Threat Database Browser Hijackers 'LauncherSetup will damage your computer' Message

'LauncherSetup will damage your computer' Message

LauncherSetup is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) of the adware and browser hijacker sub-classifications. It can force the user's browser towards affiliate sites, such as search engines and load advertising content automatically. Most anti-adware products should delete LauncherSetup naturally, which is preferable for optimizing the user's Web-browsing quality of life and online safety.

A Forceful Launch into Unwanted Advertising Content

With variants of the Adload Trojan downloader busily circulating advertising software among Mac users, there's no wondering whether or not the operating system's vaunted security measures hold up to users who download things carelessly. Much like their Windows counterparts, macOS computer owners can endanger themselves easily by updating software from the wrong places. In the end, they pay for it with installations of adware like LauncherSetup.

LauncherSetup is an adware that also includes major browser-hijacking features. The latter encompasses homepage and default search engine hijackings that redirect users to affiliate search domains. Besides that, malware experts note that LauncherSetup loads loading advertisements in multiple formats such as banners or pop-ups. Most of them include visible 'Ads by LauncherSetup' lines.

[app] will damage your computer

None of the above features separate LauncherSetup in significant ways from other Adload adware, like Configtype, ExtendedSprint, InitialProgram, ProtocolPort or RecordMapper. However, stale software design doesn't imply that LauncherSetup is any safer than other adware. While not a Trojan, LauncherSetup can expose users to numerous online hazards, such as disguised attempts at collecting their personal information or Exploit Kits that can use vulnerabilities for downloading threats without consent.

Aborting the Launch that Goes Nowhere but Bad Places Online

Mac users have more than enough reasons to avoid adware like LauncherSetup due to their deliberate features. For LauncherSetup's family, malware researchers also see unintended side effects that can cause even more quality of life difficulties than browser advertisements. These issues include 'LauncherSetup will damage your computer' alerts from default macOS security features and significant connectivity problems arising from proxy and network settings changes.

However, macOS users have easy ways of stepping around any unwanted LauncherSetup installations. Adload – the Trojan downloader that installs LauncherSetup – usually circulates in bundles and fake updates for media player applications like Flash Player. illicit movie websites and other disreputable download resources are hotspots for Adload and other threats. Most users who stick to the application Store and legal download resources are at little risk of exposing their computers to Adload or LauncherSetup by accident.

For both blocking installation exploits or deleting LauncherSetup, malware researchers recommend users employ suitable anti-malware and anti-adware services. Not all of LauncherSetup's components are in plain sight, and missing any of them can let symptoms like connection problems continue indefinitely.

LauncherSetup has no problems launching Web surfers off into the great unknown of random advertisements. Some users might even misguidedly forgive its features, but it should come as no surprise that nothing that Trojans install is very good for any computer owner, whether on Mac or Windows.

Trending

Most Viewed

Loading...