What Is CrossSign Mac
CrossSign is the name of a PUP (potentially unwanted program) for Mac. The main objective of this application is to get inside your computer and show tons of ads for profit. These ads may be of all different kinds and they often lead to third-party websites, some of which may be dangerous for your computer. This is why applications, like CrossSign are outlined as unwanted and should be removed from your Mac completely.
Read this article to understand more information about CrossSign and how to delete it from your Mac and web browsers.
CrossSign Mac – Details
| Name | |
| Type | Adware / PUP / Redirect for Mac |
| Short Description | Aims to modify the settings on your computer in order to get it to cause browser redirects and display different advertisements. |
| Symptoms | Your device begins to display various types of online advertisements, which results in slowing down of your machine. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your Mac Has Been Affected by CrossSign
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss CrossSign. |
CrossSign Virus – How Did I Get Infected
CrossSign is an app that is part of a large family of PUPs that are known as the AdLoad apps. They all have similar names, like the following recently detected variants:
CrossSign may end up on your Mac via couple of ways and one of those is known as software bundling. This means that this application could be included in the installer of some other freeware, like a media player, image converter or another such app, like shown in the example below:
CrossSign may also be downloaded on your computer without your knowledge by pretending to be a fake Adobe Flash Player update from a web page that may push it, which may look like the example below shows:
CrossSign Mac – What Does It Do?
CrossSign is the kind of program that aims to show a lot of advertisements on your computer, like the following promotions:
- Highlighted text on the pages you visit.
- Pop-ups with video and/or sound.
- Interruptive banner ads.
- Redirects.
- Changed search results to show ads instead of relevant sites.
- Intrusive push notifications.
It may be involved in changing a lot of settings on your browsers as well, like alter the home page, new tab page and other default pages and also add browser extensions and other such activities.
CrossSign may use different kinds of tracking technologies through the ads it shows on your machine:
These are basically objects that are small in size and left on your Mac and used to get different information from your online browsing activities. They may track the following details:
- Your mouse movements.
- IP and Mac addresses.
- Your bookmarked websites.
- The browsing history from your browser.
- What you have visited.
- What searches you have made.
- Your mouse clicks.
Is CrossSign a Virus?
No, CrossSign is not a virus. However, the application could be dangerous for your computer in multiple different means through the ads it shows. Some of them may redirect you to dangerous websites, like:
- Rogue software download sites.
- Tech support fraud pages.
- Survey sites that are fraud.
- Phishing pages.
- URLs, containing a virus infection file or script.
- Web pages that contain scams.
- Redirects to dangerous sites via multiple pay-per-click redirects.
Keep reading this article to learn more about how to remove this indirectly risky software from your computer.
How to Remove CrossSign from Mac?
CrossSign can be uninstalled manually or automatically from your Mac if you follow the removal guide below. It has been created mainly to help you remove the virus from your computer system and clean up your browsers as well. For the most effective removal, the use of a professional anti-malware for Mac is strongly recommended. Such a tool has the professional capability to thoroughly scan your device and automatically and quickly remove any malicious software from it.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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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 CrossSign files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as CrossSign, 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 CrossSign 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 CrossSign:
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 CrossSign. 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 CrossSign. 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 CrossSign 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 CrossSign. 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 CrossSign – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
CrossSign-FAQ
What is CrossSign on your Mac?
The CrossSign 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 CrossSign?
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 CrossSign?
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 CrossSign Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this CrossSign 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 CrossSign?
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 CrossSign threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.