What is EssentialLoop Mac Adware?

Our team discovered EssentialLoop, a type of adware that belongs to the AdLoad malware family, while examining new submissions to VirusTotal. The main purpose of EssentialLoop is to deliver intrusive ad campaigns and gather sensitive data.

Adware refers to advertising-supported software that delivers intrusive ads on visited websites and other interfaces. These ads can promote scams, unreliable or harmful software, and even malware. Some ads may even initiate stealthy downloads or installations when clicked.

It is unlikely that legitimate content is promoted through these ads. Scammers often exploit affiliate programs to obtain illegitimate commissions. Although some adware may require specific conditions to run intrusive ads, the presence of EssentialLoop alone can endanger device and user safety.

AdLoad adware-type apps, which EssentialLoop is a part of, often have browser-hijacking abilities, although this was not observed during our analysis. Additionally, EssentialLoop tracks user data, including browsing and search engine histories, IP addresses, Internet cookies, usernames/passwords, personally identifiable details, credit card numbers, and more. This data can be sold to third parties or exploited for profit.

How Can Adware Expose Your Mac to Further Potential Online Threats?

Adware can expose your Mac to further potential online threats in several ways. First, adware can display intrusive and misleading ads that can lead you to click on them, redirecting you to malicious websites. These websites may contain harmful content, such as phishing pages, scam pages, or websites hosting malware.

Second, adware can track your online activities, including your browsing and search engine histories, IP addresses, internet cookies, usernames/passwords, and personally identifiable details. This information can be sold to third parties, who may use it for malicious purposes such as identity theft, financial fraud, or social engineering attacks.

Third, some adware applications have browser-hijacking abilities, which can change your browser settings and redirect your search queries to fake search engines. These fake search engines may display sponsored search results that lead to harmful websites, or they may trick you into downloading and installing more adware or malware onto your Mac.

Finally, adware can consume your Mac's resources, causing your system to slow down, freeze or crash. This can create a favorable environment for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities in your system and launch further attacks. Therefore, it is crucial to remove any adware present on your Mac as soon as possible to avoid these potential online threats.