ExpandedProgram Adware - How to remove

ExpandedProgram is a malicious app that forces your browser to visit unwanted sites. It can cause a lot of issues, such as crashing and freezing apps or unstable internet, but its main purpose is to spy on you and advertise to you.

To remove ExpandedProgram, you need to delete the app, but you might also have to find and remove related preferences and restore the settings that ExpandedProgram might have changed.

About ExpandedProgram:

Classification	Adware, browser hijacker.
How ExpandedProgram gets installed	Bundled with free apps, downloaded by trojans.
Effects by the infection	Browser redirects, more ads than usual, slower or unstable internet connection.
How to remove ExpandedProgram	Delete malicious files manually and with anti-malware apps (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes), check browser settings and macOS settings, remove unwanted items.

How ExpandedProgram works

Unwanted installation

ExpandedProgram is yet another version of the AdLoad malware. It’s similar to OperativeFraction, SkilledDeskSearch, and others.

ExpandedProgram comes embedded in other installers or it is downloaded by trojans that you install. Fake software updates are commonly used (especially Flash Player). Disreputable software download sites may also bundle ExpandedProgram and adware downloaders.

Once ExpandedProgram is downloaded, you may see strange, large and almost empty pop-ups asking you to click an OK button. You may get a warning from macOS that ExpandedProgram (or another file) will damage your computer and that you should move it to the Trash. But removing ExpandedProgram may not work (it might come back the next time you turn on your Mac).

Adware

ExpandedProgram changes your browsers – it forces them to load sites like SearchMarquis, SearchSnow, or Yahoo. You can expect to see more ads. Plus, ExpandedProgram can read everything that you do in your browser, which enables it to collect a lot of data about your browsing habits.

ExpandedProgram makes money from showing ads and logging your data. It has access to your browser as a browser extension, where it can do whatever it wants. It could inject ads into the web pages that you see.

As a result, you may be exposed to dangerous or exploitative websites. You have your time and screen space wasted. All so that the people behind ExpandedProgram can make some money.

How to remove ExpandedProgram

Three steps

ExpandedProgram is undoubtedly malicious. It collects data about you and manipulates your web browsing. It should be removed ASAP.

To remove ExpandedProgram, there are a few things to do:

• Delete malicious apps and browser extensions associated with ExpandedProgram.
• If needed, delete preferences and profiles that enforce ExpandedProgram and certain settings.
• Restore browser and OS settings.

Delete malicious files

The ExpandedProgram app, browser extension, as well as the file that originally downloaded ExpandedProgram (it might be named “Flash”, “Player”, or something similar) need to be removed. Use an anti-malware app, such as Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, or another app that you trust to scan your drives and check if you missed anything.

ExpandedProgram may be detected as Adware, Malware, Bundlore, AdLoad, Shlayer, or Trojan.

If you can’t delete an item, reboot your Mac in safe mode, then try again.

Remove unwanted preferences

It may not be enough to delete ExpandedProgram because it might reinstall itself again. To stop it from returning, find and delete ExpandedProgram’s preferences.

Go to System Preferences -> Profiles (if there is no Profiles icon, skip this step). Select and delete (minus ‘-‘ button at the bottom) all the profiles that you did not add.

Go to Finder -> Go -> Go to Folder. Type in these folder names:

• /Library/LaunchDaemons
• /Library/Application Support
• ~/Library/Application Support
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents

Now, the tricky part: to find the files that belong to ExpandedProgram. If your antivirus hasn’t deleted them yet, that it. Malicious files could be named anything. One trick is to rank them by date added. The later the date (or the close to the time that ExpandedProgram showed up on your Mac), the more suspicious. (In theory, you can delete all the files in these folders – but that would negatively affect your legitimate apps and isn’t advisable.)

Restore settings

Open System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced. In the Proxies tab, check if your settings are as they’re supposed to be. I can’t tell you what yours should look like. However, I’ve heard of adware apps like ExpandedProgram abusing the SOCKS protocol to hijack the victim’s traffic. You might want to deselect any proxies that you didn’t add.

Your browser settings need to be reviewed, as well. The instructions with screenshots are below. You should check your home page, your new tab, your default search engine settings. If they are stuck (if you can’t change them), then there must still be a browser hijacker installed. Check your extensions.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Check your browser settings

How to remove ExpandedProgram Adware from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall ExpandedProgram Adware and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to ExpandedProgram Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on 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.

TopHow to remove ExpandedProgram Adware from Google Chrome on Mac:

• Open Chrome browser.
• Enter in the url field “chrome://extensions” address and hit Enter.
• Find ExpandedProgram Adware on the extensions list and click on the recycle bin icon next to it.
• Click on 'Chrome' button at the top left corner. Select 'Preferences' on a drop-down menu box.
• Find 'Search' options on Settings tab. If your search engine is changed, click 'Manage Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• On the same page find 'Show home button' checkbox and change your homepage.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to ExpandedProgram Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• On the 'Preferences' menu window, scroll down to the bottom and find 'Reset settings' button. Click it.
• Confirm your selection and click 'Reset' on the following window.

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

How To remove ExpandedProgram Adware from Firefox on Mac OS:

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press cmd+Shift+A on your keyboard).
• Go through Extensions list, remove everything ExpandedProgram Adware related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
• Enter “about:preferences” in URL bar and hit enter.
• Open Search settings tab.
• If your search engine is changed, click 'Default Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Preferences-> General. Enter a preferable URL to the home page field.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to ExpandedProgram Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.