'Unithandlerd Will Damage Your Computer' Message
Unithandler is a browser hijacker and adware that targets macOS systems. Besides delivering advertisements and promoted affiliated websites, it may cause network connection instability and security alerts. Most users should remove Unithandler and other adware with appropriate security products rather than tolerate browser changes that endanger their computers.
Unithandler is Handling Your Browser for You
Whether the browser of choice on macOS is Safari, Firefox, or Chrome, adware like Unithandler has its bases covered with advertising-based settings changes. Unithandler is part of a collection of highly-similar adware products that tend towards update-themed tactics for their circulation. Not particularly shockingly, the results for users who fall for the social engineering trick are entirely disastrous, both performance-wise and for their security implications.
Unithandler's features are carry-overs from other variants of its family that use identical distribution mechanisms and payloads: adware like Configtype, ExtendedSprint, TrustedAnalog, or StandardBoost, all of which target macOS computers. For most major browsers, including the default Safari, it can launch separate pop-ups for advertisements, insert its advertisements into unrelated Web pages, and hijack settings for redirecting users to a search engine website. A moderately-significant detail is that users can identify Unithandler advertisements separately from native ones by looking for its 'Ads by Unithandler' line.
Unithandler doesn't install itself without outside assistance; the adware uses a one-two punch of convincing users into downloading a supposed update for a media player like Flash Player, which installs Adload. Informed readers might be familiar with Adload already, as a Trojan downloader that distributes multiple types of adware – like Unithandler and its relatives.
Removing a Unit's Worth of Advertising Troubles
There are semi-consistent reports of users also encountering website-loading issues alongside installations of Unithandler, Configtype and other Adload payloads. Malware experts estimate these problems occurring due to proxy or other network settings changes as part of the ad-delivering process. It adds another detail to the evidence of Unithandler, and adware like it, being heavy security risks.
Even users struggling with network connections should notice another aspect of Unithandler installations. Like most versions of the adware family, it may trigger macOS default security alerts. These prompts are identifiable through their 'Unithandlerd will damage your computer' text (note the 'd,' which is not a typo) readily.
Due to ongoing security issues resulting from improperly-vetted Web advertisements, malware experts encourage prompt adware removal. Most operating systems, including macOS's Catalina update, have compatible anti-adware programs that could conveniently delete Unithandler or block off its installation.
Unithandler handles more than anyone should allow a program to touch without ways of making it back off. Adware is no one's idea of a good time browsing the Web, even in an operating system as buttoned-up as the macOS.
