Adware.MacOS.Cimpli

MacOS.Cimpli is yet another piece of adware that finds its way to Mac-based machines magically without the users’ knowledge. Cimpli is by far NOT the sole piece of adware to land on Macs unnoticed as security researchers have observed this trend unfold over the last two years or so.

As it seems, the driving force behind Cimpli (and dozens of other adware programs) goes by the name of Schlayer – an affiliate network currently comprising more than a thousand websites used for dropping adware on MacOS-based systems worldwide. The sites in question pursue one single purpose - to drop adware masked as fake Flash updates on as many redirected Mac devices as possible. Therefore, it’s no wonder that Schlayer is responsible for nearly half of all MacOS—targeted adware campaigns.

The tool is quite efficient because the sites using it redirect Mac users to other sites containing fake Flash updates. Apparently, the redirecting sites earn a commission for every download. However, there’s more to Schlayer than meets the eye. You can land on Cimpli or other adware in a Wikipedia article or a YouTube video, as well. You are also very likely to get it from websites hosting pirated content.

While installing an adware tool on a MacOS machine will hardly pose a risk of a malware infection, you have the right to know that you are getting an annoying piece of adware rather than a legitimate Flash player update. Now that Adobe no longer provides any support for its Flash Player, you can significantly reduce the risk of getting unwanted adware such as Cimpli by upgrading your Safari browser to v.14. Released last September, Safari v.14 no longer loads any Flash content.