PureAdvantage

PureAdvantage is a deceptive application that tries to take advantage of unsuspecting Mac users. The whole purpose of the application is to generate as much revenue for its creators as possible by performing various intrusive actions on the system. More specifically, PureAdvantage has the combined abilities of adware and a browser hijacker.

Usually, PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) such as PureAdvantage are downloaded and installed unknowingly by the users. Indeed, PUPs are mostly spread via underhanded distribution methods, including dubious software bundles or entirely fake installers that claim to be for a legitimate software product.

However, when PureAdvatange is established on the Mac system, all pretenses are left behind. The application will begin running an ad campaign that will see countless annoying advertisements being delivered to the device. The entire browsing experience on the Mac could suffer tremendously, as a consequence. Furthermore, the advertisements themselves may be promoting shady or unsafe websites. Clicking on the displayed advertisements could take users to phishing sites, suspicious online game platforms, fake giveaways, etc.

The actions of PureAdvantage do not stop there, though. The application also will assume control over the user's Web browsers. The goal is to change their settings (homepage, new tab page, default search engine) and force them to instead open a new, unfamiliar promoted address. In the vast majority of cases, the promoted page belongs to a fake search engine.

Users should avoid relying on such fake engines for their online searches. They risk being shown inaccurate or low-quality results generated by a dubious third-party engine. In addition, the displayed results could contain numerous sponsored ad links or promotions for untrustworthy websites.