DecryptionAssistant adware. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the count of files on your MAC system and the speed of your computer. While the MalwareBytes Free utility is scanning, you may see how many objects it has identified as being infected by malware.

Once that process is finished, you may check all threats detected on your MAC OS. When you are ready, press the “Quarantine” button. The MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) will delete DecryptionAssistant adware.

Remove DecryptionAssistant from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

Annoying DecryptionAssistant adware software or other symptoms of adware in your web browser is a good reason to find and delete malicious add-ons. This is an easy way to recover browsers settings and not lose any important information.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
In the top right corner, click on Google Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three vertical dots. Select ‘More tools’, then ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to remove DecryptionAssistant 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 DecryptionAssistant adware 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

We suggest to install an adblocker application. The ad-blocking utility like AdGuard is a program that basically removes advertising from the Web and stops access to malicious webpages. Moreover, security experts says that using ad-blocking software is necessary to stay safe when surfing the Internet.

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

After the download is complete, 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 guide. Click “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick instructions which will assist you get to know AdGuard better.

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

To sum up

After completing the steps above, your machine should be clean from this adware and other malicious software. The Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari will no longer display any unwanted ads when you browse the World Wide Web. Unfortunately, if the step-by-step tutorial does not help you, then you have caught a new adware, and then the best way – ask for help.

Please create a new question by using the “Ask Question” button in the Questions and Answers. Try to give us some details about your problems, so we can try to help you more accurately. Wait for one of our trained “Security Team” or Site Administrator to provide you with knowledgeable assistance tailored to your problem with the DecryptionAssistant adware.