catherinefromdelta
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: which virus scanning programs are best?

I have been hacked a few times now and wish to purchase a good virus blocking program. Which ones are recommended?

MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Apr 28, 2015 8:00 AM

by Grane Duke,Solvedanswer
Grane Duke Grane Duke
Level 2 (419 points)
A:

Hi Catherine....!!

 

Do you know that even on the Windows PC, installing two anti virus programmes is considered unsafe for the system. The reason is because they both conflict and cause a false alarm against one another, resulting in instability of OS.

 

You seem to have installed two anti virus programmes like Avast and IBM’s Trusteer Rapport. In Macs, its not at all recommended to install any kind of anti virus programmes. They always cause conflicts. Please uninstall these two softwares immediately.

 

There is one more notorious and malicious programme which you have installed unintentionally thats Mackeeper. Mackeeper is a type of a malware which will corrupt your vital OS X files. Uninstall it by dragging the Mackeeper application into the trash. Later download this app called Find any File....http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/

Only download it from the provided link and not from anywhere else, as there are chances that the software is pre bundled with Mackeeper or any other malware. The reason I am suggesting you to run this software is because you won’t be able to delete eah and every bit of Mackeeper file even if you manage to trash the Mackeeper app. These small bits run in the background and cause the system slowdown.


Its a full featured trail version. You may buy it if you want. Appstore sells only the paid version of it but you can try it for free on the developers website. Search for Mackeeper and remove all the files associated with it after searching with this app.



Hope this helps....

Posted on Apr 28, 2015 3:09 PM

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catherinefromdelta

Q: which virus scanning programs are best?

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  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 28, 2015 8:01 AM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 9 (50,282 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2015 8:01 AM in response to catherinefromdelta

    None, a/v programs will not stop hackers

  • by FoxFifth,Helpful

    FoxFifth FoxFifth Apr 28, 2015 9:36 AM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 7 (25,932 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 28, 2015 9:36 AM in response to catherinefromdelta

    And you may want to read the following, as there are a number of programs that due much more harm than good. http://www.thesafemac.com/mmg/

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 28, 2015 8:29 AM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 7 (30,889 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 28, 2015 8:29 AM in response to catherinefromdelta

    catherinefromdelta wrote:

     

    I have been hacked a few times now

     

    What makes you say that? What specifically have you seen happen that you believe is due to being hacked? If you can provide details, we can give more appropriate answers relating that particular issue.

  • by Grane Duke,Helpful

    Grane Duke Grane Duke Apr 28, 2015 9:37 AM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 2 (419 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 9:37 AM in response to catherinefromdelta

    Hi Catherine...!!

     

    Anti virus programmes are only meant to work really well with a Windows PC because its inter windows defender antivirus is not capable enough to defend the machine.

     

    Its totally a different case with Macs. People always try to treat Macs like PC’s when it comes to security. They have a false myth in their mind, that if anti virus programmes can protect PC’s then why not Macs.....?? But most are unaware that a Mac is built with an internal anti virus programme within its OS X.

     

    To be honest with you, most of the Anti Virus programmes available will create problems rather than protecting the user’s mac.

     

    If you really really wish to install an Anti Virus programme just for your peace of mind then I will say use this.........https://www.clamxav.com

     

    Please note that none of the Anti Virus programmes will lend you a helping hand to protect your Mac against HACKING.....

     

                                     The best way to stay away from it is to use your own “ WIT " while working on the machine.



    Hope this helps...

  • by catherinefromdelta,

    catherinefromdelta catherinefromdelta Apr 28, 2015 9:16 AM in response to FoxFifth
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 9:16 AM in response to FoxFifth

    I was just on the phone with Apple support and apparently you are the only endorsed outside site. Your link has a lot of information and it will take a little time for this non-computer-literate person to navigate it, but I will look carefully and appreciate your response.

  • by catherinefromdelta,

    catherinefromdelta catherinefromdelta Apr 28, 2015 9:20 AM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 9:20 AM in response to thomas_r.

    Well the first two times were my fault--I opened an email link and I also downloaded what I thought was a program to give me access to rare movies. I'm learning.

     

    But this late time, I can't link the problem to anything I did. It started with an i-tunes movie I downloaded and the start/pause button was flickering. Then the problems piled up with each time I restarted the computer. When I tried to do a search, the letters skipped. If I got into a site, it immediately went to the bottom of the page. Links didn't work.

     

    I'm aware I may not be using the correct terms for what happened. It might not be 'hacking' or a virus, and so anti-virus programs may not help anyways.

     

    Thank you for your response.

  • by catherinefromdelta,

    catherinefromdelta catherinefromdelta Apr 28, 2015 9:22 AM in response to Grane Duke
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 9:22 AM in response to Grane Duke

    Yes, I'm slowly getting this picture. Thank you for your clear explanation.

     

    Could you please explain what using your "own WIT" means?

  • by Grane Duke,

    Grane Duke Grane Duke Apr 28, 2015 9:27 AM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 2 (419 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 9:27 AM in response to catherinefromdelta

    Catherine, you should definitely read “The Safe Mac “ site.

     

    That’s Thomas Reed’s work. He’s been a long time contributor in this community forum.....

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Apr 28, 2015 9:32 AM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 7 (30,889 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 28, 2015 9:32 AM in response to catherinefromdelta

    Sounds like you may have ended up installing adware those first two times. There's currently no Mac malware that I'm aware of that is capable of infecting the version of the system you're running, so it's not true malware, just adware. (Also not a hack, which implies that a hacker has somehow managed to gain access to your Mac, which is very unlikely from what you describe.)

     

    I'm guessing, from the sounds of it, that Apple may have directed you to their page on manual adware removal and/or AdwareMedic for removing the adware in the first two cases, but that same solution isn't working for the problem you're having now. Is that correct?

     

    If so, the symptoms you're having now don't sound much like adware, malware or hacking. One thing that will give us some good information to use for narrowing down variables would be to download EtreCheck:

     

    http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

     

    Run it and post the report it generates here. We'll take a look at it and see if we can identify any obvious problems, like known bad third-party software or possible hardware issues.

     

    If my guess was wrong, and you still haven't fully resolved the issues related to the first two incidents, and you're having a lot of pop-up ads and redirects in your web browser, see my Adware Removal Guide. (Fair disclosure: I may receive compensation from links to my sites, TheSafeMac.com and AdwareMedic.com.) If nothing there helps, let us know.

  • by Grane Duke,

    Grane Duke Grane Duke Apr 28, 2015 9:34 AM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 2 (419 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 9:34 AM in response to catherinefromdelta

    I meant to say that the best way to stay away from hacking is to stay alert.....

     

    Sorry, but the word “ own” was a typo....

  • by FoxFifth,

    FoxFifth FoxFifth Apr 28, 2015 9:48 AM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 7 (25,932 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 28, 2015 9:48 AM in response to catherinefromdelta

    catherinefromdelta wrote:

     

    I was just on the phone with Apple support and apparently you are the only endorsed outside site. Your link has a lot of information and it will take a little time for this non-computer-literate person to navigate it, but I will look carefully and appreciate your response.

    Not my site (wish I could claim credit!) -- it is actually by thomas_r. who also responded to your post.

  • by catherinefromdelta,

    catherinefromdelta catherinefromdelta Apr 28, 2015 11:43 AM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 11:43 AM in response to thomas_r.

    EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)

    Report generated 4/28/15, 11:40 AM

    Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

     

    Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

    Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

     

    Hardware Information: ℹ️

        MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012) (Technical Specifications)

        MacBook Air - model: MacBookAir5,2

        1 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core

        4 GB RAM Not upgradeable

            BANK 0/DIMM0

                2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

            BANK 1/DIMM0

                2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

        Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

        Wireless:  en0: 802.11 a/b/g/n

        Battery: Health = Check Battery - Cycle count = 555 - SN = D862355089ZDKRNAF

     

    Video Information: ℹ️

        Intel HD Graphics 4000

            Color LCD 1440 x 900

     

    System Software: ℹ️

        OS X 10.10.2 (14C109) - Time since boot: one day 23:26:31

     

    Disk Information: ℹ️

        APPLE SSD TS128E disk0 : (121.33 GB)

            EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

            Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>  [Recovery]: 650 MB

            Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 120.12 GB (57.79 GB free)

                Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

                Core Storage: disk0s2 120.47 GB Online

     

    USB Information: ℹ️

        Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

        Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

        Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

        Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

            Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

     

    Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

        Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

     

    Gatekeeper: ℹ️

        Mac App Store and identified developers

     

    Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

            /Library/Application Support/Avast/components/fileshield/unsigned

        [loaded]    com.avast.AvastFileShield (2.1.0 - SDK 10.10) [Click for support]

     

            /Library/Application Support/Avast/components/proxy/unsigned

        [loaded]    com.avast.PacketForwarder (2.0 - SDK 10.10) [Click for support]

     

    Launch Agents: ℹ️

        [running]    com.avast.update-agent.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.avast.userinit.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]

        [running]    com.trusteer.rapport.rapportd.plist [Click for support]

     

    Launch Daemons: ℹ️

        [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.avast.init.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.avast.uninstall.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.avast.update.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.skype.skypeinstaller.plist [Click for support]

        [running]    com.trusteer.rooks.rooksd.plist [Click for support]

        [running]    com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plugin.AntiTheft.daemon.plist [Click for support]

     

    User Launch Agents: ℹ️

        [loaded]    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.avast.home.userinit.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.citrixonline.GoToMeeting.G2MUpdate.plist [Click for support]

        [loaded]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

        [failed]    com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper.plist [Click for support]

     

    User Login Items: ℹ️

        iTunesHelper    Application  (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

     

    Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

        FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

        QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

        AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.10 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

        AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.10 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

        Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

        Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

        SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.9 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

        Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

        JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 31 Check version

     

    User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

        CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.105 [Click for support]

     

    3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

        Flash Player  [Click for support]

        Java  [Click for support]

        Trusteer Endpoint Protection  [Click for support]

     

    Time Machine: ℹ️

        Auto backup: YES

        Volumes being backed up:

            Macintosh HD: Disk size: 120.12 GB Disk used: 62.33 GB

        Destinations:

            Seagate Backup Plus Drive [Local]

            Total size: 499.76 GB

            Total number of backups: 18

            Oldest backup: 2014-10-25 16:31:11 +0000

            Last backup: 2015-04-23 22:54:44 +0000

            Size of backup disk: Excellent

                Backup size 499.76 GB > (Disk size 120.12 GB X 3)

     

    Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

             6%    WindowServer

             2%    fontd

             1%    mdworker(11)

             0%    com.avast.daemon

             0%    notifyd

     

    Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

        553 MB    com.apple.WebKit.WebContent(5)

        539 MB    kernel_task

        164 MB    Safari

        49 MB    mdworker(11)

        41 MB    com.avast.daemon

     

    Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

        76 MB    Free RAM

        3.92 GB    Used RAM

        57 MB    Swap Used

     

    Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

        Apr 26, 2015, 12:13:24 PM    Self test - passed

        Apr 25, 2015, 08:59:50 PM    /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.avast.daemon_2015-04-25-205950_[redacted].c pu_resource.diag [Click for details]

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 28, 2015 1:04 PM in response to catherinefromdelta
    Level 9 (50,282 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2015 1:04 PM in response to catherinefromdelta

    Uninstall the following items

     

    MacKeeper

    Avast

    Trusteer

     

    None of them have any use and all of them can and will cause your Mac to run incorrectly.

     

    They also do not protect you from anything (especially themselves)

  • by catherinefromdelta,

    catherinefromdelta catherinefromdelta Apr 28, 2015 2:44 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 28, 2015 2:44 PM in response to Csound1

    Will do. Thank you.

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