Polyhedrical.app is a piece of adware targeting macOS users. It belongs to the Pirrit adware family—known for manipulating browser behavior, generating unwanted ads, and tracking user activity. Though not as severe as ransomware, this threat is a persistent annoyance that undermines your system’s integrity and your online safety.
Threat Overview
Field | Details |
---|---|
Threat type | Adware / Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) |
Associated domain | Polyhedrical.app |
Detection names | Avast: MacOS:Pirrit‑CH [Adw], ESET: OSX/Adware.Pirrit.BP, Combo Cleaner: Adware.MAC.Pirrit.KF |
Symptoms of infection | Frequent pop-up ads, page redirects, sluggish Mac performance |
Damage & distribution | Data harvesting, ad injection, browser hijacking; spreads via fake software updates, software bundles, torrent installers |
Danger level | Moderate – affects usability and privacy |
Removal tool | SpyHunter – Download SpyHunter |
Threat Analysis
How Does Polyhedrical.app Infect Systems?
This adware typically infiltrates macOS systems through bundling—where it’s packaged with other applications users download from unreliable sites. Fake “Update Your Mac” notifications and deceptive ad banners can also trigger its download and installation without clear user consent.
Behavior and Effects
Once installed, Polyhedrical.app modifies browser preferences to flood the screen with advertisements, alter default search engines, and reroute traffic to dubious promotional pages. These changes degrade browser speed, interfere with normal web usage, and risk exposing users to phishing or malware-laced domains. Additionally, it monitors browsing behavior to collect potentially sensitive data, which can then be monetized or misused.
Should You Be Concerned?
Absolutely. While Polyhedrical.app doesn’t encrypt files or destroy data, it poses a long-term risk to your privacy and system health. Allowing it to remain active may lead to further infections, increased vulnerability to scams, and continued system slowdown. Removing it promptly helps maintain a secure, optimized computing environment.
Manual Adware Removal for Mac
Step 1: Identify and Uninstall Suspicious Applications
- Open
Finder
and navigate toApplications
. - Look for any unknown or suspicious apps.
- Drag these apps to the
Trash
and empty it. - Open
System Preferences
>Users & Groups
>Login Items
. - Remove any unfamiliar startup items by selecting them and clicking the
-
button.
Step 2: Remove Malicious Browser Extensions
Safari
- Open Safari and go to
Preferences
>Extensions
. - Identify and remove any unwanted extensions.
- Go to
History
> “Clear History” and select “All History.”
Google Chrome
- Open Chrome, click
Menu
(three dots) >Extensions
. - Remove any suspicious extensions.
- Reset Chrome:
Settings
>Reset settings
> “Restore settings to their original defaults.”
Mozilla Firefox
- Click
Menu
>Add-ons and themes
. - Remove any unrecognized extensions.
- Reset Firefox:
Help
>More troubleshooting information
> “Refresh Firefox.”
Step 3: Delete Adware-Related Files and Folders
- Open
Finder
, pressShift + Command + G
, and type:~/Library/Application Support/
~/Library/LaunchAgents/
~/Library/LaunchDaemons/
~/Library/Preferences/
- Look for and delete suspicious files or folders associated with adware.
Step 4: Flush DNS Cache
- Open
Terminal
. - Type the following command and press Enter:
- Enter your administrator password when prompted.
Step 5: Restart Your Mac
Restart your device to finalize the manual removal process.
Automatic Adware Removal Using SpyHunter for Mac
For a quick and thorough cleanup, use SpyHunter, a powerful tool designed to detect and remove adware.
Step 1: Download SpyHunter
Download SpyHunter for Mac from the official website: Download SpyHunter Here.
Step 2: Install SpyHunter
- Open the downloaded
.dmg
file. - Drag and drop SpyHunter into the
Applications
folder. - Open SpyHunter and allow it to update its malware definitions.
Step 3: Perform a System Scan
- Open SpyHunter.
- Click
Start Scan
. - Wait for the scan to complete.
- Click
Fix Threats
to remove any detected adware.
Step 4: Restart Your Mac
After SpyHunter removes all threats, restart your Mac to complete the process.
Conclusion
Polyhedrical.app is more than just a nuisance—it’s a gateway to deeper system compromise. As a member of the Pirrit adware family, it can hijack your browser, steal your data, and diminish your Mac’s performance. Its distribution method relies on deception, making users unknowingly install it during routine downloads.
To restore your Mac’s stability and protect your personal data, remove Polyhedrical.app immediately using a trusted anti-malware tool like SpyHunter.
Download SpyHunter to eliminate Polyhedrical.app and other hidden threats.