Kaspersky Lab has updated its Kaspersky Premium solution with a new App Removal feature for macOS devices. It frees up memory by cleaning files left behind after uninstalling programs, such as cache or cookies. This allows users to reclaim valuable disk space and get rid of digital clutter on their laptops.

The challenges of cleanup. According to a Kaspersky Lab survey, more than half of macOS users clear their browser history, cookies, cache and temporary files (56%), and also remove unnecessary files such as photos and videos (54%). At the same time, fewer than half of respondents (44%) delete unused applications. However, when users move unwanted programs to the trash, residual files still remain on the device — sometimes they are hard to find, and in some cases they take up even more space than the application itself, for example if it is a browser. On the other hand, some applications and their components may not appear at all in the standard macOS interface.

Another problem is that such files can contain confidential information, such as account tokens, saved passwords, event logs, IP addresses, usernames, fragments of documents, images, chats and paths to personal folders. If a device is sold without being cleaned, or if attackers gain access to it, they may try to recover passwords, log into the former owner's accounts and steal personal data.

The new feature in Kaspersky Premium primarily addresses the problem of insufficient disk space — when an application is deleted, it detects related residual files that can be removed. This also applies to programs that were sent to the trash earlier. At the same time, it does not delete files that are still used by other applications, such as shared components for the Microsoft Office suite. In addition, App Removal helps reduce the risk of confidential information leaks that could be exploited by attackers.

The feature can also remove duplicate applications — for example, those copied by mistake or installed from multiple sources. The user can delete all duplicates at once or select the unnecessary ones. If needed, the required files can be restored — both from the trash and from the Kaspersky Premium app, if it has not been closed beforehand.

"The amount of content stored on devices is constantly growing. It is only natural that over time there is a need to get rid of unnecessary items. Using utility suites from different vendors is inconvenient and often unsafe. With the built-in App Removal feature in Kaspersky Premium for macOS, users can safely clean their device's memory of unnecessary files and programs in just a couple of clicks without installing additional software. Kaspersky Premium helps not only ensure security but also maintain digital order," comments Irina Ermolova, Vice President for Consumer Product Management at Kaspersky Lab.

Why protection should not be neglected. There is a perception that macOS devices are well protected from cyberthreats, but today they are not limited to viruses alone. They can include, for example, ransomware, trojans, spyware, and various types of online fraud. Kaspersky Lab experts have encountered cases where malware masqueraded as legitimate device cleanup software, such as CleanMyMac, Mole or CCleanerPro. Therefore, it is important to be vigilant when downloading any programs.

Kaspersky Lab experts also recommend that users:

• grant installed security programs the permissions they need to work correctly;

• regularly update applications and the operating system to install security patches in a timely manner and be able to use new features;

• do not follow suspicious links from emails and messenger messages, and download files with caution.