ExtendedTool Mac Malware - How to remove

ExtendedTool is a reappearing malware app that gets downloaded as a fake Flash Player update. It injects ads and logs user data. It causes browser pop-ups, search redirects, slow internet, and may cause apps to crash. Oh, and new versions of ExtendedTool can appear if you try deleting this app like normal. To remove ExtendedTool permanently, all of its files need to be found and deleted.

About ExtendedTool:

Classification	Adware, trojan, browser hijacker.
How ExtendedTool spreads	Bundled with free apps, included in fake software updates, downloaded by trojans.
Problems caused by the adware	Excessive ads, search redirects, crashing apps, more malware being downloaded.
Removing ExtendedTool	Remove ExtendedTool, find and remove related files manually or with anti-malware tools (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes), fix system and browser settings.

How ExtendedTool affects a Mac

Sneaky malware

ExtendedTool is an adware trojan. It spreads by tricking people into downloading it, either by hiding inside the installers of various free apps or via fake software updates. If, while browsing the internet, you see a pop-up urging you to install the latest Adobe Flash Player, that’s an adware bundle that probably has something like ExtendedTool hidden.

Because ExtendedTool infects computers without asking, it doesn’t have much of a disguise. It just looks like a random app. It may use an icon of a white magnifying glass on a green or blue background. If you start it, it doesn’t seem to do anything. If you check the ExtendedTool browser extension’s description, it just says it’s for search.

Infection symptoms

Although ExtendedTool doesn’t seem to do anything, its effects are hard to miss:

• Web browsers (or at least Safari) open SearchMarquis, SearchBaron, or another strange site as their start page.
• They deliver search results in Yahoo, Bing, or another site and the results show unusually many ads.
• Other sites show more ads and pop-ups than before.
• Apps freeze, crash, or slow down.
• Large empty pop-ups appear that ask you to click the OK button and even hijack your mouse cursor.

Under the surface, ExtendedTool might be logging browser history and other data to share with advertisers.

How to remove ExtendedTool

Delete the malware

Safe mode

Start your Mac in safe mode by botting your Mac while holding the Shift button on your keyboard until you see “Safe Boot” written in a corner of your window. This will delete some temporary data as well as stop unnecessary apps from running and you won’t need to hunt down and kill malicious processes manually.

Find the files

Find ExtendedTool in Finder -> Applications and drag it to Trash. Remove it from browser extensions, too.

Then, use anti-malware apps or find and delete ExtendedTool’s files manually. I advise using a scanner, such as Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, or others because of there is probably other malware besides ExtendedTool that also needs to be deleted. And finding and recognizing that other malware can be difficult and tedious.

Malware similar to ExtendedTool includes apps like CentralLot, FormatConnection, ApolloSearch, UtilityData, etc.

To find and delete ExtendedTool manually, go to ~Library/LaunchAgents/, /Library/LaunchDaemons/, ~Library/Application Support/, /Library/Application Support/, and potentially some other folders. You can open them by displaying hidden folders or by using the Go -> Go to Folder option in Finder.

Now, select the files that look suspicious: those with “ExtendedTool” in their names, with long names made of random symbols, as well as files that were added at the same time as ExtendedTool showed up. This is the hard part – telling legitimate files from the malicious ones. That’s where an anti-malware scanner can help.

Restore settings

Once ExtendedTool’s apps are deleted, some of its traces might still be left. Some of them can be found in System Preferences:

• In Profiles, delete all entries that you don’t recognize. It might be all of them.
• In Network -> Advanced -> Proxies. If a SOCKS proxy is being used and if you didn’t set it, ExtendedTool might have set it, so deselect it and save.
• In Extensions, review your extensions and remove those that you didn’t add yourself.

Also, check the instructions below to see if your browsers have the correct default search engine and new tab settings.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Restore browser settings

How to remove ExtendedTool Mac Malware from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall ExtendedTool Mac Malware 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 ExtendedTool Mac Malware, 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 ExtendedTool Mac Malware from Google Chrome on Mac:

• Open Chrome browser.
• Enter in the url field “chrome://extensions” address and hit Enter.
• Find ExtendedTool Mac Malware 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 ExtendedTool Mac Malware, 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 ExtendedTool Mac Malware 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 ExtendedTool Mac Malware 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 ExtendedTool Mac Malware, 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.