LinkBranch Adware - How to remove

LinkBranch is an adware app. It does not have ay useful features. It only exists to change how the browser works, to inject ads into it, and to redirect victims to promoted websites. Besides all the browser manipulation, LinkBranch may also cause various technical issues. Removing it can be tricky but it’s very possible and very necessary. If LinkBranch isn’t removed, it will continue to spam advertisements and to spy on you.

About LinkBranch:

Classification	Adware, browser hijacker, trojan.
Dangers posed by LinkBranch	Stolen information, dangerous advertisements, a slowed Mac, more adware being downloaded.
How adware gets installed	Installed with free applications, promoted by fake update warnings/deceptive ads.
How to remove LinkBranch	Find and delete malicious files with anti-malware apps (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, etc.) or manually, remove suspicious apps and browser add-ons, restore system and browser settings.

What is LinkBranch

Persitent adware

LinkBranch is adware. It changes browser settings so that it can interfere with how people use the internet. It displays pop-up ads, it redirects links, and it changes which site shows internet search results. As spying is an integral part of adware, LinkBranch also collects data about its victims’ browsing habits. If you can find LinkBranch’s browser extension installed and check its permissions, you can see that it can read all the data on all the websites that you visit.

Beachballing, crashes, sites not loading, mouse cursor getting hijacked, and even the internet connection dropping are all possible consequences of a LinkBranch infection.

As you can expect of malware, LinkBranch is not easy to delete. You can move it to Trash but it just returns (possibly changing its name to something different). LinkBranch hides files in Library files, like in /Library/LaunchAgents, in order to remain installed after being removed. LinkBranch creates user settings that require it to be run every time you log in.

Users whose accounts always run with administrator privileges are more vulnerable to this kind of persistent malware.

Installation

There are a few ways that LinkBranch can make it onto a Mac:

• Hidden in the installers of other apps, usually downloaded from an unreliable website.
• Installed by fake software updates that get suggested by malicious advertisements online.
• Downloaded by spoofed websites and offered by ads disguised as Download and Start buttons.
• Downloaded by trojans and other adware that is been installed.

Needless to say, people don’t install LinkBranch intentionally. It is important to be aware of the ways in which malicious actors trick us into infecting our own computers.

How to remove LinkBranch

Scan your Mac for malware

The reason that LinkBranch can return after being deleted is that it hides malicious code in hard-to-find files. Those files need to be deleted with LinkBranch to stop it from returning.

People tend to be rightfully hesitant about using anti-malware apps after they already suffered from a malware attack. It is possible to remove LinkBranch entirely manually. But to do that, all or most of the malicious files associated with LinkBranch need to be deleted, which can be difficult. Also, LinkBranch is likely to have been installed together with other adware, and that should be deleted, too.

Anti-malware apps can help deal with this. They’re not always perfect, of course. But as long as the app is reputable, it shouldn’t be dangerous. We recommend Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes, but also encourage you to do your own research. Pay attention to the developers of the apps and other people’s experiences.

Manually delete LinkBranch

Whether you remove LinkBranch manually or with an anti-malware app, you may need to stop it from rebooting your Mac in safe mode: reboot and immediately press down the Shift button, then hold it until you see “Safe Boot” in the corner of your screen.

LinkBranch’s files need to be found and deleted. Make sure you have a backup of your system before doing this, or at least don’t empty the Trash until you’re sure you didn’t delete any legitimate files.

Open Finder, click the Go option in the menu, click Computer. Type “LinkBranch” in the search bar. Delete malicious files.

Use the Go to Folder dialog to go to ~/Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/LaunchDaemons, ~/Library/Application Support. Look for files that appeared at or around the time that LinkBranch did. Look for files with names like “InteractiveSpeed”, “ConnectedBoost”, “DTTarget“, or even “SkyScanner”, “iTunesWriter“, and “MacCheck”.

Of course, LinkBranch’s browser extension needs to be deleted. As well as any configuration profiles that LinkBranch might have created (System Preferences, Profiles). Browser search and new tab settings, as well as network proxy settings need to be reviewed, as some Mac malware messes with those to hijack internet traffic. Even if you had an anti-malware app delete LinkBranch, it’s still worth it to review these settings manually.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove suspicious browser extensions

How to remove LinkBranch 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 LinkBranch 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 LinkBranch 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 LinkBranch Adware from Google Chrome on Mac:

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