What Is HorizonFlower Mac
HorizonFlower is an application for Mac, which is categorised to be from the adware kind. The main issue with such programs is that not only they slow your Mac’s performance down, but by showing you a lot of different advertisements, but they may also lead to dangerous sides, since some of these ads can redirect to scams or virus URLs.
Read this article to learn more details about this nasty application and what activities you should take towards removing it and cleaning it up from your web browsers.
HorizonFlower Mac – Details
| Name | HorizonFlower |
| 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 HorizonFlower. |
HorizonFlower Virus – How Did I Get Infected
HorizonFlower is a program that is commonly detected to be a PUP. It is highly probable, that it may be a part of the Adload family of PUPs, just like SelectorComponent, ProcessorProgression and LaunchHistoryResults apps are.
HorizonFlower may end up on your device by utilising different types of means. One of those is commonly referred to a software bundling. It is basically including the installation files of this app and another installer downloaded from a third-party website, where the application itself is advertised as a free extra or an optional offer, kind of like shown below:
HorizonFlower may also get installed on your Mac without you even realizing it, by pretending to be an update of the infamous Adobe Flash Player:
HorizonFlower Mac – What Does It Do?
Once HorizonFlower has already been installed on your Mac, it may perform a lot of different activities without your knowledge. One of them is to change different settings of your web browsers, like a browser extensions, plug-ins and many other of these kinds. The main purpose why this is so that this nasty application can receive read and write permissions to modify the data on the sites you visit. The main idea why this is done so that it can slither its own advertisements, like the following types:
- 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.
Many of these websites could include a lot of different tracking objects, for example:
HorizonFlower is an application that is often utilized in order to obtain a lot of details using these trackers, for example:
- 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 HorizonFlower a Virus?
HorizonFlower is a Mac adware and not a virus. However, the nature of the advertisements that it shows for profit on your Mac could make it indirectly dangerous, because they may lead to websites that may be a threat, for example:
- 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.
Keep reading this article to understand more and how to remove this program from your Mac effectively.
How to Remove HorizonFlower from Mac?
HorizonFlower what is the type of program for Mac, which has been categorized as indirectly risky and potentially dangerous and should be removed immediately. They have been separated into manual and automatic removal options and are created to help you clean up your web browsers as well. If you want a removal that has the best possible outcome, then security experts often recommend going for the automatic option and scanning your Mac using a professional anti-malware program. This is the type of software that will fully check your drive and remove any traces of malware from macOS.
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 HorizonFlower files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as HorizonFlower, 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 HorizonFlower 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 HorizonFlower:
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 HorizonFlower. 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 HorizonFlower. 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 HorizonFlower 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 HorizonFlower. 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 HorizonFlower – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
HorizonFlower-FAQ
What is HorizonFlower on your Mac?
The HorizonFlower 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 HorizonFlower?
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 HorizonFlower?
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 HorizonFlower Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this HorizonFlower 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 HorizonFlower?
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 HorizonFlower threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.