OpticalRatePro Mac Malware - How to remove

OpticalRatePro is a malicious app and browser extension. It changes browser search engine, home page settings, opens unfamiliar websites, and tracks user data. It can be very frustrating.

OpticalRatePro gets installed without permission and is very persistent. To delete this adware is a bit more complicated than to simply remove a browser add-on. You need to check your configuration profiles and other settings to remove all traces of the OpticalRatePro adware.

OpticalRatePro in short:

Threat type	Adware, browser hijacker.
OpticalRatePro infection symptoms	OpticalRatePro opens unfamiliar websites, it hijacks searches, it tracks user data.
How adware gets installed	It is advertised online by fake update prompts, it uses enterprise policy to hijack browsers.
How to delete OpticalRatePro	Find and delete all settings and files related to OpticalRatePro, use anti-malware scanners (Spyhunter for Mac, Combo Cleaner, others), check your browser settings.

Problems with OpticalRatePro

OpticalRatePro hijacks searches

OpticalRatePro is a malicious app that promotes certain websites. If OpticalRatePro infected your device, you might experience a few frustrating symptoms:

• An unfamiliar website (Safe Finder, SearchBaron, etc.) replaces your default search engine and/or the new tab page.
• Unpredictable redirects to unexpected websites.
• Too many ads, more aggressive ads appear on the websites that you visit.
• Random reloads of some websites.
• Changing search engine and new tab and home page doesn’t last (the settings revert on their own), or the changes that you see in your browser aren’t reflected in your settings.

The reason why OpticalRatePro does all this is likely to help certain websites build traffic, as well as to log valuable user data that can be used for advertising. It’s all to improve advertising and to make more money.

It is bad for privacy

While OpticalRatePro is installed, it may also cause issues that aren’t visible, but that are still very important:

• It can track user data, such as search history and browsing history. The malware behind OpticalRatePro may even try to log the credentials saved in the browser.
• It may install additional malware.

We’ve seen adware before (such as ArtemisSearch, OriginalModuled) that infects Macs, steals data from web browsers, hijacks all traffic, and even downloads additional malware.

MacOS warns users about suspicious files and apps (App wants access to control Safari), but malicious actors continue to come up with new strategies and trick macOS and its users, so it’s important to be very careful when installing software.

How adware gets installed

Fake software updates (such as browser updates, Flash Player updates) and other malicious ads are likely to be responsible for spreading the OpticalRatePro adware. These ads download installers that are disguised as trusted apps, but that actually install malware (Protect your Mac from malware).

In some web browsers, OpticalRatePro causes the eternally frustrating “Managed by your organization” issue. While it’s fine for organizations like schools and companies to manage their own computers and the browsers installed on them, some malicious actors abuse this functionality to force their own settings on the infected browsers (Installed by enterprise policy (fake)).

How to delete OpticalRatePro

Below are instructions for checking System Preferences and Library files, the common spots where Mac malware likes to hide. You can find and delete malicious files yourself, but it would help to use an anti-malware app, such as Spyhunter for Mac for Combo Cleaner to help. Adware and other malware often spread in little groups. Besides OpticalRatePro, there might be some other malware, too. An antivirus scan can help uncover it.

After getting rid of OpticalRatePro, check your browser settings and make sure that your search engine is set to the website that you want. With all the adware gone, your browser should be your own again.

In case anti-malware scans found any spyware on your device, reset your passwords as soon as possible.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to remove OpticalRatePro Mac Malware from macOS

Delete OpticalRatePro Mac Malware from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the OpticalRatePro Mac Malware app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

(Optional) Delete related settings

Some malicious apps make themselves difficult to delete by changing various settings and leaving behind malicious files. Remove settings related to OpticalRatePro Mac Malware.

• Click the Apple logo in the menu bar. Open System Preferences.
• Some malicious applications set profiles to enforce unwanted settings. Remove unwanted configuration profiles.

1. 1. In System Preferences, click the Profiles icon. This icon is only visible if there are profiles on your Mac.
   2. Select unwanted profiles and remove them by pressing the minus '-'  button at the bottom.

• Some adware applications set SOCKS proxy to manipulate your internet traffic. Remove unwanted proxies:

1. 1. In System Preferences, click Network, Advanced, Proxies.
   2. If a proxy is set without your permission, uncheck it and click OK.

(Optional) Delete malicious files

Some malicious apps leave behind dangerous files in your Library folders. Delete files related to OpticalRatePro Mac Malware.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go -> Computer.
3. In the search box, type in OpticalRatePro Mac Malware and variations of it.
4. Delete the files that are found and that seem to be related to OpticalRatePro Mac Malware.

Restore browser settings

How to remove OpticalRatePro 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 OpticalRatePro 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 OpticalRatePro 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 OpticalRatePro Mac Malware from Google Chrome on Mac:

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