ProtocolPort will damage your computer

ProtocolPort will damage your computer

“ProtocolPort will damage your computer” is a browser hijacker app for macOS desktops and laptops that is known for causing uncontrolled page-redirects in their Safari browsers. “ProtocolPort will damage your computer” is designed to make money from its page-redirects on the basis of the well-known Pay-Per-View remuneration model.

ProtocolPort
The “ProtocolPort will damage your computer” on Mac Malware will display pop up windows and messages

To force your browser to generate page-redirects as well as site-promoting ads and banners, this unpleasant software component may go as far as to alter some of the settings of your browser. For instance, it may replace the addresses of both your homepage and your search engine. This helps it promote the sites of its sponsors with greater efficiency resulting in higher profits. Another factor that allows apps like this one to earn significant amounts of money from advertising is their compatibility. They are not limited to only Safari but could also get installed in Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser that can be used on a Mac computer. This greatly increases the number of users that get exposed to the ads and the redirects of the hijacker which, in turn, boosts the revenue generated by this unwanted app.

“ProtocolPort will damage your computer.” for Mac

“ProtocolPort will damage your computer” for Mac is an unwanted browser-hijacking extension for different Mac browsers that is typically disguised as some type of free app. Users are attracted by what “ProtocolPort will damage your computer” for Mac seems to offer and download it without realizing it is actually a browser hijacker.

In some rare cases, some apps like Analyzerwindowd, configtyped may come with functions that could be useful which might make some users keep the application attached to their browsers despite the unwanted ads, redirects, and browser changes. However, in most cases, it is strongly advisable to not keep anything that can be categorized as a browser hijacker on your Mac or else the computer’s safety may get compromised and much more serious threats the likes of Trojans, Spyware, or Ransomware may infect you without you being able to do anything to counteract that. The hijacker itself isn’t particularly harmful but it is also not a type of software you should trust.

What is ProtocolPort will damage your computer?

“ProtocolPort will damage your computer” is a type of relatively harmless malware that is mainly aimed at promoting low-ranking sites for advertising revenue. “ProtocolPort will damage your computer” gets those sites promoted by automatically redirecting the users’ browsers to them which earns money for its creators based on the Pay-Per-View model.

In most cases, your system won’t warn you against an app like this one and won’t tell you that it is malware because most hijackers don’t do anything harmful in the system. That said, their ads could be potentially unsafe as they might be linked to Internet locations that contain harmful elements (ads, links, buttons, etc.).

The ProtocolPort will damage your computer app

The “ProtocolPort will damage your computer” app is a type of Mac junkware that generates profits by aggressively advertising sites from within the browser without asking for the user’s permission. The “ProtocolPort will damage your computer” app can greatly reduce the speed of your browser and even cause it to crash.

The only way you can stop the actions of this app is if you fully uninstall it from the browser. That way, not only will you end the aggressive ads and remove the unwanted changes the hijacker has made in your browser but you will also greatly decrease the chance of coming across harmful online content that could eventually get your Mac infected with Ransomware, Trojans, or other harmful forms of malware. 

SUMMARY:

NameProtocolPort will damage your computer
TypeBrowser Hijacker
Detection Tool

Remove ProtocolPort will damage your computer from Mac

The following instructions will allow you to remove ProtocolPort in two ways:

  • The manual instructions will allow you to remove it on your own by downloading 2 software suites which will show you the folders the threat is located in. Installing, scanning, and deleting everything will require 1-2 hours of your time, depending on your speed and the threat itself.
    Note: If ProtocolPort has an in-built ability to restore itself on a restart, the manual steps will not prevent that. We recommend the automatic removal.
  •  Download SpyHunter for Mac (one of the apps used in the manual instructions), scan with it, and if you decide to use the program, it will likely require about 15-20 minutes. This, however, requires an active subscription for SpyHunter, which means either to use the trial version or purchase the software.

Removal instructions:
1. Download EtreCheck from the Appstore and scan for any ProtocolPort unsigned files. Delete them. (You can skip this step altogether and download and scan with Spyhunter instead if you don’t want to double-check things).
2. Download and install Spyhunter for Mac. Scan for any malicious files.
3. The app will show you which files are infected. Either use SpyHunter to delete them for you (the automatic removal) or do it manually, which means tracking down each detected location by yourself and deleting the file.
4. In most cases start with /private/var/root/Library/Application Support/.ProtocolPort/ProtocolPort
5. In Finder press Shift+Command+G to open the Find window.
6. Search for the /var directory. Then proceed and look for the /root folder inside.
7. It will most likely be locked and you will need additional permissions to meddle with it.
8. Press command+I and scroll to sharing and permissions. Add your user name to permissions.
9. Now you should be able to access the /root folder and proceed and locate the /Library folder inside it. Proceed to do the same until you are inside the /Application Support folder.
10. It is possible that the folder you look for is hidden, if that is the case use command+shift+. to locate and find the file you want to delete.
11. Delete the ProtocolPort file.
12. If none of this helps, try the steps in this guide.


About the author

Brandon Skies

Brandon is a researcher and content creator in the fields of cyber-security and virtual privacy. Years of experience enable him to provide readers with important information and adequate solutions for the latest software and malware problems.

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