What Is DominantDisplay?
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DominantDisplay is a dangerous kind of malware, which has been reported to be ad–supported PUP for Mac. The main purpose of this software is the bombard your device with a lot of different advertisements for profit. Many of these ads are monetized and they may take it to a third-party websites, some of which could turn out to be dangerous for your machine.
Read this article to find out answers to all of your questions about DominantDisplay and what to do to remove it completely.
DominantDisplay – Details
| Name | DominantDisplay |
| Type | Rogue App / PUP / Auto-Downlaod / Redirect for Mac |
| Short Description | Aims to modify the settings on your computer in order to get it to cause third-party software downloads and the displaying of different unwanted contents and ads. |
| Symptoms | Your Mac begins to display various types of content, which may even be malicious, which results in slowing down in terms of performance. Auto download of other PUPs may start. |
| Distribution Method | Via mail software. Fake Updates. Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss DominantDisplay. |
Why Do I See DominantDisplay On My Mac?
DominantDisplay can be seen on your Mac, due to it being installed without your consent or knowledge. These programs usually use suspicious methods to get inside devices, such as software bundling or malvertising.
Dominant Display Virus – How Did I Get Infected
Dominant Display could infect your device using other programs’ installers, also known as being bundled. In them, Dominant Display may be added, while posing as a “free extra” or “optional offer” that is included in the current installation, for example:
Another method of infection is to pretend to be a legitimate download on a scareware website, for example the following:
DominantDisplay Mac – What Does It Do?
DominantDisplay may perform a range of unwanted activities on your Mac. First, it can modify your web browsers so that it reads and changes the data on the sites you visit and alters the home page, new tab and default search engine.
Then, it may use these changes to push advertisements without your consent, like the following:
- Highlighted text on the pages you visit.
- Interruptive banner ads.
- Redirects.
- Pop-ups with video and/or sound.
- Changed search results to show ads instead of relevant sites.
- Intrusive push notifications.
DominantDisplay may be involved in using cookies and other such tracking objects on the websites it pushes as ads:
Most of these trackers are objects used to collect different information, whether it is personally identifiable or no. They may get the following details from your Mac:
- IP and Mac addresses.
- Your mouse movements.
- The browsing history from your browser.
- What searches you have made.
- Your bookmarked websites.
- What you have visited.
- Your mouse clicks.
- Different personally identifiable information you may type.
Is DominantDisplay a Mac Virus?
No. DominantDisplay has been categorized as an adware type of application. Based on its activity and program icon, it likely is part of a large family of adware apps for Mac, called Adload. Other apps of this family of threats also include MomentTech, DigitalSection and PrimaryServiceSearch.
Can DominantDisplay Be Dangerous?
Yes. DominantDisplay may push ads on your browser, that lead to websites, which lack What Is HTTPS or SSL, making them a risk for your computer.
The most risky issue with this app is that it could cause redirects to risky websites, like:
- Survey sites that are fraud.
- Phishing pages.
- Rogue software download sites.
- Tech support fraud pages.
- URLs, containing a virus infection file or script.
- Web pages that contain scams.
- Redirects to dangerous sites via multiple pay-per-click redirects.
What To Do If Your Mac Has DominantDisplay?
If you see DominantDisplay, do not panic. It is not as dangerous, but you should focus on removing it immediately. Apps, like DominantDisplay may be tricky to block and remove. In this article, we have laid out several options which can help you get rid of this unwanted application from your Mac.
How to Protect Your Mac from DominantDisplay?
If you want to protect your Mac and the information that is in it from applications, like DominantDisplay, we recommend that you follow the following Mac protection tips after removing this app:
- Make sure DominantDisplay is fully removed using professional software.
- Change all your passwords from a safe device.
- Enable two-factor logins.
- Call your bank to change all credit card information if you use your Mac for online payments.
- Change your Wi-Fi password.
- Install a reputable anti-malware protection app on all your devices.
- Do not download apps from unknown sources.
How to Remove DominantDisplay from Mac?
To remove DominantDisplay, our main suggestions is following the steps below. They are made to help you get rid of this application from your web browsers and your macOS. If you want to fully secure your Mac and check for any other viruses, then suggestions are to use a professional anti-malware scanner and optimizer app. It will detect all viruses, remove them automatically and improve your Mac’s overall health.
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 DominantDisplay files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as DominantDisplay, 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 DominantDisplay 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 DominantDisplay:
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 DominantDisplay. 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 DominantDisplay. 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 DominantDisplay 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 DominantDisplay. 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 DominantDisplay – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
DominantDisplay-FAQ
What is DominantDisplay on your Mac?
The DominantDisplay 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 DominantDisplay?
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 DominantDisplay?
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 DominantDisplay Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this DominantDisplay 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 DominantDisplay?
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 DominantDisplay threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.