Software license verification is a common practice among reputable developers to protect their products from unauthorized use. Adobe, a leading software company renowned for its creative and document management tools, employs the Adobe Genuine Service (AGS) to ensure the legitimacy of its software. This service sometimes manifests as the “Adobe Genuine Service Alert,” a pop-up notification that can cause concern among Mac users. While often a legitimate alert from Adobe, it can also be mimicked by malware. Understanding the difference and knowing how to address it is crucial.
This alert, similar to the Adobe Genuine Software Integrity Service notification, is designed to inform users about potential issues with their Adobe software licensing. It serves as a warning that the software may be non-genuine and could be disabled soon. The message often highlights the security risks associated with using unlicensed software, including the potential for malware infections and data breaches.
The Adobe Genuine Service Alert appears in various forms, each with slightly different wording but conveying the same core message. The central theme is the security risk associated with non-genuine software. These alerts may appear if you’re unknowingly using a pirated version of Adobe software or if you’ve acquired your software from unauthorized sources. Here are some common examples of the alert messages:
- “You have one or more unlicensed Adobe apps on your device. Unlicensed apps may contain malware that expose your files and personal data to security risks.”
- “You have one or more non-genuine Adobe apps on your device. Using non-genuine Adobe apps can increase your risk of malware and viruses.”
- “You have one or more unlicensed apps that will be disabled soon. Avoid disruptions and switch to genuine Adobe apps today.”
These alerts often include a countdown, indicating when the software will stop functioning unless a valid subscription is purchased. While these alerts can be disruptive, Adobe maintains they are a necessary measure to protect users and their software ecosystem.
Adobe recommends against disabling the Adobe Genuine Service, arguing that it is essential for maintaining software integrity and user security. However, if the alerts become persistently bothersome, even after ensuring your software is legitimately licensed, there is a way to uninstall AGS. Adobe provides a native uninstaller located in: Utilities > Adobe Genuine Service > AdobeCleanUpUtility. It’s advisable to consider the implications before proceeding with uninstallation, as AGS is intended to provide security and license status updates.
Despite Adobe’s intentions, some users encounter persistent Adobe Genuine Service Alerts even after uninstalling non-genuine software or believing their software is legitimate. In some cases, these alerts might appear specifically within web browsers, which is a significant indicator of potential malware. Malware often disguises itself as legitimate software notifications to deceive users.
Legitimate AGS alerts can usually be resolved by activating your Adobe software with a valid license or by using a firewall application like LuLu or Little Snitch to block Adobe-related network connections. However, if you suspect malware, especially with browser-specific alerts, adware might be the root cause.
This guide will help you determine if the Adobe Genuine Service Alert on your Mac is a genuine notification or a sign of a security threat. We will explore methods to address both scenarios, ensuring your Mac remains secure and your software functions as expected.
Manual Removal of Potential Malware Associated with Adobe Genuine Service Alert on Mac
If you suspect the Adobe Genuine Service Alert is not legitimate and might be related to malware, follow these manual removal steps. It’s crucial to follow these instructions carefully and in the order specified.
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Open Utilities Folder: Click on the Go menu in your Mac’s Finder bar, and then select Utilities.
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Launch Activity Monitor: In the Utilities folder, find and double-click the Activity Monitor icon to open it.
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Identify and Stop Suspicious Processes: In Activity Monitor, look for any processes that seem suspicious or unfamiliar. Focus on processes that are consuming significant system resources and whose names you don’t recognize. Malware processes often try to hide, so trust your judgment. Once you identify a potentially malicious process, select it and click the Stop icon (X) in the top left corner.
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Force Quit the Process: A dialog box will appear asking if you are sure you want to quit the process. Select Force Quit to terminate the suspicious process immediately.
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Open Go to Folder: Click on the Go menu in Finder again and select Go to Folder, or use the keyboard shortcut Command-Shift-G.
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Navigate to LaunchAgents Folder (Library Level): Type /Library/LaunchAgents in the “Go to Folder” dialog and click Go.
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Remove Suspicious Launch Agents (Library Level): Examine the contents of the
/Library/LaunchAgentsfolder for any files that look suspicious or recently added and out of place. Malware often installs Launch Agents to ensure it runs automatically. Look for files with names that seem random or unrelated to legitimate software. Examples of malicious LaunchAgents include:com.updater.mcy.plist,com.avickUpd.plist, andcom.msp.agent.plist. If you find any questionable files, drag them to the Trash. -
Navigate to Application Support Folder: Use Go to Folder again and go to
~/Library/Application Support(note the tilde~which represents your Home folder). -
Remove Suspicious Folders (Application Support): In the Application Support folder, look for recently created folders with names that are unusual or don’t correspond to applications you’ve knowingly installed. Malware often creates folders here to store its components. Examples of malicious folder names are
com.AuraSearchDaemon,ProgressSite, andIdeaShared. Drag any suspicious folders to the Trash. -
Navigate to LaunchAgents Folder (User Level): Use Go to Folder and this time go to
~/Library/LaunchAgents(again, with the tilde~). -
Remove Suspicious Launch Agents (User Level): Examine the
~/Library/LaunchAgentsfolder for suspicious files, similar to step 7. Look for files related to the Adobe Genuine Service Alert malware, such as:com.ConnectionCache.service.plist,com.digitalprotection.emcupdater.plist,com.mulkey.plist,com.nbp.plist, andcom.sys.system.plist. Drag these to the Trash. -
Navigate to LaunchDaemons Folder: Use Go to Folder and go to
/Library/LaunchDaemons. -
Remove Suspicious Launch Daemons: In the
/Library/LaunchDaemonsfolder, look for files that the malware might be using to maintain persistence. Examples includecom.ConnectionCache.system.plistandcom.mulkeyd.plist. Delete any files that appear suspicious. -
Open Applications Folder: Click on the Go menu in Finder and select Applications.
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Uninstall Suspicious Applications: In the Applications folder, look for any applications that you didn’t intentionally install or that seem out of place. Drag these applications to the Trash. You may need to enter your administrator password to confirm the removal.
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Open System Preferences: Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
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Check Login Items: Go to Users & Groups and then click on the Login Items tab. Look for any suspicious applications in the list of login items (programs that start when you log in). If you find any, select them and click the “–” (minus) button to remove them.
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Check Profiles: In System Preferences, look for Profiles. If you see a Profiles icon, click it and examine the profiles list. Remove any profiles that look suspicious or that you didn’t intentionally install. Examples of malicious profiles are
AdminPrefs,TechSignalSearch,MainSearchPlatform, andSafari Preferences. Select the profile and click the “–” (minus) button to delete it.
After completing these manual removal steps, it’s crucial to clean up your web browsers, as adware often affects browser settings even after the main application is removed.
Browser Cleanup to Remove Adobe Genuine Service Alert Traces
Even after removing potential malware, your browser might still be affected. Resetting your browser settings can help eliminate any remaining traces of adware and ensure your browser functions correctly. Be aware that resetting browser settings will remove customizations, browsing history, and temporary website data.
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Reset Safari to Default
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Open Safari and click on Safari in the menu bar, then select Preferences.
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In the Preferences window, click the Advanced tab. Check the box next to “Show Develop menu in menu bar”.
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Now, click on Develop in the menu bar and select Empty Caches.
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Next, click on History in the menu bar and select Clear History.
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In the “Clear history” dialog, choose all history from the dropdown menu and click Clear History.
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Go back to Safari Preferences and click on the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data.
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Click Remove All to remove all website data. Confirm your action in the pop-up window.
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Restart Safari.
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Reset Google Chrome to Default
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Open Chrome, click the Customize and control Google Chrome (⁝) icon (three vertical dots) in the top right corner, and select Settings.
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In the Settings menu, click Advanced at the bottom.
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Scroll down to the Reset settings section and click Restore settings to their original defaults.
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Click Reset settings in the confirmation dialog. Restart Chrome after the reset.
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Reset Mozilla Firefox to Default
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Open Firefox and go to Help in the menu bar, then select Troubleshooting Information. (Alternatively, type
about:supportin the address bar and press Enter). -
On the Troubleshooting Information page, click the Refresh Firefox button.
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Confirm the refresh in the pop-up dialog. Firefox will close and then restart with default settings.
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Automatic Removal of Adobe Genuine Service Alert Malware with Combo Cleaner
For a more thorough and efficient removal of potential malware associated with the Adobe Genuine Service Alert, consider using a dedicated Mac security tool like Combo Cleaner. Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and remove Mac-specific malware, including adware and potentially unwanted programs.
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Download and Install Combo Cleaner: Download Combo Cleaner Installer. After downloading, double-click the
combocleaner.dmgfile and follow the on-screen instructions to install the application.By downloading any applications recommended on this website you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. The free scanner checks whether your Mac is infected. To get rid of malware, you need to purchase the Premium version of Combo Cleaner.
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Update Malware Definitions: Open Combo Cleaner from your Launchpad and allow it to update its malware signature database to ensure it has the latest threat information.
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Start a Full System Scan: Click the Start Combo Scan button to initiate a comprehensive scan of your Mac for malware and performance-related issues.
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Review Scan Results: Once the scan is complete, Combo Cleaner will display a report of detected threats. If the report shows “No Threats,” it indicates that your system is likely clean, and the Adobe Genuine Service Alert might be legitimate or resolved through manual steps.
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Remove Detected Threats: If Combo Cleaner detects malware, click the Remove Selected Items button to eliminate the Adobe Genuine Service Alert malware and any other detected threats, PUPs, or junk files.
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Browser Cleanup (If Necessary): Even after using Combo Cleaner, it’s still recommended to check and reset your browser settings as described in the previous section to ensure complete removal of any adware remnants.
By following these manual or automatic removal steps, you should be able to address the Adobe Genuine Service Alert issue, whether it’s a legitimate notification or a sign of malware infection, and restore your Mac to a secure and optimal operating state.
