Name | Trojan.Clicker |
Category | Potentially unwanted program (PUP) |
Symptoms | Slow or freezing performance, unwanted pop-ups, random text on web pages are turned into links |
Infection method | Rogue installer and malicious pop-ups |
System damage | Download and install other malware, use your computer for click fraud, and record keystrokes |
Removal |
What is Trojan.Clicker.FMS?
Malware is hard to spot unless you’re regularly looking for it because there aren’t many obvious red flags. So, you have to know what you’re looking for. Typically, your Mac will start slowing down because malicious processes are running in the background. You’ll begin to see more pop-up ads. Or you might even be navigated to random websites.
One of the main purposes of Trojan.Clicker is to use your computer to click on ads and earn extra revenue. But because it’s using your system’s resources, your computer will start to slow down, and you will begin to get a lot more unwanted pop-ups. The much more suspicious side of Trojan.Clicker is that it leaves a backdoor open to your computer, meaning more malware could download and install itself without you knowing.
How did Trojan.Clicker.FMS get on my computer?
The most common way that Trojan.Clicker.FMS is installed on computers is by the user installing it. Yup, it’s true. Trojan.Clicker tricks people by popping up and claiming to have found a generic Trojan virus on their Mac and then prompts them to download and install software to get rid of it. Isn’t that sneaky? That’s why you should only install apps from trusted sources.
How to remove Trojan.Clicker from your Mac
If you think your Mac has been infected with Trojan.Clicker.FMS, you will have to remove it manually. But don’t worry; getting rid of it is relatively easy. And you can follow the steps detailed below to help you out.
Trojan.Clicker.FMS typically installs itself as a browser plug-in. But you should uninstall it from all the browsers on your Mac — not just your default browser. Here are the steps for the most common browsers:
Safari
To uninstall Trojan.Clicker.FMS from Safari’s extension list, follow these steps with Safari open:
- Open Safari.
- Press Command-Comma to open Safari Settings.
- Now go to the Extensions tab.
- Choose any suspicious browser plug-in you see.
- Click Uninstall.
- Finally, quit and relaunch Safari.
Firefox
For Firefox, there are actually two places you’ll need to check. So, if you don’t see anything in the Extensions list, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. You’ll also need to check the plug-in list. Follow these steps to help you out:
- Open Firefox.
- Click the three horizontal lines at the top.
- Then, click Add-ons and themes > Extensions.
- Select an extension > … > Remove.
- Repeat steps 3-4 to remove suspicious plug-ins.
- Finally, quit and reopen Firefox.
Chrome
For Google Chrome, follow these steps to remove Trojan.Clicker and any other malware:
- Open Chrome.
- In the top-right corner, click the three dots > More Tools > Extensions.
- Click Remove next to any strange or unwanted extension.
- Quit and relaunch Chrome.
When you’ve gone through all of the browsers installed on your computer, restart your Mac so that it has a chance to purge any cached malware files.
Get rid of other malware on your computer
Because Trojan.Clicker.FMS downloads and installs other malware — after you delete it — you never know what else might be hiding on your Mac. Fortunately, the app CleanMyMac X will scan your Mac for other malware that may be hiding.
Even if you haven’t noticed any performance issues with your computer, sneaky software can still be lurking in the background and, worst of all, may leave open a backdoor for more malware to continue infecting your device.
When you download CleanMyMac X, here’s all you need to do to scan for suspicious software and malware:
- Open CleanMyMac X.
- Go to Malware Removal.
- Next, click Scan.
After you scan your Mac and get rid of any malware, it’s still a good idea to get in the habit of regularly scanning your computer in case something sneaks its way onto it. Plus, CleanMyMac X will help get rid of any additional junk or clutter, as well as optimize your Mac’s overall performance.
While Trojan.Clicker.FMS might seem like more of an annoyance for you, it can cause significant performance issues for your Mac and ultimately leave it vulnerable to other malware attacks. Hopefully, after reading this article, you’re able to get rid of it from your computer. And with the help of CleanMyMac X, you can prevent future malware from infecting your Mac.