What Is ExtendedField Mac
ExtendedField is an ad-supported application that can be installed on Mac devices. This app’s main purpose of activity may be to create different forms of advertisements on your Mac in order to profit. The way ExtendedField and the people behind it generate money is to allegedly get the users to see ads to different third-party sites. These ads may lead to all kinds of sites as often adware developers do not care what sites they advertise. This is often how you may land on a virus or unwanted website. Read this article to learn how to remove apps, like ExtendedField and stop their ads on your Mac.
ExtendedField Summary
Name | ExtendedField |
Type | Browser Hijacker / PUP |
Short Description | Aims to modify the settings on your web browser in order to get it to cause browser redirects and display different advertisements. |
Symptoms | Your web browser begins to display various types of online advertisements, which results in slowing down of your computer. |
Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss ExtendedField. |
ExtendedField – What Do We Know
Just like other ad-supported programs of this type, such as History Grabber, ExtensionInstallForcelist and PrimaryProcesser, ExtendedField may share similar code, making the possiblity of these apps being made by the same adware developer high.
The main method via which apps, like ExtendedField adware, may land on your Mac is likely via software bundling. This means that you could encounter this app to be included as an optional offer somewhere in the install steps of a typical freeware you may have downloaded. Such freeware apps include media players, file converters, image editors, and others. These apps often contain optionally added software in their installers as a form of making money by advertising such programs.
ExtendedField may begin to change the settings of your web browsers once it has been added to your computer system. Once this is done, the software may then begin to display the following kinds of advertised content:
- Text-embedded advertisements.
- Banner adverts.
- Browser pop-ups.
- Redirects and transfers to third-party sites.
- Ads appearing instead of search results.
- Push notifications promotions.
These ads may contain different trackers that may be used to get the following information from your online browsing activity:
- Pages visited.
- Bookmarked sites.
- Browser history.
- Your clicks made online.
The trackers shown by this software could be of the below-mentioned kinds and they are basically small objects dropped on your mac with years or months of expiration timeframes. This means they could remain and track you for long periods of time, if not deleted.
- Cookies.
- LSOs (Locally Shared Objects, also known as flash cookies).
- Tags.
- Pixels.
- Geo-location trackers.
These trackers are the least of your worries, however. The main problem that has been associated with this software is that the ads it shows are purely there to generate income. The main problem here is that they could sometimes lead to dangerous websites, such as:
- Tech support scams.
- Rogue software download frauds.
- Endless redirect loop schemes.
- Phishing or “Fake” sites.
- Scamming sites.
- Virus domains.
- Scam surveys.
This is the primary reason that makes this software indirect threat to your Mac and makes its removal reccomended.
Remove ExtendedField from Your Device
ExtendedField is an app that can be removed from your Mac if you make sure to follow the steps beneath this article. They have been specifically created with the main purpose to help erase this software from both your Mac and browsers. For the best removal options, security experts always choose reliable anti-malware software. Such a professional program is designed specifically to help erase applications, like ExtendedField from your device by scanning for all their files and eliminating them.
Steps to Prepare Before Removal:
Before starting to follow the steps below, be advised that you should first do the following preparations:
- Backup your files in case the worst happens.
- Make sure to have a device with these instructions on standy.
- Arm yourself with patience.
- 1. Scan for Mac Malware
- 2. Uninstall Risky Apps
- 3. Clean Your Browsers
Step 1: Scan for and remove ExtendedField files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as ExtendedField, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Quick and Easy Mac Malware Video Removal Guide
Bonus Step: How to Make Your Mac Run Faster?
Mac machines maintain probably the fastest operating system out there. Still, Macs do become slow and sluggish sometimes. The video guide below examines all of the possible problems that may lead to your Mac being slower than usual as well as all of the steps that can help you to speed up your Mac.
Step 2: Uninstall ExtendedField and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to ExtendedField:
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to ExtendedField. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference. Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to ExtendedField. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any leftover files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove ExtendedField via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
1. Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2. Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3. Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as ExtendedField. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 3: Remove ExtendedField – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
ExtendedField-FAQ
What is ExtendedField on your Mac?
The ExtendedField threat is probably a potentially unwanted app. There is also a chance it could be related to Mac malware. If so, such apps tend to slow your Mac down significantly and display advertisements. They could also use cookies and other trackers to obtain browsing information from the installed web browsers on your Mac.
Can Macs Get Viruses?
Yes. As much as any other device, Apple computers do get malware. Apple devices may not be a frequent target by malware authors, but rest assured that almost all of the Apple devices can become infected with a threat.
What Types of Mac Threats Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the types of threats that can currently infect your Mac can be rogue antivirus programs, adware or hijackers (PUPs), Trojan horses, ransomware and crypto-miner malware.
What To Do If I Have a Mac Virus, Like ExtendedField?
Do not panic! You can easily get rid of most Mac threats by firstly isolating them and then removing them. One recommended way to do that is by using a reputable malware removal software that can take care of the removal automatically for you.
There are many Mac anti-malware apps out there that you can choose from. SpyHunter for Mac is one of the reccomended Mac anti-malware apps, that can scan for free and detect any viruses. This saves time for manual removal that you would otherwise have to do.
How to Secure My Data from ExtendedField?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your e-mail passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activiites with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these reccomendations, your network and Apple devices will become significantly more safe against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
More tips you can find on our MacOS Virus section, where you can also ask any questions and comment about your Mac problems.
About the ExtendedField Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this ExtendedField how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific macOS issue.
How did we conduct the research on ExtendedField?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of Mac threats, especially adware and potentially unwanted apps (PUAs).
Furthermore, the research behind the ExtendedField threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.