HPJ_14

Q: MacKeeper (and other sites) keeps opening in new tabs

HELP!!

 

When browsing, new tabs open when I make selections in Safari. I've installed Sophus anti-virus and have scanned my laptop multiple times. Every time I scan with the anti-virus software, the software diagnoses that there where no issues detected. Does anyone have a solution?

 

Saturday, February 7

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Feb 7, 2015 2:25 PM

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Q: MacKeeper (and other sites) keeps opening in new tabs

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  • by Niel,Apple recommended

    Niel Niel Feb 7, 2015 2:26 PM in response to HPJ_14
    Level 10 (313,246 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2015 2:26 PM in response to HPJ_14

    Click here and follow the instructions, or if there’s a type of adware not covered by them on the computer, these ones. If you're willing to use a tool to remove it(you don't need to, but may find it easier), you can instead run Adware Medic; this link is a direct download.


    Adware isn't the same as viruses.


    (121870)

  • by HPJ_14,

    HPJ_14 HPJ_14 Feb 7, 2015 2:26 PM in response to HPJ_14
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 7, 2015 2:26 PM in response to HPJ_14

    -The tabs most commonly open to MacKeeper.

  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Feb 7, 2015 2:28 PM in response to HPJ_14
    Level 9 (53,710 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 7, 2015 2:28 PM in response to HPJ_14

    I strongly recommend that you uninstalled Sophos. It is a worthless pig on the Mac.

     

    It sounds like you managed to load adware on your Mac. To remove it, try http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php

  • by The hatter,

    The hatter The hatter Feb 7, 2015 2:37 PM in response to HPJ_14
    Level 9 (60,935 points)
    Feb 7, 2015 2:37 PM in response to HPJ_14

    Five years, going all the way back to Snow Leopard, MacKeeper has been and needs to be treated as the malware it is.

     

    Some history and background:

    Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection - Apple Support

    How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware in Mac OS X v10.6 or earlier - Apple Support

     

    Please run AdwareMedic and read more there:

    http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php

     

    Re: Sophos Antivirus for Mac?   in response to Ian R. Brown   | This solved my question

    Ian R. Brown wrote:

     

    What are your views on it?

     

    Sophos is one of the better anti-virus apps of this sort for the Mac. Unfortunately, that's not saying a lot, especially since its stability and performance have fallen off a bit recently. I no longer recommend it as I once did, but it's definitely not a scam.

     

    At this time, for those who insist on running anti-virus software, I only recommend ClamXav.

     

    Sophos Antivirus for Mac?

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Feb 7, 2015 7:13 PM in response to HPJ_14
    Level 10 (207,995 points)
    Applications
    Feb 7, 2015 7:13 PM in response to HPJ_14

    There is no need to download anything to solve this problem. You may have installed a variant of the "VSearch" ad-injection malware. Follow Apple Support's instructions to remove it.

    If you have trouble following those instructions, see below.

    Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. This procedure works as of now, as far as I know. It may not work in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for a more recent discussion, or start a new one.

    The VSearch malware tries to hide itself by varying the names of the files it installs. To remove it, you must first identify the naming pattern.

    Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination  command-C:

    /Library/LaunchDaemons

    In the Finder, select

              Go Go to Folder...

    from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

    A folder named "LaunchDaemons" may open. Look inside it for two files with names of the form

              com.something.daemon.plist

    and

               com.something.helper.plist

    Here something is a variable string of characters, which can be different in each case. So far it has always been a string of letters without punctuation, such as "cloud," "dot," "highway," "submarine," or "trusteddownloads." Sometimes it's a meaningless string such as "e8dec5ae7fc75c28" rather than a word. Sometimes the string is "apple," and then you must be especially careful not to delete the wrong files, because many built-in OS X files have similar names.

    If you find these files, leave the LaunchDaemons folder open, and open the following folder in the same way:

    /Library/LaunchAgents

    In this folder, there may be a file named

              com.something.agent.plist

    where the string something is the same as before.

    If you feel confident that you've identified the above files, back up all data, then drag just those three files—nothing else—to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password. Close the Finder windows and restart the computer.

    Don't delete the "LaunchAgents" or "LaunchDaemons" folder or anything else inside either one.

    The malware is now permanently inactivated, as long as you never reinstall it. You can stop here if you like, or you can remove two remaining components for the sake of completeness.

    Open this folder:

    /Library/Application Support

    If it has a subfolder named just

               something

    where something is the same string you saw before, drag that subfolder to the Trash and close the window.

    Don't delete the "Application Support" folder or anything else inside it.

    Finally, in this folder:

    /System/Library/Frameworks

    there may an item named exactly

                v.framework

    It's actually a folder, though it has a different icon than usual. This item always has the above name; it doesn't vary. Drag it to the Trash and close the window.

    Don't delete the "Frameworks" folder or anything else inside it.

    If you didn't find the files or you're not sure about the identification, post what you found.

    If in doubt, or if you have no backups, change nothing at all.

    The trouble may have started when you downloaded and ran an application called "MPlayerX." That's the name of a legitimate free movie player, but the name is also used fraudulently to distribute VSearch. If there is an item with that name in the Applications folder, delete it, and if you wish, replace it with the genuine article from mplayerx.org.

    This trojan is often found on illegal websites that traffic in pirated content such as movies. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.

    In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere  should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.

    Then, still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked

              Install system data files and security updates (OS X 10.10 or later)

    or

              Download updates automatically (OS X 10.9 or earlier)

    if it's not already checked.

  • by odecoster,

    odecoster odecoster Jul 27, 2015 11:33 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 27, 2015 11:33 AM in response to Linc Davis

    Thanks Linc Davis.

    first malware on my Mac after 8 years; You're my saviour.

    cheers mate