FocusProvide 1.0 Mac Malware - How to remove

FocusProvide 1.0 is a browser virus, a malicious extension that messes with your search engine. It changes the site that returns your search results and it monitors your browsing activities. FocusProvide hijacks your search and fills it with ads, can show pop-ups ads on any website, and often causes problems using your email applications. On top of that, it can read your usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and other private data. It’s not totally safe to use the browser where FocusProvide is installed, but removing this malware is no cakewalk.

FocusProvide is undoubtedly malware:

Type of threat	Browser hijacker, adware, spyware.
FocusProvide installation	Comes with fake software updates, installed in secret, only shows you a pop-up after it’s finished installing, creates files that reinstall FocusProvide if it’s removed.
Effects	Hijacked web search, ads injected in various websites, private information (like passwords) exposed to fraudsters and criminals.
Remove FocusProvide	Delete the application, extension, and associated files and settings, use anti-malware tools to find malware (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes), change your passwords.

How FocusProvide spreads

It’s likely that FocusProvide gets downloaded with fake software updates. Fake Adobe Flash updates seem especially popular these last few months. These are basically webpages that tell you that your Flash needs to be updated and then download a DMG file for you. The file is full of malware, but you may not even realize that.

Maybe FocusProvide was downloaded on your Mac by an already present malware. Or it could have come with a pirated file or an infected free application and installed in the background. However that happened, FocusProvide wasn’t installed with your informed consent.

Once installed, FocusProvide has some scary power:

• it can change your search settings and results,
• it can put pop-up ads on any site, change where links lead to, and what pages open in new tabs,
• FocusProvide can even read the information that you type on forms, such as your name, username, password, and credit card number,
• your email applications and other online apps may not work correctly,
• even if you delete FocusProvide, it comes back, though it might change its name.

FocusProvide 1.0 is very similar to TechNetSearch, TopResults, CentralLocator, and other Mac hijackers that use this green and white magnifying glass icon. They have been causing problems to Mac users for months.

How to remove FocusProvide 1.0

First, drag FocusProvide from Applications to Trash. Also, uninstall the FocusProvide extension (instructions are at the end). But this won’t be enough. FocusProvide is a member of a known malware family: these infections constantly change their name and if you delete one, it just comes back with a new name. FocusProvide left some files and settings in your Mac to ensure that it comes back. Those need to be deleted. You can use an antivirus program or do it manually (just be careful to not delete legitimate files).

FocusProvide may have set an unwanted proxy in your Network settings. If so, that sends your traffic to a server owned by fraudsters who can then see it and mess with it. Go to Proxy settings in your System Preferences and see if SOCKS is set there. If it is and you didn’t set it yourself (there are plenty of legitimate uses for it), disable that setting.

You can start your Mac in safe mode and see if things get fixed. Just hold the Shift key during boot. This should stop unnecessary items from being loaded. Then you should go to a few folders that contain startup items and delete everything suspicious. You can open these folders by using the “Go to Folder…” tool – right-clicking your Finder icon in the Dock to open it. Then go to these folders:

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

In these folders, there should be legitimate files that manage your login items. There should also be the files that FocusProvide left on your computer. Those must be deleted. They probably won’t have “FocusProvide” in their names, though they sometimes have “Search” there, so you’ll need to review them. As an example, “PegasusSearchDaemon” was seen to cause problems.

Also, you might need to delete any Configuration Profiles (also in System Preferences) that are not legitimate and to clear your browser data.

The problem with FocusProvide is that its malicious files may be hiding anywhere. They could be in /var/tmp, /Library/Caches, or another folder. It might be really difficult to find it on your own. That’s why it’s recommended to use an antivirus program, for example, Malwarebytes or Combo Cleaner.

Finally, after FocusProvide is gone, go ahead and set new passwords for your accounts. If FocusProvide stole them, they may find their way to criminals who will hack your online accounts using them. They could cause a lot of harm, especially if those accounts have your payment information saved. And be careful of phishing attacks in case your personal info was stolen.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Manual browser cleaning instructions

TopHow to remove FocusProvide 1.0 Mac Malware from Google Chrome on Mac:

• Open Chrome browser.
• Enter in the url field “chrome://extensions” address and hit Enter.
• Find FocusProvide 1.0 Mac Malware 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 FocusProvide 1.0 Mac 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.

How to remove FocusProvide 1.0 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 FocusProvide 1.0 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 FocusProvide 1.0 Mac 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. Top

How To remove FocusProvide 1.0 Mac Malware 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 FocusProvide 1.0 Mac Malware 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 FocusProvide 1.0 Mac Malware, 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.