HelperProtocol Adware

HelperProtocol is the latest variant of the same adware package that can show up on Macs. HelperProtocol and the hundreds of similar apps are clones belonging to the AdLoad adware family. repackaged under different names.

There are dozens and dozens of variants of this same adware, all using the same icon that HelperProtocol uses - a circle with a looking glass icon. The bland icon is intended to help it remain unnoticed among other applications on your Mac. The names of the different variants are usually nonsensical and use two random words, giving results like WheelInstant and BlissFresh.

The purpose of the adware is simple - delivering ads into your Mac's browser and generating cash for the adware maker at the same time. However, ads delivered by ad-supported software platforms can be sourced from rogue ad networks. This means those ads can link to misleading websites, questionable content and potentially unwanted apps. This makes the presence of apps like HelperProtocol, or any other piece of adware, on your Mac undesirable.

Removing HelperProtocol is simple as it has no real persistence mechanism and you can just drag it onto the Trash, then empty Trash.