What Is SoftwareHelper Mac
SoftwareHelper is a program for Mac that pretends to be a helpful application at first, but in reality has a more sinister purpose. The main objective of these programs is to profit from the advertisements that they may display on your Mac without your consent. Besides slowing your macOS down, these ads may also lead to various third-party websites, some of which may be risky for your Mac. The main reason for this is that they may really lead to scams or even malicious URLs. This is why the SoftwareHelper software is classified as indirectly unsafe and should be removed from your Mac ASAP.
Read the post if you want to remove SoftwareHelper from your Mac completely and clean up your web browsers too.
SoftwareHelper Mac – Details
| Name | SoftwareHelper |
| 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 SoftwareHelper
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Malware Removal Tool
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss SoftwareHelper. |
SoftwareHelper Virus – How Did I Get Infected
SoftwareHelper virus is the kind of malware, that is likely part of the a large-scaled adware operation, known as Adload. It consists of hundreds of PUPs with similar names, like the recently detected:
SoftwareHelper may have ended up on your device via multiple different methods, including a fake Adobe Flash Player update that is downloaded as a result of a browser browser redirect:
Another way this program may have ended up on your devices by being included in one of the install steps of some other free software that you could’ve recently downloaded, which is also known as bundling:
SoftwareHelper Mac – What Does It Do?
SoftwareHelper may first perform series of modifications of your web browser settings. This includes changing your default home pages and adding extensions and plug-ins. The outcome of this is that you may start to see a lot of different advertisements showing up without your consent:
- Highlighted text on the pages you visit.
- Redirects.
- Changed search results to show ads instead of relevant sites.
- Pop-ups with video and/or sound.
- Interruptive banner ads.
- Intrusive push notifications.
SoftwareHelper could also use different kinds of tracking technologies, like cookies and other such:
These trackers are small objects that are left on your device and used to 10 different kinds of information about what you do online, like the following details:
- IP and Mac addresses.
- Your bookmarked websites.
- What you have visited.
- Your mouse movements.
- The browsing history from your browser.
- What searches you have made.
- Your mouse clicks.
Is SoftwareHelper a Virus?
SoftwareHelper is not a virus. However it make sure you a lot of different ads for profit, which may lead to risky domains, like the following:
- 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.
- Survey sites that are fraud.
- Phishing pages.
This is the main reason why the software is classified as indirectly unsafe and should be removed from your device;
How to Remove SoftwareHelper from Mac?
SoftwareHelper can be successfully deleted from your Mac if you follow the removal instructions beneath this post. They have been created with the main idea to best assist you to get rid of this software from your web browsers and uninstall it from your Mac effectively by yourself or automatically. If you do not have the time to do the removal yourself, the most effective automatic removal option is to scan your PC or Mac using a professional anti-malware software. Experts strongly recommend using such a program, because it has the capability of deleting any trackers, adware and malicious software from your Mac.
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 SoftwareHelper files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as SoftwareHelper, 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 SoftwareHelper 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 SoftwareHelper:
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 SoftwareHelper. 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 SoftwareHelper. 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 SoftwareHelper 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 SoftwareHelper. 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 SoftwareHelper – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
SoftwareHelper-FAQ
What is SoftwareHelper on your Mac?
The SoftwareHelper 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 SoftwareHelper?
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 SoftwareHelper?
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 SoftwareHelper Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this SoftwareHelper 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 SoftwareHelper?
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 SoftwareHelper threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.