ApplicationWork Virus - How to remove

ApplicationWork is a mysterious Mac application and Safari extension. It is installed stealthily, and people are alarmed to find that they have an unfamiliar application installed when they never agreed to it. More alarming is that ApplicationWork is detected as malicious adware by antivirus programs, and the mysterious extension has the ability to track passwords typed in Safari.

Even though Mac viruses are uncommon, Apple products have a large audience and are attractive to cybercriminals who develop and distribute malicious software, mostly potentially unwanted applications (PUPs).

How was ApplicationWork Installed?

ApplicationWork, if it’s on your Mac, was installed without your knowledge or consent. People just found it on their Macs without knowing what it is. They don’t even remember installing anything else. In this way, ApplicationWork is similar to the recent MixBuilder.

Possible ways for a virus to be installed are bundling and drive-by downloads. Bundling is possible because multiple apps could be included in one installation. One of the apps could be the front — to make everything appear legitimate. In the background, though, a malicious app could be working to install more malware, spying on you, or doing some other harm. A drive-by download could have been caused by adware — a type of half-legitimate software that is available for download normally for Macs because these programs pose as useful applications. People are unlikely to visit infected websites on their own, but some sort of adware that’s already lurking on your computer could direct you to malicious websites and automatically download files without your permission.

Is it harmful?

ApplicationWork is thought to be adware because that is how antivirus programs detect it. Adware is a type of software that advertises to the user as its primary purpose, despite presenting as some useful tool. Symptoms of adware include an unusually large amount of ads, ads and links being directed to seemingly unrelated websites, some websites either being unavailable or you being redirected from them. Additionally, adware benefits form tracking your private data — it helps deliver ads more relevant to you, making them more effective.

Unlike normal advertising networks, adware developers are unscrupulous about the ethics of protecting your private information and keeping your internet browsing experience pleasant. Thus, any ads delivered by adware are likely to be unsafe. Normal, reputable ad-networks have standards for ads, such as requiring them to be honest and their products to be legal, free of malware. So when you are online, be careful and, before typing your banking information, double check the URL of the site you are on to avoid having your login data stolen; adware and browser hijackers can redirect you to phishing sites.

Again, similarly to MixBuilder, ApplicationWork could see the user’s passwords and other private information that is typed when using Safari. This makes it potentially very, very destructive. Having your private information like passwords, names, and email addresses leaked can go a long way in helping online criminals hijack your bank account or at least your account on some online store. There are a lot of people who use the same name and sometimes even password for multiple accounts online, so your login information for one website being exposed can result in other accounts being hacked.

Change your passwords regularly and make them complex. Enable two-factor authentication where it’s available. Regularly scan your Mac to make sure that there is no malware. Macs are famously resistant to viruses, but a part of that is the powerful antivirus measures.

How to remove ApplicationWork

Spyhunter and Combo-Cleaner are examples of professional antivirus programs and you can use them to check if there is any malware on your Mac that could have allowed the installation of ApplicationWork. Perform a scan and review the threats if any are discovered. ApplicationWork extension can be removed manually, by accessing your Safari settings, but it can be easy to miss some malicious files, so it’s a good idea to scan your machine with an antivirus afterward.

Automatic Malware removal tools

TopRemoving ApplicationWork Virus from Safari (Mac OS X)

• Click on the Safari menu.
• Choose Preferences.
  
• Click on the Extensions Tab.
• Click on the Uninstall button near the ApplicationWork. Remove all other unknown or suspicious entries too. If you are not sure whether you need the extension or not, you can simply uncheck the Enable check-box to disable the extension temporarily.
  
• Restart Safari.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to ApplicationWork Virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari.
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.