How to uninstall FunctionServer app/extension from Mac (Virus removal guide)

What is FunctionServer

FunctionServer is an application that behaves like Adware. Adware is ‘advertising supported’ software which tries to generate profit by redirecting you to scam web-sites and online advertising. It has different methods of earning profit including displaying up advertisements on the browser forcefully. Most of adware software gets installed when you are downloading free applications or browser extensions.

Does adware steal your confidential information? The FunctionServer adware is able to gather your surfing history and personal data, including passwords and credit card numbers. In the future, privacy info about you can be transferred to third parties.

Adware is usually written in ways common to malware, spyware and browser hijackers. In order to remove FunctionServer adware, you will need use the following steps or run free adware software removal tool listed below.

How does FunctionServer get on your computer

Adware spreads with a simple but quite effective way. It’s integrated into the install package of various free apps. Thus on the process of installation, it will be installed onto your MAC OS and/or web-browser. In order to avoid adware software, you just need to follow a few simple rules: carefully read the Terms of Use and the license, choose only a Manual, Custom or Advanced installation option, which enables you to make sure that the application you want to install, thereby protect your MAC OS from adware.

Threat Summary

Name	FunctionServer
Type	adware, potentially unwanted program (PUP), Mac virus, Mac malware
Detection Names	OSX.Trojan.Gen, Trojan-Downloader.OSX.Adload, Program:MacOS/Vigram.A, ApplicUnwnt, Adware.MAC.Generic, MacOS.Agent-MT, Osx.Adware.Cimpli and Adware/Adload!OSX
Distribution	Freeware installers, malicious pop up ads, torrent downloads and fake software updaters
Symptoms	Your web browser is redirected to websites you did not want, you experience a lot of of unexpected advertising pop-ups, unwanted program installed without your knowledge, new extensions suddenly added on your internet browser, your web-browser homepage has replaced without your permission, slow browsing Internet.
Removal	FunctionServer removal guide

How to remove FunctionServer from Mac computer

According to security professionals, FunctionServer ads removal can be complete manually and/or automatically. These utilities that are listed below will help you delete adware software, malicious web browser extensions, malware and potentially unwanted apps . However, if you are not willing to install other programs to remove FunctionServer pop ups, then use tutorial listed below to return your MAC settings to defaults.

To remove FunctionServer, execute the following steps:

1. Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device
2. Check the list of installed software
3. Remove FunctionServer related files and folders
4. Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes
5. Remove FunctionServer from Safari, Chrome, Firefox
6. How to stay safe online

Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device

FunctionServer can make changes to the Mac system such as malicious changes to browser settings, and the addition of malicious system profiles. You need to check the system preferences, find and remove malicious profiles and ensure your settings are as you expect.

Click Apple menu ( ) > System Preferences.

In System Preferences, select Profiles. if there is no Profiles in the list of preferences, that means there are no profiles installed on the Mac. If there is Profiles in the list, then click on it, then select a profile associated with FunctionServer.

To delete a malicious profile, click on the minus button ( – ) located at the bottom-left of the Profiles screen.

Check the list of installed software

In the next step, you need to check the list of installed software on your Mac computer and remove all unused, unknown and suspicious software.

Open Finder and click “Applications”.

It will open a list of all software installed on your computer. Scroll through the all list, and remove any suspicious and unknown applications. Right click to suspicious program and choose “Move to Trash”. Another method is drag the program from the Applications folder to the Trash.

Most important, scroll through the all list, and move to trash any unknown applications. Don’t forget, choose Finder -> Empty Trash.

Remove FunctionServer related files and folders

Now you need to try to find FunctionServer related files and folders, and then delete them manually. You need to look for these files in certain directories. To quickly open them, we recommend using the “Go to Folder…” command.

FunctionServer creates several files, these files must be found and removed. Below is a list of files associated with this unwanted application.

• /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.FunctionServer.system.plist
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.FunctionServer.service.plist
• /Library/Application Support/.(RANDOM)/System/com.FunctionServer.system
• ~/Library/Application Support/.(RANDOM)/Services/com.FunctionServer.service.app

Some files created by FunctionServer are hidden from the user. To find and delete them, you need to enable “show hidden files”. To do this, use the shortcut CMD + SHIFT + . Press once to show hidden files and again to hide them. There is another way. Click Finder -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal. In Terminal, paste the following text: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

Press Enter. Hold the ‘Option/alt’ key, then right click on the Finder icon in the dock and click Relaunch.

Click on the Finder icon. From the menu bar, select Go and click “Go to Folder…”. As a result, a small window opens that allows you to quickly open a specific directory.

Check for FunctionServer generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/LaunchAgents

This will open the contents of the “/Library/LaunchAgents” folder. Look carefully at it and pay special attention to recently created files, as well as files that have a suspicious name. Move all suspicious files to the Trash. A few examples of files: com.machelper.plist, search.plist, com.net-preferences.plist, installapp.plist, com.google.defaultsearch.plist, , macsearch.plist and com.FunctionServer.service.plist. Most often, PUPs, browser hijackers and adware create several files with similar names.

Check for FunctionServer generated files in the /Library/Application Support folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/Application Support

This will open the contents of the “Application Support” folder. Look carefully at its contents, pay special attention to recently added/changed folders and files. Check the contents of suspicious folders, if there is a file with a name similar to com.FunctionServer.system, then this folder must be deleted. Move all suspicious folders and files to the Trash.

Check for FunctionServer generated files in the “~/Library/LaunchAgents” folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
~/Library/LaunchAgents

Proceed in the same way as with the “/Library/LaunchAgents” and “/Library/Application Support” folders. Look for suspicious and recently added files. Move all suspicious files to the Trash.

Check for FunctionServer generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/LaunchDaemons

Carefully browse the entire list of files and pay special attention to recently created files, as well as files that have a suspicious name. Move all suspicious files to the Trash. A few examples of files to be deleted: com.installapp.system.plist, com.FunctionServer.system.plist, com.macsearch.system.plist, com.search.system.plist and com.machelper.system.plist. In most cases, browser hijackers, PUPs and adware create several files with similar names.

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

We suggest using MalwareBytes Free to scan the Mac for PUPs, browser hijackers and adware. This free tool is an advanced malware removal program developed by (c) Malwarebytes lab. This program uses the world’s most popular anti malware technology. It’s able to help you get rid of browser toolbars and other security threats from your Mac computer for free.

Click the following link to download MalwareBytes.

When the downloading process is complete, close all applications and windows on your MAC. Open a directory in which you saved it. Run the saved file and follow the prompts.

Once installation is done, you will see window like below.

Now click the “Scan” button to start scanning your MAC OS for the adware that causes the intrusive FunctionServer popup advertisements. Depending on your Apple Mac, the scan may take anywhere from a few minutes to close to an hour. While the MalwareBytes tool is checking, you can see how many objects it has identified as being affected by malware.

Once MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) has completed scanning, a list of all items detected is produced. Review the report and then click “Quarantine” button.

Remove FunctionServer from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

This step will show you how to remove harmful addons. This can remove FunctionServer pop up advertisements and fix some surfing issues, especially after adware infection.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
In the top right hand corner, click on ‘three vertical dots’, and this will open up the main menu on Google Chrome. Select ‘More tools’, then ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to remove FunctionServer redirect by reset Chrome settings.	Click on ‘menu’ button and select ‘Add-ons’. Go to ‘Extensions’ tab. To uninstall an add-on, click on ‘Remove’ button next to it. If you are still experiencing issues with FunctionServer pop ups removal, you need to reset Firefox browser.
Safari
On the top menu select ‘Safari’, then ‘Preferences’. Select ‘Extensions’ tab. Select an extension you want to delete and click ‘Uninstall’ button next to it.

How to stay safe online

Run ad-blocking application like AdGuard in order to block ads, malvertisements, pop-ups and online trackers, avoid having to install malicious and adware browser plug-ins and add-ons that affect your Apple Mac performance and impact your MAC OS security. Browse the Internet anonymously and stay safe online!

Installing the AdGuard is simple. First you’ll need to download AdGuard from the link below.

After the downloading process is finished, run the downloaded file. The “Setup Wizard” window will show up on the computer screen.

Follow the prompts. AdGuard will then be installed. A window will show up asking you to confirm that you want to see a quick tutorial. Press “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick guidance which will allow you get to know AdGuard better.

Each time, when you run your MAC OS, AdGuard will start automatically and stop annoying pop-up advertisements, block malicious and misleading web-pages.

To sum up

Now your MAC OS should be free of the adware software which causes pop-ups. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you block unwanted pop up advertisements and intrusive malicious webpages) and MalwareBytes (to periodically scan your MAC system for new malware, hijackers and adware). Make sure that you have all the Critical Updates recommended for Mac operating system. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new hijackers, malicious programs and adware are released.

If you are still having problems while trying to get rid of FunctionServer from your web-browser, then ask for help here.