ExtraList Mac Malware - How to remove

ExtraList malware is one member of a big group of Mac viruses that install themselves uninvited and cause Safari to malfunction. These malicious apps go by many different names (TopResults, ProntoApp, CentralStructured, and others) and use a green circle with a white magnifying glass as their icon. They, including ExtraList, have concerning and privacy-invading abilities and often interrupt the work on the infected Mac with pop-ups and crashes.

ExtraList Spyware

ExtraList can be called malware because it seems like it’s purpose is to gain access to private browsing information. It also disrupts the functioning of the Mac it infects, but it’s not clear that that’s intentional. ExtraList causes all sorts of issues to users, but it’s probably not intended – the authors of ExtraList malware probably just want to make money off of collecting info on the browsing habits of the victims and showing them behavioral ads. Ideally, a spyware application like ExtraList would remain invisible to users and quietly collect info, while the victims are none the wiser.

ExtraList malware installation and removal:

Classification	Adware Browser hijacker Malware
How ExtraList is dangerous	Extracts private information from the browser Disrupts the functioning of the infected Mac
Installation sources	Malicious, deceptive  ads Free programs that bundle ExtraList
Delete ExtraList	Remove ExtraList and all related files Delete malware (Combo Cleaner) Restore browser settings

ExtraList is usually a Safari extension – a type of app that modifies how Safari works. If you look at its browser permissions, you can see that ExtraList has access to your data on all the websites you visit using the browser on which it’s installed (in ExtraList’s case, Safari). This makes it quite the privacy invader:

• ExtraList can read the browsing history.
• Search keywords, comments, and other data that’s usually encrypted is exposed to ExtraList.

Encryption is being more and more widely adopted online to protect the privacy of all users and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. To get around those pesky protections, malicious apps like ExtraListare are created. They allow malicious advertising companies and other bad actors to get access to users’ private information and inject ads right into the infected browser.

On top of all the privacy issues, ExtraList causes technical difficulties for the victim. Having it infect your Mac can make it very frustrating to do anything: Safari doesn’t work correctly, keeps opening and freezing, the Mac might freeze up regularly and require a reboot to be fixed. ExtraList is not just dangerous – it’s annoying.

Installation and symptoms of the malware

ExtraList symptoms

Some people only see ExtraList installed and are otherwise unaffected. But others can’t browse or use their Mac normally because web applications keep crashing and system pop-up about ExtraList being potentially unsafe show up.

ExtraList is made for Safari, but people who don’t use it still can’t escape this frustrating app. For example, it shows pop-ups about being installed and asks for your administrator password. These pop-ups appear without any sort of prompt from the user. And ExtraList might start Safari by itself, running together (ExtraList’s icon appears in the tray, though clicking on it doesn’t reveal anything).

If you do use Safari while ExtraList is installed, the browser might be forced to show ads, pop-ups, banners, and to redirect some links to shady websites. This is typical of adware extensions and can expose the victim to malicious ads, including fraud, scams, and malware.

Installation

And let’s not forget that ExtraList didn’t ever get permission to be installed – it just appeared one day. This app most likely uses malicious ads to trick people into downloading it.

Pop-ups offering software updates are a staple of malicious ads that try to smuggle malware in the people’s systems, and it appears to be a likely way that ExtraList spreads. If you come across a website that claims that you need to install or update some software, it’s most likely false and a malicious program is being offered. Examples include Kovter and Recommended Extension.

Another option for ExtraList is bundling. This is when ExtraList is included and installed together with some free application without properly warning the user. There might be some warnings about optional software during the setup process, but sometimes, there’s nothing at all – ExtraList or another malware infection simply appears, sometimes after waiting a few days to throw off suspicion.

Bundlers could be mitigated by scanning every download with a security program. The important thing is to always remain vigilant – even the App store is not completely safe.

How to delete ExtraList

You probably know that simply uninstalling ExtraList like normal and dragging it to trash doesn’t work – this adware returns a few days later, as if nothing happened. You can uninstall it and find and delete related files from various folders on the system and delete those – folders like:

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

You can go to these folders by opening Finder, opening the Go menu, and choosing Go to Folder. Sort files and folders by date and find ones that appeared around the time of the ExtraList infection. They won’t necessarily have “ExtraList” in their names, but ones generated to appear as unsuspicious as possible. If you’re unsure, try looking up each file name individually to see if it’s known to be legitimate.

You can first boot your Mac in safe mode (hold the Shift key while booting up) to prevent malicious and unnecessary processes from running. Remember to first make a backup of those files and folders, as deleting the wrong file will break important applications.

In addition, scan your system with an antivirus scanner – Combo Cleaner or another trusted program – to find malicious applications and files that are responsible for reinstalling ExtraList. It and some other security applications also have uninstallers that can help you find files related to the application you’re trying to remove. Also, some browser settings might need to be restored after ExtraList’s removal.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to remove ExtraList Mac Malware from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall ExtraList Mac Malware 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 ExtraList Mac Malware, 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.