In 2017 I released the list of my top apps for Mac users working in tech (not strictly). This is an updated version with a couple of additions and removals.
Mac service and repair. Learn about AppleCare+ and the Apple limited warranty coverage, start a service request for your Mac, and find out how to prepare your Mac for service. CUPID - A free to play Visual Novel 'Love is both poison and cure, both knife and remedy.' Set in 18th Century France, this is a gothic romance tale about loss, revenge and the different faces of love. Many alternatives for running Windows on Mac use Windows OS for running Windows-based programs. However, Wine stands out from the league. It is a kind of compatibility layer that allows you to run your Windows applications on different POSIX-compliant OS like macOS, BSD, and Linux. OS: OS X 10.6; Processor: Any 64 bit processor; Memory: 500 MB RAM; Graphics: 1280 x 720; Storage: 320 MB available space.
(+) Added
(=) Maintained
(-) Removed
(=) Maintained
(-) Removed
(=) Fantastical 2
If you are not using Outlook, Fantastical 2 is probably the best replacement for the weak OS X Calendar. The app tightly integrates with IOS and Apple Watch. The app is on my favorite list because of the excellent integration with Google and O365 Calendars and its ability to work with room and resource scheduling.
(=)Grammarly
Grammarly is a grammar auto-correction, contextual spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation capabilities. It integrates natively with Safari and has an OS X desktop app, and not has native app integration for Office for Mac. Still a very useful tool for native and non-native English speakers.
Geeky Cupid Mac Os X
(=)Alfred
Alfred is probably the best replacement for macOS Spotlight, but what makes Alfred shine is its ability to execute very complex workflows that can include AppleScripts, shell scripts, Ruby, or Python code. You can download hundreds of workflows being shared by the Alfred community that provides integration services with the most diverse set of macOS apps or Web Services.
(-) ScreenFlow
(+) FinalCutPro
Screenflow used to be my go-to app whenever I need to screencast or video record a demo. However, once I tried and spent some time on FinalCutPro and I found it to be a journey without a way back. The app is so powerful that even the large cost difference was easily justified for my needs. I would still recommend ScreenFlow for smaller jobs or editing screen recording etc, but if you want exercise your creativity, FinalCutPro is the way to go.
(-) Evernote
(+) Apple Notes
For many years Evernote was the keeper of all my personal journaling and archival. In an experiment, I migrated all my notes to the newer Apple Notes, and although it does not have all the bells and whistles it was good enough to replace Evernote as my core note-taking app and it is free. The latest version also searches through PDFs.
(=) CleanMyMac
There are many free and paid tools out there to keep your Mac tidy. I like CleanMyMac as it has been working great for me for a long time. It is simple and does a good job removing garbage, completely uninstalling apps, running maintenance scripts, letting me manage installed extensions and more. Useful!
(-) Eclipse
(-) Sublime
(+) Visual Studio Code
Eclipse and Sublime reigned in my app library as my favorite IDEs, but once I got into VSC there was no way back. VSC is extremely extensible and has support for most languages, providing Autocompletion, Syntax Highlight, Code Folding, Customizability, Powerful Search, and Simultaneous Editing The community is vibrant and thousands of plugins and modules are available. (I still use Sublime as a text editor as it is lightweight and can easily handle large amounts of data)
(=) Docker
The Docker for OS X has become my testbed whenever I need to deploy or test a Linux app. For me, Docker is replacing VMware Fusion and VirtualBox whenever possible.
(+) Quitter
Quitter is the newest tool in my arsenal. This simple and tiny tool automatically quit apps under certain conditions. My particular condition is making sure communication apps like Zoom; Skype GoToMeeting are quit automatically if they have not been in use for 10 minutes. In this new world of non-ending conferences, I want to make sure I’m not unknowingly being streamed around.
(-) Moon
(+) Magnet
Magnet windows manager is an awesome little utility that lets you use shortcuts to define app window placement. I took it even further and integrated into StreamDeck for a one-click shortcut. I used to use Moon a while ago, but Magnet has proven to be a much better solution.
(+) AdGuard
I was not a user of blocking and privacy protection for MacOS, but after trying AdGuard I became a fan. It not only provides defense against ads in Safari and other browsers, but it also protects you from tracking, phishing, and fraud. Here is a screenshot of my own AdGuard status.
(=) iTerm2
I have been using iTerm2 as a terminal replacement for the native terminal in MacOS for a long time. iTerm2 has a bunch of useful features such as Split Panes, Hotkeys, Search, Autocomplete, and it is very configurable. Some of the benefits have been diminished with Zsh integration into MacOS, but it is still convenient, and it is free!
(+) ToothFairy
I have been looking for an app to control my Bluetooth devices for a little while because going into Bluetooth configuration every time I need something different is a pain. ToothFairy allows me to use hotkeys to connect and disconnect devices, rename devices, adjust icons, and run bash scripts when connecting/disconnecting devices. Because it provides hotkeys I was also able to integrate into StreamDeck.
![Geeky cupid mac os catalina Geeky cupid mac os catalina](https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMTc3MDg0LzgyNjg2My5wbmc=/original/M4gzCu.png)
(+) Karabiner Elements
Karabiner-Elements is a powerful and stable keyboard customizer for macOS. If you want to use a non-Apple keyboard, this is the right tool for you. Karabiner allows simple and complex key modifications and supports multiple devices and profiles. I use it with my Microsoft Sculpt keyboard it works flawlessly.
(=) SnagIt
SnagIt if my go-to-app to quickly capture and edit screenshots, especially when blogging. One of the features I like the most is the scrolling screen capture that allows me to take a full-page webpage. SnagIt also record video and audio. I also use the native macOS screen capture tool quite a lot, but SnagIt has many features for editing that make this tool essential for my day-to-day.
(+) Fresco
If you have multiple displays connected to macOS this app is a must-have! Fresco makes it dead simple to span a panorama image over multiple displays, resize, and position images to make them fit to your liking, and even allow you to create your own desktop by combining images. It’s awesome and it’s free!
Honourable mentions:
- VMware Fusion (for Virtual Machines)
- Filezilla (easy FTP)
- MS Office (sure, there’s no real alternative to Office)
- Caffeine (macOS never sleep)
- OBS (the top app for streamers)
- AudioSwitcher (change and/mix audio input-output using shortcuts)
- Bartender 3 (organize your menu bar icons)
- NordVPN (get around firewalls)
This article was first published by Andre Leibovici (@andreleibovici) at myvirtualcloud.net.
Adload malware pushes new versions using different names
Contents
- Adload malware pushes new versions using different names
- Remove Adload malware from Mac
Adload is an aggressive malware infection that targets Mac OS X users. It acts as an adware and tends to hide itself under a variety of different names in the system, such as UpdaterSync, ExecutiveOperation, UltraLocator and others. The way this malware works is it leverages Man-in-The-Middle attack by installing web proxy that redirects user’s web traffic through the attacker’s chosen servers. This virus differs from usual ad-serving programs since it is hard to remove – it tends to leave backdoor access to your system that later can be exploited to install additional adware. The latest known versions of this adware are named as TypicalInput, AdminLink, OperativeMachine, AnySearchManager.
Adload adware has the capability of avoiding integrated macOS security systems as well as various third-party anti-virus software programs. The main thing that this program does is browser hijacking – promoting fake search engines and changing default browser settings.
This malware is certainly not new – the first variants of this malicious software were discovered in late 2017.
As mentioned earlier, the creators of this adware have a tendency to change the name of the software to make it even harder to identify and remove it. However, researchers have observed a certain pattern that is used to name this virus. You can find the list down below, but generally, this type of adware tends to use words ‘lookup’, ‘datasearch’, ‘results’ within its name. Be sure to check the software that is present in your system if it contains these words in its name.
Remove Adload malware using INTEGO ANTIVIRUS for Mac (includes scanning for iOS devices). The one-of-a-kind security suite provides VirusBarrier X9 real-time protection against Mac and Windows-based malware, removes existing threats and scans for malware in popular e-mail clients. Includes NetBarrier X9, an intelligent firewall for home, work and public connections.
Adware uses helper components to stay on infected system
To understand why Adload adware is difficult to deal with, you must understand how it works. Once present in your system, it stores its files in various places – some of these files might be found easily, others are designed to be more elusive and hard to find. It is important to mention, that these actions could be taken only then when the victim provides the admin’s password. The adware operated by placing its two LaunchDaemon files in the local domain Library and the LaunchAgent file in the local user Library.
For example, if this malicious software uses ‘SearchRange’ name, it stores ‘com.SearchRange.plist’ file in ‘~/Library/LaunchAgents/’ directory and targets the .exe file in ‘~/Library/Application Support/com.SearchRange/SearchRange’.
The program then proceeds to store ‘com.SearchRangeDaemon.plist’ in ‘~/Library/LaunchDaemons/’, that aims at ‘~/Library/Application Support/com.SearchRangeDaemon/SearchRange’ as well as ‘com.SearchRangeP.plist’ in ‘~/Library/LaunchDaemons/’ – this targets the Mach-O executable file ‘SearchRangeDaemon’ in ‘/var/root/.SearchQuest/SearchRangeDaemon’ directory.
The last file triggers a python script (‘SearchRange.py’) that creates a connection with a remote host. To maintain the effective working of the adware, it creates a hidden directory ‘/var/root/.mitmproxy’. In addition, Adload virus installs user cronjob and a .exe file in a subfolder of the user’s Library Application Support folder.
The subfolder has a UUID-like hex pattern of 8-4-4-4-12 characters, and the executable inside it has a name with a different UUID-like hex with the same 8-4-4-4-12 pattern. This code is designed to run every 2 hours and 30 minutes. This way, the developers of adware get to push their preferred websites to the victims. The main benefit gained from this situation is financial – hackers get revenue from you visiting certain types of websites.
Removing Adload software manually might be a bothersome task since you would need to delete all the associated files such as launch agent, cron job files, daemon, and processes in ‘/var/root’. Moreover, there is a high chance that the adware will recreate some of these files while you try to find a way how to remove Adload from your system. In theory, after a few attempts of manually removing it, you should be able to do it. Instructions on how to do it will be given down below.
This adware is also suspected of installing additional adware and other types of malware, but the direct connections are not proven yet.
Infection method
Typically, malicious software like Adload tends to spread through various rogue installers of Potentially Unwanted Applications. These installers are proliferated through various unofficial, unverified websites that trick people into downloading and execute certain types of files.
Adware also spreads through popups that are shown when you click on a suspicious ad or visit an untrustworthy site. It asks for you to allow notifications or add an extension to your browser and if you accept, most likely your default browser settings will be changed. This is done in order to promote fake search engines and certain websites that generate revenue for the developers.
Adware developers also use weaknesses in your outdated software to intrude into your system. For example, if Java on your computer is outdated, it could be exploited as backdoor access to your system under certain circumstances.
Adware-like malware like Adload might also come in through software bundling – a practice in which the PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) might be appended to other software user wants to install. This especially counts for people who tend to skip through installation processes and be inattentive in general.
Adload is also found alongside other Adware/PUA installations known as ‘Mughthesec’, ‘Souter’, ‘MMInstall’, and ‘MMProt’. All of these adware programs follow the same pattern – it redirects you to a scam website that urges to download Flash Player or other programs. The installation instructions are created in a way to bypass Apple’s built-in Gatekeeper and XProtect security system.
Avoiding adware installation
It is important to realize, that in order to avoid installing adware-like programs such as Adload, you need to generally pay attention to what you are doing on the internet. For example, never interact with ads that are intrusive or suspicious-looking. Do not press on popups and never accept to get notifications or add an extension to your browser if you are not sure that the source behind it is trustworthy.
Try to avoid any downloads from untrustworthy, unverified file-sharing platforms and websites. These sites might contain programs that use software bundling practices. When you are installing software that is downloaded from the internet, pay close attention to the installation process itself. Always check the Advanced/Custom options, usually, this is the place where people get tricked into adding adware into their system.
Keep all of your software and anti-virus programs up to date as well. This is extremely important since cybercriminals often try to exploit weaknesses due to outdated software.
Remove Adload malware from Mac
If you see any signs of being infected with this sort of adware-type malware, do not delay Adload malware removal. You should take immediate action to eliminate it from your system before it deals any more damage. It might cause more severe consequences than irritating browser experience if not taken care of as soon as possible. The instructions down below will help you to deal with this situation.
We strongly recommend using Malwarebytes for Mac to remove Adload malware from your computer. You can find additional manual removal instructions below this article.
Adload malware variants
- MajorChannelSearch
- Kreberisec
- LeadingChannelSearch
- LeadingSignSearch
- MajorLetterSearch
- NetLookupSearch
- NetToolboxSearch
- OdysseusLookup
- Sorimbrsec
- TabSearch
- TechFunctionSearch
- UpgradeSearchView
- VirtualToolboxSearch
- ArtemisSearch
- ApolloSearch
- AresLookup
- ElementaryProjectSearch
- ExpertCharacterSearch
- ExpertModuleSearch
- ExpertProjectSearch
- FindData
- GlobalConsoleSearch
- GlobalQuestSearch
- GlobalSearchQuest
- GoldResults
- InetWebSearch
- KeyWordsSearch
- LookupTool
- MainSignalSearch
- BinarySignSearch
- CalypsoLookup
- DataFormatSearch
- DataQuest
- ElementaryDataSearch
- ResultSearchManager
- ResultSync
- ResultsSync
- SearchAdditionally
- SearchArchive
- SearchNetCharacter
- SearchOptical
- SearchQuest
- SearchRange
- SimpleBoardSearch
- SimpleFunctionSearch
- SkilledProjectSearch
- SmartQuestSearch
- SmartWebSearch
- TotalAdviseSearch
- WebSearchStride
- AlphaLookup
- AphroditeLookup
- AphroditeResults
- TypicalInput
- UpdaterSync
Remove Adload malware from Mac
- Click on Finder.
- Go to Applications folder.
- Look for suspicious applications you can't remember installing. Right-click them and select Move to Trash.
- After moving all suspicious apps to Trash, right-click the Trash bin in Mac's Dock and select Empty Trash.
Geeky Cupid Mac Os 11
Remove using INTEGO ANTIVIRUS for Mac (includes scanning for iOS devices). The one-of-a-kind security suite provides VirusBarrier X9 real-time protection against Mac and Windows-based malware, removes existing threats and scans for malware in popular e-mail clients. Includes NetBarrier X9, an intelligent firewall for home, work and public connections.
Geeky Cupid Mac Os Download
Matt Corey is passionate about the latest tech news, gadgets and everything IT. Matt loves to criticize Windows and help people solve problems related to this operating system. When he’s not tinkering around with new gadgets he orders, he enjoys skydiving, as it is his favorite way to clear his mind and relax.
Related posts:
- Remove UpdaterSync Adware from Mac (Virus Removal Guide) UpdaterSync adware infects Macs to serve promotions dailyContentsUpdaterSync adware infects...
- Remove Umobile-security.com POP-UP Scam (Virus Removal Guide) Umobile-security.com could damage your Apple deviceContentsUmobile-security.com could damage your Apple...
- Remove Akamaihd.net Redirect from Mac (2021 Guide) Akamaihd.net Mac virus bothers Chrome and Safari usersContentsAkamaihd.net Mac virus...