What Is Coupon Alert Adware?
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Coupon Alert is a suspicious browser toolbar advertised as a useful shopping utility. Instead of providing any useful services, the toolbar will only flood you with advertisements and could tamper with your browser’s settings. This makes it an ad-supported application and a browser hijacker.
Even though Coupon Alert is not malicious, it could harm your online security if you interact with any of these ads, as they could redirect you to pages deployed for scamming. Its creators could also collect various details related to your online presence and behavior, which can be abused in further adware campaigns. Because of the associated risks and various consequences (depending on the specific agenda), it is best to consider removing Coupon Alert from your Mac.
Coupon Alert Threat Summary
| Name | Coupon Alert |
| Type | Adware for Mac |
| 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 Mac. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Coupon Alert. |
Coupon Alert Adware: More Details
Coupon Alert may comprise of several adware threats that may affect Mac users individually or as part of a specially created bundle. Coupon Alert’s main goal may be to deploy intrusive ads and other related threats onto Mac systems. Multiple iterations of the Coupon Alert adware may be linked to data harvesting of sensitive user information and machine metrics which are automatically collected by the relevant applications.
In most cases, the main distribution method is software bundling. It can come as a browser hijacker thereby taking the form of a suspicious plugin for web browsers, separate files or complex Trojan-encompassing infections. Regarding the possible suspicious actions that are done by Coupon Alert Mac adware, one of the main ones is the intrusive display of ads, which can include spam, affiliate or phishing content. Some of the Coupon Alert virus examples can change the web browser settings, including the default home page, search engine and new tabs page. When accessed for the first time, tracking cookies can be installed which will monitor the actions of the victims across the site.
Other consequences may include any of the following:
- Additional Malware Installation — Many of the samples are being used to install other threats to the infected Mac machines. Examples are dangerous remote control Trojans, file encrypting ransomware and even cryptocurrency miners.
- Data Theft — The Coupon Alert adware and any of its associated samples may be used to steal system and user data.
Remove Coupon Alert from Your Mac
If you intend to remove the Coupon Alert adware from your Mac, you should follow our removal directions. These steps are easy to follow, and have been created with the purpose of helping you deal with the threat. For higher efficiency, we advise you to combine the manual and automatic approach.
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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 Coupon Alert files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Coupon Alert, 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 Coupon Alert 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 Coupon Alert:
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 Coupon Alert. 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 Coupon Alert. 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 Coupon Alert 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 Coupon Alert. 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 Coupon Alert – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
Coupon Alert-FAQ
What is Coupon Alert on your Mac?
The Coupon Alert 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 Coupon Alert?
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 Coupon Alert?
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 Coupon Alert Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Coupon Alert 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 Coupon Alert?
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 Coupon Alert threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.