AristotleLookup
AristotleLookup is a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) that affects Mac computers. While working on your Mac, you can be presented with advertisements by AristotleLookup. AristotleLookup is one more adware program that is a part of the infamous AdLoad family, which has numerous members, all of them annoying computer users with intrusive and unwanted advertisements. In many ways, this threat functions as adware and a browser hijacker since malware creators have designed it to serve undesired advertising content, collect user data and promote a fake search engine. It is being classified as a PUA as users download and install it on their Mac computers unintentionally. The most common distribution method of AristotleLookup is fake Adobe Flash Player installers. Other known download channels include "bundling" into freeware and corrupted ads.
Once AristotleLookup has managed to make its way into a MAC system, it starts feeding the unsuspecting user with false coupon codes, bogus online surveys, pop-ups, and banners. These ads are highly intrusive, but they are also a severe danger to users' browsing safety and online privacy. Usually, advertising content generated by PUAa is injected with scripts that redirect the user to potentially malicious websites. AristotleLookup can cause the unsolicited redirects also by replacing the browser’s homepage, new tab URL, and default search engine with a fake search tool controlled by the attackers. Again, malware operators use these tools to generate advertising revenues for themselves and their partners.
Another very destructive feature of PUAs like AristotleLookup is that they can collect browsing data (IP addresses, visited URLs, search terms, geolocations), as well as user sensitive data (login credentials and credit card detail). Malware developers sell extracted data to third-parties, which can lead to serious problems like substantial financial losses and identity theft. To avoid the installation of PUAs, users should download software only from trusted sources and avoid any dubious websites, Peer-to-peer networks, and third-party pages. Experts advise affected users to install an acknowledged malware removal program for Mac to uninstall AristotleLookup and other similar PUAs from their system.
