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

What is IndexerService

IndexerService is an adware application that targets Mac computers. Adware is considered by many to be synonymous with ‘malware’. IndexerService is a malicious program which displays unwanted ads to Mac users. Some examples include pop up advertisements, fake alerts, push notifications or unclosable windows. Adware software can be installed onto your Mac via infected websites, when you open email attachments, anytime you download and install free applications.

Does IndexerService steal your personal information? It can be used to gather and transmit user information without your knowledge. The adware has the ability to track information about webpages visited, internet browser and system information, and your MAC OS IP address.

Adware is usually written in ways common to malicious software, spyware and hijackers. In order to delete IndexerService adware, you will need perform the steps below or use free adware removal utility listed below.

How does IndexerService get on your MAC

Usually, adware gets into computers as part of a bundle with freeware, sharing files and other unsafe programs which you downloaded from the World Wide Web. The developers of adware pays software authors for distributing adware software within their applications. So, third-party programs is often included as part of the installer. In order to avoid the install of any adware software: select only Manual, Custom or Advanced setup option and uncheck all optional software in which you are unsure.

Threat Summary

Name	IndexerService
Type	adware software, PUP (potentially unwanted program), Mac malware, Mac virus
Detection Names	Trojan-Downloader.OSX.Adload, Program:MacOS/Vigram.A, OSX.Trojan.Gen, Osx.Adware.Cimpli, ApplicUnwnt, Adware.MAC.Generic, Adware/Adload!OSX and MacOS.Agent-MT
Distribution	Free software installers, dubious pop up advertisements, fake updaters and torrent downloads
Symptoms	You keep getting redirected to unfamiliar web pages, unwanted advertising links appear on web sites that you are visiting, your MAC starts automatically installing unexpected applications, unwanted toolbars in your internet browser, unexpected changes in your web browser such as using a new default search engine, slow browsing Internet.
Removal	IndexerService removal guide

How to remove IndexerService adware

The following guidance will allow you to get rid of IndexerService adware from the Safari, Google Chrome and Firefox. Moreover, the few simple steps below will help you to get rid of malware, browser hijackers, PUPs and toolbars that your MAC system 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. Some of the steps will require you to restart your MAC system or exit this web page. So, read this tutorial carefully, then bookmark this page or open it on your smartphone for later reference.

To remove IndexerService, execute the steps below:

1. Remove profiles created by IndexerService
2. Check the list of installed software
3. Remove IndexerService related files and folders
4. Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes
5. Remove IndexerService from Safari, Chrome, Firefox
6. How to stay safe online

Remove profiles created by IndexerService

IndexerService 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 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 related to IndexerService.

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

Check the list of installed software

In order to delete browser hijackers, adware and potentially unwanted programs, open the Finder and click on “Applications”. Check the list of installed software. For the ones you do not know, run an Internet search to see if they are adware software, potentially unwanted programs and browser hijackers. If yes, delete them off. Even if they are just a applications which you do not use, then removing them off will increase your machine start up time and speed dramatically.

Make sure you have closed all internet browsers and other apps. Next, uninstall any unknown and suspicious software from MAC system using the Finder.

Open Finder and click “Applications”.

Look around the entire list of apps installed on your MAC. Most likely, one of them is the IndexerService . Choose the dubious application or the program 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 IndexerService related files and folders

Now you need to try to find IndexerService 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.

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

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

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

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

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

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

Manual IndexerService removal requires some computer skills. Some files and system entries that created by the adware can be not fully removed. We suggest that run MalwareBytes Free to scan the Mac computer. Moreover, this program will help you to get rid of adware, browser hijackers, PUPs and toolbars that your machine can be affected too.

Click the following link to download the latest version of MalwareBytes for Mac OS.

After downloading is complete, run it and follow the prompts. Click the “Scan” button to perform a system scan with this tool for the IndexerService adware software. This procedure can take some time, so please be patient. When a malicious software, adware or potentially unwanted applications are found, the count of the security threats will change accordingly. You may remove threats (move to Quarantine) by simply click the “Quarantine” button.

The MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) is a free program that you can use to get rid of all detected folders, files, malicious services and so on.

Remove IndexerService from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

If you’re still getting IndexerService adware software, then you can try to get rid of it by removing malicious extensions.

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. Select ‘More tools’, then ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to remove IndexerService 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 problems with IndexerService 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

If you browse the World Wide Web, you can’t avoid malvertising. But you can protect your internet browser against it. Download and run an ad-blocker program. AdGuard is an ad-blocking which can filter out a ton of of the malicious advertising, blocking dynamic scripts from loading malicious content.

AdGuard can be downloaded from the following link.

Once the downloading process is complete, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen. Follow the prompts.

Each time, when you run your MAC, AdGuard will launch automatically and stop annoying pop ups, block harmful and misleading web pages.

To sum up

Once you have removed the adware using this step-by-step guidance, Safari, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox will no longer display any unwanted ads when you surf the World Wide Web. Unfortunately, if the steps 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 intrusive IndexerService .