MacBook Pro is a premium line of Apple’s laptops. Such an honorable status, though, doesn’t make them any better protected against malware than entry level Mac machines. Moreover, it also means “premium” focus of cybercriminals who are constantly scouring the Mac landscape for preys.
Learn why the Mac Cleanup Pro app is considered malicious, what it does to an infected Mac, and how to uninstall this pseudo system optimizer in a few steps.
Update: October, 2019
The nuts and bolts of hassle-free Mac usage involve periodic maintenance aimed at deleting software leftovers, Internet cache and other unneeded data the operating system and apps routinely generate. There are plenty of nifty tools out there that do the optimization trick. The utility called Mac Cleanup Pro, however, has nothing to do with junk removal done right. It deliberately reports low-severity or nonexistent macOS issues, flagging them critical and offering its paid performance enhancement service. No matter how well-tuned your system is and how scrupulously you’ve been keeping the hard disk space in optimal condition, this application will “detect” numerous issues regardless and emphasize the high improvement potential that can be allegedly squeezed out of the areas it purports to cover.
Speaking of the scan areas, the GUI of Mac Cleanup Pro lists the following: cache, logs, trash, extra languages, Internet history, login items, duplicates files, large files, and rogue apps. The latter, by the way, is really interesting because the program is outright scareware itself. Some insights into its genealogy reveal a direct relation to the most infamous family of bogus Mac optimizers as yet, which is also represented by such malicious heavyweights as Mac Auto Fixer, Advanced Mac Cleaner, Mac Tonic, and the recent one called Similar Photo Cleaner. Hailing from the same rogue cradle, Mac Cleanup Pro is backed by a sizeable distribution campaign that has allowed it to reach thousands of computers already and keep on spreading. Let’s look into one of these propagation tricks.
The unprincipled developers of the scareware in question are known to engage a framework of misleading web pages to push their digital culprit. One of these landing pages is parked at lp.superutils.co/adsph/2/ domain. The site includes a script that determines and displays the visitor’s country and IP address – this way, the users are more likely to fall for the deceptive tactic. A big giveaway, though, is that the “OS version” field says the victim uses OS Sierra, even if they visit the page from a Windows PC. Anyway, the site displays a warning that goes, “Your Mac Might Be Infected!” and provides some pseudo details, namely: “Your Mac might be infected by the latest viruses. If you do not remove them, they may damage your system files and slow down your Internet browsing speed.” (macOS Catalina 10.15 update: “helpermcp will damage your computer. You should move it to the Trash”). To get rid of the viruses (which aren’t there for real), the user is instructed to download and run Mac Cleanup Pro, which is dubbed “Mac Cleaner” on the phony page. Incidentally, another likely source of contamination is a site that renders a counterfeit alert saying “Your Mac is infected with 3 viruses”.
There are two possible ways that Mac users end up on lp.superutils.co/adsph/2/ domain. One is via redirect activity bolstered by a PUA (potentially unwanted application) that infects one’s web browser and forces hits to the misguiding site. In this case, the user needs to get rid of the troublemaking browser add-on or plugin, which may be a nontrivial objective due to obfuscation and persistence mechanisms of these pests. The other way is through hacked websites or online ads that lead to the scareware’s landing page.
Special Offer
Mac Cleanup Pro 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 and get insights into its Terms of Use. If the utility spots malicious code, you will need to buy a license to get rid of it.
Mac Cleanup Pro is often accompanied by extra threats that allow the attackers to add one more layer of monetization to their fraudulent activity, aside from the scare tactic alone. The infections that typically arrive in the same bundle include TechSignalSearch and TechNetSearch, the former being more common. In fact, both of them share identical characteristics and goals. The objective is to hijack Safari, or whichever browser is the victim’s default one, and redirect their web traffic to Yahoo or Bing via a series of disreputable ad networks. In some cases, the infected users keep visiting tech support scam sites that display fake alerts about Mac health and security problems that aren’t actually there. The shenanigans of TechSignalSearch virus may also result in Internet connectivity issues, where the wireless and LAN connection goes missing at certain intervals, usually every couple of minutes.
Obviously, this type of offending code is subject to immediate removal, but this turns out to be easier said than done. First of all, although the TechSignalSearch.app entry can be found in the infected Mac’s Applications folder, moving it to the Trash only yields a temporary effect and the pest will reappear shortly. Secondly, the rest of the files may be hidden in the LaunchAgents folder, which is a place not every Mac user knows how to access. With that said, a special security procedure is required to spot and completely delete all the elements of the follow-up nasties.
Whereas Mac Cleanup Pro can arrive by means of different techniques, it behaves in the exact same fashion when on board any Mac. It pops up out of the blue and triggers system scans that return really unsettling results over and over. The app thus attempts to persuade the victim that their machine has hundreds of performance issues, ranging from superfluous cache to unused languages that take up a great deal of disk space. It will also notify the user how much space can be recovered in just one click. Predictably, the cleaning feature can only be unlocked by activating the full version of the program, which is a matter of making a payment. This is precisely what the gist of the Mac Cleanup Pro virus is about. It frightens users into purchasing the full version. That’s a disgusting strategy, so there is, obviously, one reasonable way to treat the double-dealing program. Remove it now and mind what you download on untrustworthy websites further on.
Mac Cleanup Pro [helpermcp] virus 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 Mac Cleanup Pro, select it and click Quit Process
- A dialog should pop up, asking if you are sure you would like to quit the Mac Cleanup Pro executable. Select the Force Quit option
- Expand the Go menu in Apple Finder and select Go to Folder.
- Type or paste the following string in the folder search dialog: /Library/LaunchAgents
- Once the LaunchAgents directory opens up, find the following entries in it and move them to Trash:
- com.MacCleanupPro.agent.plist
- com.MCP.agent.plist
- com.MacCleanupPro.mcphlpr
- com.MCP.mcphlpr
- TechSignalSearch
- TechNetSearch
- Use the Go to Folder lookup feature again to navigate to the folder named ~/Library/LaunchAgents. When this path opens, look for the same entries (see above) and send them to Trash
- Similarly, go to the ~Library/Application Support folder. Locate and move the following entries to Trash:
- MacCleanupPro
- helpermcp
- hlprmcp
- hlprmaccleanuppro
- Click the Go button again, but this time select Applications on the list. Find the entry for Mac Cleanup Pro 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 Mac Cleanup Pro, TechSignalSearch, TechNetSearch, or other suspicious entries there, put a checkmark next to each one, and click on the “-“ button
Use automatic tool to uninstall Mac Cleanup Pro virus from your Mac
When confronted with malicious code like the Mac Cleanup Pro 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 Mac Cleanup Pro infection.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Check whether the Mac Cleanup Pro popups 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.
- Go to Temp and Startup Apps panes on theinterface and have all redundant or suspicious items eliminated as well. The The Mac Cleanup Pro malware shouldn’t be causing any further trouble. malware shouldn’t be causing any further trouble.
FAQ
No, it’s not. Based on its unethical distribution practices and intrusive activity when on board a computer, Mac Cleanup Pro is flagged as a malicious application. Upon superficial inspection, it might seem that its makers are attempting to cash in on the growing demand for Mac optimization through third-party utilities. However, most users don’t even get a chance to familiarize themselves with its purported features prior to the installation, because the scareware infiltrates their systems in a stealthy way that has nothing to do with an informed decision. It mainly arrives as part of software bundles where the installation client’s default mode conceals the cross-promotion.
Aside from the surreptitious spreading, Mac Cleanup Pro deluges an infected Mac with pesky reports about performance issues that aren’t actually there. Fabricated scan results and follow-up alerts are the common symptoms of the attack.
Furthermore, the rogue optimizer additionally leaves a footprint in the victim’s web browser by redirecting the Internet traffic to fraudulent sites that say the Mac is infected and push a “cleaner” which is a virus in disguise. In summary, Mac Clean Up Pro is not legitimate. It is a fake system utility that does not belong inside your Mac.
Commonplace updates of the operating system and the installed software are actually accompanied by some degree of background maintenance. However, a more thoroughgoing cleanup would imply certain initiative on the user’s end. macOS Sierra and later versions go equipped with a feature called “Optimize Storage”. You can configure it to remove iTunes multimedia content you’ve already watched and handle email attachments in such a way that they won’t be automatically downloaded onto your hard disk. There is additionally an option to empty Trash automatically.
The system also allows you to empty caches and reduce clutter such as large files and the items you probably don’t need anymore. This type of optimization, though, relies on user involvement and cannot be scheduled or otherwise pre-assigned.
At the end of the day, Apple does perform some tidying as long as you configure your Mac appropriately, but a more tangible effect presupposes your action. One way or another, outsourcing this job to a program like Mac Cleanup Pro is a bad idea. You’re better off sorting through your junk files manually or downloading a trusted cleaner from the official store.
There is no on-demand virus scanner built into your Mac. Nevertheless, Apple delivers decent real-time protection against dubious apps you may want to install, plus its Gatekeeper module will generate an alert if a piece of third-party software has been covertly altered since it was last checked. Software updates also maintain an important layer of security through patches of the recently discovered vulnerabilities.
If you need to run a virus scan at will, though, this is doable with a specially crafted tool made by a reputable AV vendor. Be sure to download a security suite of choice from the official Mac App Store only, otherwise you may unknowingly expose your system to a rogue program like Mac Cleanup Pro.
Contrary to a common opinion, Macs aren’t flawless when it comes to self-optimization. You need to do quite a bit of the tedious cleaning work literally by hand to make sure the system runs smooth at all times. Therefore, a third-party app that automates the process of releasing disk space and boosting the Mac’s performance is more than welcome.
Thankfully, there are plenty of reliable Mac cleaners on the market. From where we stand, the apps called Combo Cleaner, Freshmac and MacBooster are among the top utilities in this niche. In addition to identifying and wiping memory hogs along with junk files you don’t need, these tools boast privacy and security essentials to keep your Mac experience both hassle-free and safe.
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Best Macbook Pro Cleaner
Is your MacBook Pro getting the same issue like him? Luckily, it is easy and quick to get in the routine of keeping your MacBook Pro looking as well as feeling like it is brand new. The following guide will tell you how to clean MacBook Pro and make your computer perform better.
Have Your MacBook Pro Encountered the Following Problems?
Some of the problems that you will encounter on your MacBook Pro are listed below:
1. MacBook Pro runs slow
Perhaps the most annoying thing about having a Mac is their possibility to slow down eventually.
2. MacBook Pro keeps freezing
When your MacBook Pro freezes, you could hit Command + Option + Escape + Shift to end a frozen application or perform a hard restart by holding the power button, but if the freezes keep occurring, there is a bigger primary concern.
3. MacBook Pro shuts down suddenly
You are working on a project, surfing the internet, or doing an important assignment. All of a sudden, the MacBook Pro shuts down at random and for no reason. Generally, this is a one-time incidence and never occurs again. But in case that you are dealing with a MacBook Pro that usually shuts down without any warning, you might have larger problems.
If the answer is yes, then you need to find out the reasons for that and do something effective to solve the problem.
You Should Know The Reasons for Those Problems First
You must know the reasons why your Macbook Pro is having the above-mentioned problems at first. Here we have listed some of the reasons. Have a look!
- Your hard drive is overloaded and in most cases, it is the root cause of all the problems.
- The Mac OS is outdated as it is hard to catch up with all the Apple’s releases.
- Other useless and unnecessary applications are running in the background while you are using MacBook Pro.
- The startup list is overcrowded which means that a lot of apps or processes are launching in the background during the bootup process.
- The hardware of your MacBook Pro is too old and in some of the cases, it gets difficult to be fixed.
Only the last reason needs a solid financial investment. It means that you could solve other issues by using the methods that are listed below.
Here We Go! Let's Solve the Problems One by One
Actually you can do something according to different reasons. Below we will list best solution for each reason, then you can solve those problems one by one.
Solution 1. Clean up Your MacBook Pro's Hard Drive
Here are twp ways on how to clean MacBook Pro hard drive: One is free way and another is paid way. Let’s talk about the free methods to clean up MacBook Pro first.
1. Clean Caches and Cookies
First, you have to clear all the cache files and cookies. Depending on the system, the caches and cookies could take up from a couple of GB’s to 10 or even 20 GB’s.
Deleted user dmg bigger than cd rom windows 10. 2. Delete Large Files
To free up hard drive space, it is helpful to recognize exactly what’s using the disk space on your MacBook Pro. And most of them are those large size files. Deleting these large files can do a cleanup on your MacBook Pro.
3. Empty Your Trash Bin
pThe Trash bin on a Mac is the same as the Recycle Bin on Windows. Before deleting the files permanently, they’re sent to the Trash so you could restore them after some time if you want them again. To totally remove the files and free the disk space they need, you will have to clear the Trash.
4. Clean Up 'Downloads' Folder
This tip is so understandable that you’d believe we don’t have to include it; however it is something that everyone overlooks to cope with, the Downloads folder is full of big files so often that you don’t require, and it isn’t something that you think about. Just delete everything that you don’t need from the download folder.
5. Uninstall Rarely Used Applications
The apps that you’ve installed on MacBook Pro are using the space, for sure. You must uninstall them if you are not using them, this will free up disk space.
6. Delete Duplicates
One of the things that might take a lot of drive space are duplicate files littering up your MacBook Pro, this is particularly true if you have been using your MacBook Pro for a long time.
If you want to check out more free ways to clean hard drive on your Mac, you can take a look at this article: 12 Quick Tips to Clean Up Hard Drive on Mac.
These free methods are complex and might take hours to complete. And they are not so effective in releasing space on MacBook Pro. Another great way to Clean MacBook Pro is using third-party apps. These apps are more efficient, that can greatly save your time. And the most popular Mac cleaning app is called Umate Mac Cleaner, which is widely used by many Mac users.
Best Cleaner for Cleaning MacBook Pro: Umate Mac Cleaner
Let’s have a look at what is Umate Mac Cleaner and why you should use it. It is all-in-one software for cleaning and optimizing your Mac. You can use it to clean up your MacBook Pro with these ways:
Clean Up MacBook Pro with Umate Mac Cleaner:
- Clean up all the junk files selectively as well as safely.
- Manage the unused applications as well as extensions with ease.
- Delete large size files that are over 50MB.
- Get rid of duplicates and get more space back.
Highlights of Umate Mac Cleaner:
- Automatic detection for junk files.
- Supported to clean up 40+ types of junk files.
- Scanning and cleaning speed is very fast.
- Completely delete apps along with their associated files.
- Provides individual or in-bulk removal for unwanted extensions.
You can use the app by following the simple steps below:
Macbook Pro Top Cleaner Software
Step 1. Download, install and launch Umate Mac Cleaner.
Step 2. Select a desired feature according to your needs, and hit Scan button for scanning your MacBook Pro.
Step 3. After scanning, you can follow the on-screen prompts to choose and delete those items you want to get rid of.
Solution 2. Upgrade Your Operating System
If your Mac OS is outdated and we advise you to upgrade. That is a great way to refresh your MacBook Pro and make it perform better.
You can follow the steps below to upgrade OS to clean MacBook Pro.
- Click on Apple icon.
- then click on About This Mac.
- now click on Overview.
- Finally, click on Software Update.
Solution 3: Force Quit Those Applications Running in Background
As we mentioned above, there are some unnecessary applications are running in the background while you are using MacBook Pro. And you can force quit them with these steps:
- Launch Applications Folder and choose Utilities.
- Launch the Activity Monitor.
- Observe the list of applications and processes that are occurring on your MacBook Pro in real-time.
- Go to the Memory tab a Memory filter.
- End the particular application by clicking it in the inventory and then push the gray “x” icon to terminate the process.
Solution 4: Manage Startup Items
The first thing you might notice is a slow startup when your MacBook Pro begins to age. It is usually caused by the applications that automatically launches when you start a computer. After many years of using a system, you possibly have unintentionally installed a number of these auto-starting applications. It is very simple to remove or change these apps.
- In the Apple menu, click on System Preferences, then go to Users & Groups. Depending on the number of users that you have, you might have to repeat these steps many times.
- Go to the “Login Items” tab. When you’ve opened it, you will notice a list of items that start automatically when you log in. You can hide these apps, however that will not boost the speed of your system. You should select every item that you want to remove, click on the (-) minus sign at the bottom of window.
You can also do this job by Umate Mac Cleaner. It has a feature called “Speed Up Your Mac” and one of its functions is to Disable Startup items. You can easily disable all of the startup items with a single click.
Solution 5: Upgrade Your Hardware on MacBook Pro
If your Mac is slow and any of the suggestions didn’t work, you might need to upgrade the physical components or consider the cost of doing this with the cost of buying a new machine. Neat silver scanner software 4.1 dmg.
Two of the major hardware updates that will help you optimize the speed are switching to an SSD or upgrading the RAM. If the RAM doesn’t have enough space, you will not be able to do multiple tasks at a good speed.
SSDs are nearly 5 times faster than the HDD hard drives. You can also replace your hard drive or add an SSD while keeping the original hard drive for more storage space.
Conclusion:
Now your question, “How to clean my MacBook Pro” is answered and you can follow the above-mentioned ways to easily clean your MacBook Pro. All of the mentioned ways can be followed, but you should follow the instructions carefully. Out of all the above-mentioned ways, Umate Mac Cleaner is the best choice as it eases the work.
Top Macbook Pro Cleaner
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