This post provides details on the malicious Mac process called Maftask (Maf-Task), explains what it has to do with Spchlpr, Hlpradc, hiprade, helperamc and helpermcp viruses, and includes removal steps.
Update: October 2019
![]() How To Remove Virus From Mac
Is your Mac OS Apple Mac affected with malware? Then don’t worry, in the following guidance, we are sharing best malicious software removal tools that can remove Helperamc virus from your computer. Remove Helperamc virus with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware. You can remove Helperamc.app malware automatically through the use of MalwareBytes Free. Protect your Mac from malware. MacOS has many features that help protect your Mac and your personal information from malicious software, or malware. One common way malware is distributed is by embedding it in a harmless-looking app. You can reduce this risk. The malware takes control of X programs/applications on your Mac that intercepts email and instant messages and utilizes internal microphones and cameras to spy on anyone near the Mac. When this backdoor is installed, it can monitor the following programs: Adium. PROTECTS YOUR MAC EXPERIENCE Malwarebytes for Mac. Proven Malwarebytes technology crushes the growing threat of Mac malware. So you are protected and your machine keeps running silky smooth. Finally, cybersecurity smart enough for the Mac. Free download comes with a 30-day trial of Premium. Protect your Mac from malware macOS has many features that help protect your Mac and your personal information from malicious software, or malware. One common way malware is distributed is by embedding it in a harmless-looking app. You can reduce this risk by using software only from reliable sources.
Underestimating the capabilities and complexity of Mac malware is a slippery slope. The threat actors who zero in on the Apple ecosystem are becoming increasingly tech-savvy, and their malicious code can assume different shapes to evade detection and prevent termination. Mac Auto Fixer, one of the fairly sophisticated samples from that category, injects its tentacles deep inside a host system and sprinkles concomitant files and processes in order to persevere. Some victims fail to notice these extra fragments of the infection, but those who look for them typically spot an executable file named “maftask” or 'maf-task'. It is listed among the running processes in the contaminated Mac’s Activity Monitor, and another entry “com.techyutil.maftask.plist” is going to end up in the LaunchDaemons.
So, the actual culprit’s name is Mac Auto Fixer, and it’s embodied on the system level as the Maftask process – no wonder some users refer to the latter as the troublemaker. The conspicuously misbehaving application is a mix of a rogue optimization tool and pseudo security software. It pretends to find a bevy of macOS performance issues as well as privacy and malware problems, thus attempting to persuade the victim that purchasing its license is certainly on their to-do list. It boasts sleek GUI design and triggers trustworthy-looking system scans over and over.
Special Offer
Maftask may re-infect your Mac multiple times unless you delete all of its fragments, including hidden ones. Therefore, it is recommended to download Freshmac and scan your system for these stubborn files. This way, you may reduce the cleanup time from hours to minutes. Download NowLearn how Freshmac works. If the utility spots malicious code, you will need to buy a license to get rid of it.
The reports enumerate hundreds of items that should supposedly be deleted or fixed at once, including duplicates, unnecessary login items, failed downloads and memory issues. To top it all off, the Maftask virus will state there is too little available space left and urge the user to have memory released in one click.
The pseudo scanning activity of Mac Auto Fixer (Maf-task) malware is accompanied by numerous popups that further pressure the user into taking immediate action. The alerts typically mention the number of threats and issues spotted in specific system areas and recommend the victim to sort them all out by registering the full version of the program. The infection can also impact the web surfing facet of Mac usage by rerouting traffic to spoof warning pages. Long story short, Maftask deploys a great deal of brainwashing to dupe and intimidate the owner of the infected computer into coughing up a registration fee. Therefore, following those annoying prompts is a bad idea because most of the problems are phony and the only real adversary is the alleged Mac performance booster itself.
Another massive surge of Maftask infections after the original outbreak of the Mac Auto Fixer malware took root in early October 2019 and has been a consistently serious concern ever since. According to the victims’ reports, this twist in the dodgy campaign is accompanied by malicious activity of the following processes:
The main symptom is an emergence of popup alerts saying, “maftask will damage your computer. You should move it to the Trash”, where the name of the perpetrating executable can be either one of the five above-mentioned harmful processes (“[harmful process name] will damage your computer”). By the way, Spchlpr is the name of the binary used by Similar Photo Cleaner, a notorious fake optimization tool for Mac.
It’s worth mentioning that all of these incidents have one thing in common: they co-occur with an upgrade to macOS Catalina 10.15, the latest release of the operating system. These alerts may be a response of the brand-new macOS version to the viruses that ran undetected prior to the installation of Catalina on pre-infected computers. The good news is that Apple appears to be improving the malware identification features of their platform, but the infected users are stuck with the annoying alerts anyway.
The Maftask virus penetrates into a Mac by means of tricky installation clients. Their nasty gist boils down to combining benign apps with harmful ones under a single umbrella. The regular program is the only one clearly indicated in the setup wizard, while the Mac Auto Fixer baddie lurks down in its settings that you have to spend time toggling. In summary, Maftask is a component of a dangerous and obnoxious Mac scareware, so it should be treated accordingly. Continue reading this entry to learn how to remove the pest.
Maftask malware manual removal for Mac
The steps listed below will walk you through the removal of this potentially unwanted application. Be sure to follow the instructions in the order specified.
• Open up the Utilities folder as shown below
• Locate the Activity Monitor icon on the screen and double-click on it
• Under Activity Monitor, find the entry for maftask, select it and click Quit Process
• A dialog should pop up, asking if you are sure you would like to quit the maftask executable. Select the Force Quit option
• Click the Go button again, but this time select Applications on the list. Find the entry for Maftask on the interface, right-click on it and select Move to Trash. If user password is required, go ahead and enter it
• Now go to Apple Menu and pick the System Preferences option
• Select Accounts and click the Login Items button. The system will come up with the list of the items that launch when the box is started up. Locate Maftask / Mac Auto Fixer there and click on the “-“ button
Use automatic tool to uninstall Maftask virus from your Mac
When confronted with malicious code like the Maftask virus on Mac, you can neutralize its toxic impact by leveraging a specially crafted system utility. The Freshmac application (read review) is a perfect match for this purpose as it delivers essential security features along with must-have modules for Mac optimization.
This tool cleans unneeded applications and persistent malware in one click. It also protects your privacy by eliminating tracking cookies, frees up disk space, and manages startup apps to decrease boot time. On top of that, it boasts 24/7 tech support. The following steps will walk you through automatic removal of the Maftask infection.
1. Download Freshmac installer onto your machine. Double-click the Freshmac.pkg file to trigger the installer window, select the destination disk and click Continue. The system will display a dialog asking for your password to authorize the setup. Type the password and click Install Software.
2. Once the installation has been completed, Freshmac will automatically start a scan consisting of 5 steps. It scans cache, logs, unused languages, trash, and checks the Mac for privacy issues.
3.The scan report will then display your current system health status and the number of issues detected for each of the above categories. Click the Fix Safely button tto remove junk files and address privacy issues spotted during the scan.
4. Check whether the Maftask issue has been fixed. If it perseveres, go to the Uninstaller option on Freshmac GUI. Locate an entry that appears suspicious, select it and click Fix Safely button to force-uninstall the unwanted application.
5. Go to Temp and Startup Apps panes on the interface and have all redundant or suspicious items eliminated as well. The Maftask malware shouldn’t be causing any further trouble.
FAQ
In most cases, you can close the Maftask process by going to the Activity Monitor from your Mac’s Utilities screen, selecting the unwanted entry and clicking the ‘Quit Process’ button. On a confirmation dialog, select the ‘Force Quit’ option to terminate the stubborn executable. Keep in mind, though, that Maftask will most likely reappear on your running processes list unless you apply the appropriate malware removal procedure.
To get rid of Maftask for good, you need to uninstall the underlying fake system utility called Mac Auto Fixer that relies on the offensive binary in question. Aside from closing the malicious process in the Activity Monitor, remove the core program from your Applications and Login Items as explained in the guide above. Consider emptying the Trash when done.
Malware Removal For Mac Free
Hlpradc is a malicious process used by a rogue application called Advanced Mac Cleaner or one of its variants. The affiliated scareware programs that are known to utilize this executable include Mac Ads Cleaner and Mac Adware Cleaner. Although the names differ, the behavior and objectives of these apps are nearly identical. They all report numerous security and performance issues on a Mac and try to dupe the victim into purchasing their license. Obviously, if you discover ‘hlpradc’ among the processes running on your Mac computer, be sure to terminate it immediately and proceed with removing the associated harmful app.
Helperamc/helpermcp is an entity mentioned on macOS security alerts stating that it will damage your computer and recommending you to move it to the Trash without delay. These notices are being mostly reported by people who have just installed macOS Catalina 10.15 released in October 2019. It appears that this build of the operating system has introduced a new approach to handling suspicious software previously installed on the Mac. If it cannot verify the app publisher, it will most likely trigger an alert like that.
It turns out that ‘helperamc(helpermcp)’ is a process launched by a phony system utility or adware program once it infiltrates a Mac. Unfortunately, the victims are unable to delete it by simply clicking the ‘Move to Trash’ button on the system popups mentioned above. Instead, those infected should leverage an antimalware tool to sort out the problem, or search for ‘hiprade’ on their hard drive and erase all the detected files manually. It’s recommended to empty the Trash afterward.
Spchlpr is an executable file of an aggressive pseudo optimizer called Similar Photo Cleaner. The telltale sign of this malware’s activity comes down to recurrent system scans and popup alerts that raise red flags on serious disk space issues due to large and unused images stored on the computer. However, the infection concocts all of these problems in order to pressure the victim into buying its full version, which will supposedly unlock the cleanup feature. Be advised that these notifications about memory improvement potential are a bluff.
Speaking of the ‘spchlpr’ process, it is merely one of the symptoms of the malware attack. To remove Similar Photo Cleaner junk from your Mac, you need to stop this executable first and then get down to eradicating the rest of the culprit’s components.
What is ‘Helperamc.app’? Experienced security experts has determined that Helperamc is a malware. According to the Apple Support forum users, this app can be part of other unwanted software called ‘Advanced Mac Cleaner‘. This security threat can perform a number of malicious actions of a makers’s choice on your PC system.
Helperamc.app can modify Mac settings and files, create new folders, download and install other unwanted software onto infected PC, use your system for malicious actions, send information about you to a remote hacker.
Helperamc virus can collect your World Wide Web browsing activity by recording URLs visited, IP addresses, browser version and type, cookie information, Internet Service Provider (ISP) and web pages visited. Such kind of behavior can lead to serious security problems or personal info theft. This is another reason why this virus should be removed immediately.
So, if you happen to encounter Helperamc , then be quick and take effort to remove malware as quickly as possible. Follow the step-by-step tutorial below to delete Helperamc virus. Let us know how you managed by sending us your comments please.
Threat Summary
Don’t panic because we’ve got the solution. Here’s a instructions on how to remove undesired Helperamc virus from your Mac and the Safari, Chrome and Mozilla Firefox and other web-browsers.
How to remove Helperamc app virus
If you have constant pop ups or unwanted advertisements, slow MAC, freezing MAC system problems, you are in need of virus removal assistance. The step-by-step instructions below will guide you forward to get Helperamc virus removed and will assist you get your computer operating at peak capacity again.
To remove Helperamc, execute the following steps:
Manual Helperamc virus removal
The useful removal guide for the Helperamc virus. The detailed procedure can be followed by anyone as it really does take you step-by-step. If you follow this process to remove Helperamc virus let us know how you managed by sending us your comments please.
Uninstalling the Helperamc, check the list of installed programs first
Check out the Finder (Applications section) to see all installed software. If you see any unknown and questionable programs, they are the ones you need to delete.
Open Finder and click “Applications”.
It will display a list of all software installed on your MAC OS. Scroll through the all list, and uninstall Advanced Mac Cleaner, Helperamc and other dubious and unknown apps. Right click to suspicious program and select “Move to Trash”. Another method is drag the program from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Most important, scroll through the all list, and move to trash any unknown applications. Don’t forget, select Finder -> Empty Trash.
Get rid of Helperamc virus from Safari
By resetting Safari web browser you restore your internet browser settings to its default state. This is first when troubleshooting problems that might have been caused by Helperamc virus that can send information about your MAC system to a remote malicious hacker.
Click Safari menu and select “Preferences”.
It will open the Safari Preferences window. Next, click the “Extensions” tab. Look for unknown and suspicious add-ons on left panel, select it, then press the “Uninstall” button. Most important to remove all unknown plugins from Safari.
Once complete, click “General” tab. Change the “Default Search Engine” to Google.
Find the “Homepage” and type into textfield “https://www.google.com”.
Remove Helperamc virus from Google Chrome
Resetting Chrome to default state is effective in removing unwanted software from your internet browser. This way is always effective to complete if you have difficulty in removing changes caused by Helperamc.
First run the Chrome. Next, click the button in the form of three horizontal dots ().
It will display the Chrome menu. Choose More Tools, then click Extensions. Carefully browse through the list of installed plugins. If the list has the extension signed with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following steps: Remove Google Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
Open the Chrome menu once again. Further, click the option called “Settings”.
The web browser will open the settings screen. Another method to display the Google Chrome’s settings – type chrome://settings in the web-browser adress bar and press Enter
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the “Advanced” link. Now scroll down until the “Reset” section is visible, as on the image below and click the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
The Chrome will open the confirmation dialog box as on the image below.
Best Malware For Mac
You need to confirm your action, press the “Reset” button. The web browser will launch the task of cleaning. After it is complete, the web browser’s settings including search engine, homepage and newtab back to the values which have been when the Chrome was first installed on your computer.
Remove Helperamc virus from Mozilla Firefox
If the Mozilla Firefox settings like start page, new tab and default search provider have been changed by Helperamc, then resetting it to the default state can help. Essential information like bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, cookies, auto-fill data and personal dictionaries will not be removed.
Start the Firefox and press the menu button (it looks like three stacked lines) at the top right of the web-browser screen. Next, click the question-mark icon at the bottom of the drop-down menu. It will show the slide-out menu.
Select the “Troubleshooting information”. If you’re unable to access the Help menu, then type “about:support” in your address bar and press Enter. It bring up the “Troubleshooting Information” page similar to the one below.
Click the “Refresh Firefox” button at the top right of the Troubleshooting Information page. Select “Refresh Firefox” in the confirmation prompt. The Firefox will begin a procedure to fix your problems that caused by the Helperamc virus. Once, it is finished, click the “Finish” button.
Remove Helperamc virus with free software
Is your Mac OS Apple Mac affected with malware? Then don’t worry, in the following guidance, we are sharing best malicious software removal tools that can remove Helperamc virus from your computer.
Remove Helperamc virus with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware
You can remove Helperamc.app malware automatically through the use of MalwareBytes Free. We recommend this free malicious software removal tool because it can easily remove browser hijacker, adware software, potentially unwanted applications and toolbars with all their components such as files, folders and registry entries. https://drawtree881.weebly.com/blog/firefox-browser-for-mac.
Please go to the following link to download MalwareBytes.
![]()
Malwarebytes Anti-malware (Mac)
10224 downloads Author: Malwarebytes Category: Security tools Update: July 10, 2018
Once downloading is complete, close all windows on your machine. Further, start the saved file. Follow the prompts.
The MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) will automatically run and you can see its main window as shown below.
Next, press the “Scan Now” button . MalwareBytes application will scan through the whole MAC OS for the Helperamc virus which can send information about your machine to a remote malicious hacker. This task can take some time, so please be patient. While the utility is checking, you may see number of objects and files has already scanned.
When the system scan is finished, it will open the Scan Results. In order to remove all items, simply press “Remove Selected Items” button.
The MalwareBytes AntiMalware will delete Helperamc virus which can use your machine for click fraud. Recipe for mac and cheese using cream cheese.
Use AdBlocker to stay safe online
It is also critical to protect your web browsers from harmful web sites and advertisements by using an ad-blocking program like AdGuard. Security experts says that it will greatly reduce the risk of malware, and potentially save lots of money. Additionally, the AdGuard can also protect your privacy by blocking almost all trackers.
AdGuard can be downloaded from the following link.
AdGuard for Mac download
1981 downloads Author: © Adguard Category: Security tools Update: January 17, 2018
After downloading is finished, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen. Follow the prompts.
Each time, when you run your MAC system, AdGuard will run automatically and stop unwanted ads, block malicious or misleading web sites.
Finish words
After completing the step-by-step tutorial outlined above, your Apple Mac should be clean from Helperamc virus and other malicious software. The Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari will no longer reroute you to various undesired websites. Unfortunately, if the guidance does not help you, then you have caught a new virus, and then the best way – ask for help here.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Malware Removal For Macbook ProLoading..Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |