ElementaryUnit Adware - How to remove

ElementaryUnit is a malicious app that infects Macs with the help of deceptively designed websites that spread fake software updates. Using an icon of a magnifying glass, ElementaryUnit changes search settings in web browsers and network settings on the infected Mac. It causes unexpected sites to take over your web search. It also allows ElementaryUnit to track the search history and browsing history, which are useful for advertisers.

About ElementaryUnit:

Classification	Trojan, adware, spyware.
How to remove ElementaryUnit	Delete ElementaryUnit and other malware with anti-malware tools (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, others) and delete related files, check and fix system and browser settings.
How ElementaryUnit gets installed	Falsely advertised, disguised as another app.
What makes it malware	Unwanted, dishonest installation, changes to browsers and settings that expose your web traffic to unknown people, unwanted changes to search settings.

How to remove ElementaryUnit

ElementaryUnit is a malicious app that can be difficult to remove because it has background files and settings helping it remain on the Mac.

You can use an anti-malware app, such as Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes, to detect ElementaryUnit and its related files. In addition, you can find and delete malicious files yourself. After that, it is important to review your settings, including browser search settings and network settings.

Detect and delete ElementaryUnit

Anti-malware apps should be able to detect ElementaryUnit (Virustotal.com) and remove it. They may ask you to reboot into safe mode (Support.apple.com), which is done by holding the Shift keyboard key pressed down while your Mac is turning on.

You can look for ElementaryUnit’s files yourself by opening the Finder app and going into the Applications folder.

Or, open Finder -> Go -> Computer and type “ElementaryUnit” into the search field. This searches your computer for files that have “ElementaryUnit” in their name, even if the files are in hidden folders.

Repair system settings

ElementaryUnit is likely part of the AdLoad malware family, which is known for its spyware and hijacking abilities. If so, ElementaryUnit changed some important settings. These need to be fixed at the same time as when ElementaryUnit is being deleted.

Some of these settings are in web browsers. The instructions for fixing them are at the bottom. Other settings are in System Preferences. Here’s what to check once you open the System Preferences window:

• Profiles.
• Users & Groups -> Login Items.
• Extensions.
• Network -> Advanced -> Proxies.

In each of the settings windows, find items and settings that you did not add and remove them. Unwanted programs from Login Items, unknown entries from Profiles, unfamiliar proxy servers from Network settings.

Check these settings later. As long as ElementaryUnit (or another malware like it) is installed, it will keep changing these settings.

What is ElementaryUnit?

Trojan

ElementaryUnit is a malicious app whose installer pretends to be a Flash update or another useful application. Its installer lies to people.

Trojans are programs that are disguised to look helpful and wanted but are actually malicious or unwanted. Together with ElementaryUnit, other malware may be installed. In addition, other malware may be downloaded in the background at any time. People have said it about other apps similar to ElementaryUnit, such as ChangeParameter or ControlFraction, that when they try to delete the app, it gets replaced with another one. Multiple apps can be installed at once.

When ElementaryUnit is being installed, it may get detected by Apple’s built-in scanners. To avoid this, the malicious installer may have bizarre instructions for you. You may notice strange pop-ups with unusual layouts. Trojan apps show them to cover up system warnings.

Spyware and adware

When anti-malware scanners detect ElementaryUnit, they label it as AdAgent, Adware, and AdLoad. That’s because ElementaryUnit is focused on delivering ads.

Here are a few things it does to an infected Mac:

• Change browser settings so that web browsers open certain websites.
• Install a browser extension that can read and change your data on all the webpages that you open.
• Change the network settings.
• Open new tabs in the browser.

ElementaryUnit does all this to promote sites that are affiliated with ElementaryUnit’s operators. The more visitors a site gets, the more money it makes from ads.

Some examples of annoying websites that torment Mac users include Safe Finder, some versions of Safe Search, sites like SearchSnow and SearchMarquis, and others.

Plus, ElementaryUnit can open ads (or promoted webpages) directly in web browsers. It can even inject ads into your webpages.

There’s data collection, too. ElementaryUnit has access to its victims’  browsing histories, search histories, location and language settings, and more. All this data is good for advertisers who want to be efficient with their advertising.

You should reset the passwords for sites that you used with the browsers infected with ElementaryUnit, just to be safe.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Fix browser settings

How to remove ElementaryUnit Adware from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall ElementaryUnit Adware and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to ElementaryUnit Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

TopHow to remove ElementaryUnit Adware from Google Chrome on Mac:

• Open Chrome browser.
• Enter in the url field “chrome://extensions” address and hit Enter.
• Find ElementaryUnit Adware on the extensions list and click on the recycle bin icon next to it.
• Click on 'Chrome' button at the top left corner. Select 'Preferences' on a drop-down menu box.
• Find 'Search' options on Settings tab. If your search engine is changed, click 'Manage Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• On the same page find 'Show home button' checkbox and change your homepage.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to ElementaryUnit Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• On the 'Preferences' menu window, scroll down to the bottom and find 'Reset settings' button. Click it.
• Confirm your selection and click 'Reset' on the following window.

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program. Top

How To remove ElementaryUnit Adware from Firefox on Mac OS:

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press cmd+Shift+A on your keyboard).
• Go through Extensions list, remove everything ElementaryUnit Adware related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
• Enter “about:preferences” in URL bar and hit enter.
• Open Search settings tab.
• If your search engine is changed, click 'Default Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Preferences-> General. Enter a preferable URL to the home page field.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to ElementaryUnit Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.