What is Forward Open virus? This article has been made to explain how Forward Open works and how you can effectively remove it from your Mac.
Forward Open App “Virus”
Forward Open is the name of a suspicious Mac application, which you may call a “virus”, that has been created in order to appear as if it is a useful application. In reality however, Forward Open could display various intrusive advertisements, thus compromising the steady performance and overall security of your Mac. Since these ads can turn out to be indirectly harmful to your machine, we strongly recommend that you read this article to understand more about how Forward Open works and how you can remove it from your Mac.
Threat Summary
| Name | Forward Open |
| Type | Potentially Unwanted App (PUA) for macOS |
| Short Description | Forward Open could show different types of ads on your Mac, some of which could be dangerous. |
| Symptoms | Redirects, pop-ups, banners and other forms of advertisements. |
| Distribution Method | By being bundled in the installers of other apps, or by being downloaded from the web. |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Forward Open. |
Forward Open Mac Virus – How Did I Get It? How Harmful Is Forward Open?
Forward Open could spread by being offered as a download on a freeware site or third-party app store, where it is advertised as a free and useful app. Be advised that most apps that are outside of the Apple App Store should be checked before you actually run them. The main reason for this is because you could risk to install apps that contain adware.
Another way that is used by Forward Open to trick users into downloading in their Macs is to hijack the installers of other free apps. The outcome of this is that you could encounter Forward Open to be advertised as a free app in free app installers as a “free extra” or an “optional offer”.
After Forward Open has been installed as an app on your Mac, it could obtain permissions, like the following:
- Obtain information on the sites you visit.
- Obtain your IP and Mac.
- Read and change data on the websites you visit.
After it has taken permissions, the Forward Open “virus” could begin to modify your web browser. The main one is to change your New tab and Home page. The affected browsers could be the following:
- Google Chrome.
- Mozilla Firefox.
- Safari.
Besides changing the home page, another thing Forward Open may do is adding toolbars, extensions or add-ons. The outcome of all of these activities is to complete its main purpose – to display ads. The advertisement content shown by Forward Open could be of the following kinds:
- Pop-ups appearing randomly on your screen.
- Banners replaced on the sites you visit.
- Highlighted text ads on the sites you read articles.
- Browser redirections to various different types of sites.
The ads themselves may not be dangerous to your Mac, but they could slow it down. On top of that Forward Open could run processes that additionally slow down your Mac. But if you have Forward Open on your Mac, this is the least of your problems. The app could show potentially dangerous ads, that may redirect you to malicious pages, such as scam sites that aim to get you to download fake software or call a fake tech support number. You could also end up on websites that mean to infect your Mac with Trojans, Spyware and other malware.
Remove Forward Open App from Your Mac
The Forward Open app can be removed from your Mac if you follow the removal instructions posted underneath this article. They have been created with the primary goal to assist you in deleting Forward Open step by step. Not only this, but if you want Forward Open fully erased from your Mac, we strongly recommend that you download an advanced malware removal software from your Mac. This type of software will scan your Mac for viruses and make sure they are fully removed from it in a swift and effective manner.
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 Forward Open files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Forward Open, 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 Forward Open 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 Forward Open:
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 Forward Open. 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 Forward Open. 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 Forward Open 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 Forward Open. 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 Forward Open – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
Forward Open-FAQ
What is Forward Open on your Mac?
The Forward Open 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 Forward Open?
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 Forward Open?
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 Forward Open Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Forward Open 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 Forward Open?
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 Forward Open threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.