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

What is PowerLane

According to security professionals, PowerLane is a Adware application that targets Mac platform. Adware’s basic purpose is to display advertisements. These advertisements are often shown as advertising banners, pop ups, different offers and deals, push notitications and eve fake alerts. Clicks on the ads produce a monetary payoff for the adware authors. Adware can work like Spyware, since it sends privacy data such as searches and trends to advertisers.

Does PowerLane steal your confidential data? The adware can monetize its functionality by gathering confidential info from your surfing sessions. This sensitive information, subsequently, can be easily used for marketing purposes. This puts your confidential information at a security risk.

How does PowerLane get on your MAC OS

Adware is bundled with certain free software. So always read carefully the installation screens, disclaimers, ‘Terms of Use’ and ‘Software license’ appearing during the install process. Additionally pay attention for optional software that are being installed along with the main program. Ensure that you unchecked all of them! Also, use an adblocker program that will allow to block dubious and illegitimate webpages.

Threat Summary

Name	PowerLane
Type	adware, potentially unwanted program (PUP), Mac virus, Mac malware
Detection Names	Adware.MAC.Generic, OSX.Trojan.Gen, Program:MacOS/Vigram.A, ApplicUnwnt, MacOS.Agent-MT, Adware/Adload!OSX, Osx.Adware.Cimpli and Trojan-Downloader.OSX.Adload
Distribution	Freeware installers, fake software updaters, torrent downloads and suspicious pop up ads
Symptoms	You keep getting redirected to unfamiliar web-pages, undesired advertising links appear on web-pages that you are visiting, there is an unwanted program in the ‘Applications’ section of the Finder, new icons in your internet browser, unwanted changes in your web browser like using a new default search engine, fast Internet but slow browsing speeds.
Removal	PowerLane removal guide

How to Remove PowerLane (removal instructions)

The answer is right here on this page. We have put together simplicity and efficiency. It will help you easily to free your computer of PowerLane adware. Moreover, you can select manual or automatic removal method. If you’re familiar with the Apple Mac then use manual removal, otherwise use the free antimalware utility designed specifically to get rid of adware. Of course, you can combine both methods. Certain of the steps below will require you to close this website. So, please read the steps carefully, after that bookmark it or open it on your smartphone for later reference.

To remove PowerLane, perform the steps below:

1. Remove profiles created by PowerLane
2. Delete PowerLane associated software by using the Finder
3. Remove PowerLane related files and folders
4. Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes
5. Remove PowerLane from Safari, Chrome, Firefox
6. How to stay safe online

Remove profiles created by PowerLane

PowerLane 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 device. If there is Profiles in the list, then click on it, then select a profile associated with PowerLane.

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

Delete PowerLane associated software by using the Finder

Try to identify and uninstall the application that causes the appearance of annoying advertisements or web browser redirect, using the Applications list which is located in the Finder.

Open Finder and click “Applications”.

It will open a list of all software installed on your Apple Mac. Scroll through the all list, and delete any dubious and unknown programs. Right click to suspicious program and choose “Move to Trash”. Another method is drag the program from the Applications folder to the Trash.

Most important, scroll through the all list, and move to trash any unknown applications. Don’t forget, select Finder -> Empty Trash.

Remove PowerLane related files and folders

Now you need to try to find PowerLane 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.

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

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

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

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

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

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

Manual PowerLane removal requires some computer skills. Some files and system entries that created by the adware can be not completely removed. We advise that run MalwareBytes Anti Malware to scan the Mac device. Moreover, this program will help you to remove PUPs, adware software, toolbars and browser hijackers that your MAC OS can be affected too.

MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) can be downloaded from the following link.

Once the downloading process is finished, close all apps and windows on your computer. Run the saved file. Follow the prompts.

The MalwareBytes will automatically start and you can see its main screen similar to the one below.

Now press the “Scan” button to locate PowerLane . Depending on your machine, the scan may take anywhere from a few minutes to close to an hour. While the utility is scanning, you can see how many objects and files has already scanned.

After the system scan is complete, a list of all threats detected is produced. Review the scan results and then press the “Quarantine” button. The MalwareBytes Free will remove PowerLane adware and move the selected threats to the Quarantine.

Remove PowerLane from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

If you are still getting PowerLane adware, then you can try to get rid of it by removing harmful extensions.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
Click on ‘three dots menu’ button at the top right corner of the Chrome window. When the drop-down menu appears, choose ‘More tools’ and click on ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to remove PowerLane 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 PowerLane adware software 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

To put it simply, you need to use an ad-blocking utility (AdGuard, for example). It will block and protect you from harmful webpages, unwanted ads and popups. To be able to do that, the adblocker program uses a list of filters. Each filter is a rule that describes a malicious web page, an advertising content, a banner and others. The ad-blocking application automatically uses these filters, depending on the web pages you are visiting.

Visit the page linked below to download AdGuard.

Once downloading 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 instructions. Click “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick guide that will help you get to know AdGuard better.

Each time, when you start your computer, AdGuard will run automatically and stop intrusive popup ads, block malicious and misleading webpages.

To sum up

We suggest that you keep MalwareBytes Free (to periodically scan your computer for new adware softwares and other malicious software) and AdGuard (to help you block intrusive popup ads and harmful web pages). Moreover, to prevent any adware, please stay clear of unknown and third party software.

If you need more help with PowerLane related issues, go to here.