OldTomBank
Level 1 (4 points)
Safari

Q: Does my Mac have a virus or is this malware?

While browsing with Safari a message just popped up on my computer.  Should I take it seriously or is this malware I should beware of?  The message was:


          From "apple.com-messenging.***"

          VIRUS FOUND


          A website you visited today has infected your Mac with a virus.


          Press OK to begin the repair process.

                              ––  And there is a blue button with "OK" on it.


I force quit Safari and then reopened it, getting the same message again – because it was open when I force quit the program.  I force quit a second time and then turned off my modem.  Then when I opened Safari for the third time I got the URL, but the message couldn't come up because I was not connected to the Internet.  Without that message box the page couldn't freeze the program, so I was able to copy the URL and then delete that tab.  The URL is:

 

apple.com-messenging.***/dgkg/?city=Mechanicsburg&region=Pennsylvania&country=US &ip=71.113.173.79&isp=Verizon%20Online%20Llc&os=OS%20X&osv=OS%20X%2010.8%20Mount ain%20Lion&browser=Safari&browserversion=Safari%206&voluumdata=BASE64dmlkLi4wMDA wMDAwNi00ZWVmLTQzNTYtODAwMC0wMDAwMDAwMDAwMDBfX3ZwaWQuLmM1ODIwMDAwLTMwZjktMTFlNi0 4ZTBiLTdjY2JiNWRjZmRhNF9fY2FpZC4uM2EyNDdhMjMtZWEzYi00NTQ4LTgzYWEtNDUxN2U1NjY0NGR lX19ydC4uRF9fbGlkLi5jYzk0MDE3Yy00YTc1LTRjZDktODY5NS01ZjcyNzk5ZTdkZTFfX29pZDEuLmI 4OGM4ZDlhLWNjMzktNDg2NC05ZDI0LWI0ZWQ5NWNmOThmN19fdmFyMS4uYWxwaGEteWF3LVRScGVSV0h 5X192YXIyLi50aW1lb2ZmdW5fX3ZhcjQuLk5PTi1BRFVMVF9fdmFyNS4uRE9NQUlOX19yZC4uX19haWQ uLl9fYWIuLl9fc2lkLi4

 

So, is that legit or is <apple.com-messaging.***> a malware site?


Note:  I had been visiting a Pinterest page looking at pictures by famous artists, JMW Turner, etc. I thought I might get a larger version of a picture at the Tumbler page a picture was supposed to be from, but when I clicked on the "Visit" button, I got the above message from the listed URL.


<Links Edited by Host>

Mac mini, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), null

Posted on Jun 12, 2016 6:58 PM

by John Galt,Solvedanswer
John Galt John Galt
Level 8 (49,367 points)
Mac OS X
A:

OldTomBank wrote:

 

While browsing with Safari a message just popped up on my computer.  Should I take it seriously ...

 

No. Everything on that page is 100% fraudulent. Please read Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popups and web pages.

 

A website you visited today has infected your Mac with a virus.

 

That is literally impossible. The only threat to you or your Mac would be to act upon the information presented, including downloading and installing something as a response.

Posted on Jun 12, 2016 7:21 PM

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OldTomBank

Q: Does my Mac have a virus or is this malware?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by macjack,Helpful

    macjack macjack Jun 12, 2016 6:47 PM in response to OldTomBank
    Level 9 (55,709 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 12, 2016 6:47 PM in response to OldTomBank

    It is a scam. Force quit Safari ( command + option + esc keys). Then restart Safari holding the Shift key.

    You can report it here

  • by OldTomBank,

    OldTomBank OldTomBank Jun 12, 2016 6:53 PM in response to macjack
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Safari
    Jun 12, 2016 6:53 PM in response to macjack

    MacJack,  Thanks, I had guessed that.  Apparently whoever-it-is is now attacking Macs as well as Windows computers.  A similar ploy took out my sister-in-law's Windows machine to the point where she had to buy a new one.  Is the URL I copied something that could be used to identify the source of the attack?

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack Jun 12, 2016 7:07 PM in response to OldTomBank
    Level 9 (55,709 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 12, 2016 7:07 PM in response to OldTomBank

    No the website won't help you. Just understand that no one can know what's on your Mac, not even Apple.

     

    Also, there are no viruses that can attack Mac.OS X so there's another dead giveaway. All anti-virus programs are selling a cure for a disease that doesn't exist. And they are renowned for borking Mac systems.

     

    A Mac can pick up malware but not if you just use common sense. You really have to actively invite some malware in for it to happen. That means downloading and knowingly giving your password for it to download. Mac provides all the protection you need with SIP (System Integrity Protection).I About System Integrity Protection on your Mac - Apple Support

     

    If you do happen to download adware you can use MalwareBytes to get rid of it. Malwarebytes was developed by one of our own colleagues here in ASC. It gets rave reviews and is about the most proven anti-malware software for Mac.

     

    Safari pop-ups are different and easier to deal with. In Safari 9.1 and later just close the window. For earlier versions force quit and hold the shift key while restarting Safari.

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203987

     

    Finally, stay away from programs that purport to "clean your Mac". They can do damage to your system. Your Mac needs no cleaning in the first place. All the cleaning that is necessary is taken care routinely by OS X.

  • by John Galt,Solvedanswer

    John Galt John Galt Jun 12, 2016 7:21 PM in response to OldTomBank
    Level 8 (49,367 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 12, 2016 7:21 PM in response to OldTomBank

    OldTomBank wrote:

     

    While browsing with Safari a message just popped up on my computer.  Should I take it seriously ...

     

    No. Everything on that page is 100% fraudulent. Please read Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popups and web pages.

     

    A website you visited today has infected your Mac with a virus.

     

    That is literally impossible. The only threat to you or your Mac would be to act upon the information presented, including downloading and installing something as a response.

  • by OldTomBank,

    OldTomBank OldTomBank Jun 12, 2016 7:27 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Safari
    Jun 12, 2016 7:27 PM in response to John Galt

    John, Thanks for the confirmation and the URL.  I trust you won't mind if I pass that URL on to our local Mac Users Group with a run-down on my experience.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Jun 12, 2016 7:49 PM in response to OldTomBank
    Level 8 (49,367 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 12, 2016 7:49 PM in response to OldTomBank

    I encourage you to do so. A disturbing number of people become victimized by these common scams. They can be created on a whim from someone on the other side of the globe, equipped with nothing more than an Internet-connected computer and pocket change, and their appearance can change by the hour.

     

    If you were to click the blue "OK" button or whatever it presented, a meaningless animation would occur claiming to "scan" your Mac for "viruses" or some similarly vague problem. Naturally, it would identify something, perhaps with a specific, scary-sounding name. It would then portend doom if you do not pay somebody for some product, which would not only be a waste of money, the product claiming to "fix" your Mac would cause real problems... for which you would have to pay more money... and the product probably wouldn't work anyway. By that time the scam artist's job is complete. That's usually when people post a question here asking how to get out of the mess they created.

     

    By ignoring that message and making it go away, you bypassed all the misery that might have resulted otherwise.

  • by OldTomBank,

    OldTomBank OldTomBank Jun 13, 2016 11:14 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Safari
    Jun 13, 2016 11:14 AM in response to John Galt

    Right.  I'm 78, so I guess that puts me in the zone for being a patsy for such things, but I had a 33 year career designing computer business applications for ballroom sized mainframes back before the Woz started preaching that the Internet should be open to the public.  My first Apple II was purchased in 1979 and for a number of years I sold Apple II and Macs at Christmas time, but those days are past and I need helpful advice on things like malware, so thanks for confirming my suspicions.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Jun 13, 2016 4:16 PM in response to OldTomBank
    Level 8 (49,367 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 13, 2016 4:16 PM in response to OldTomBank

    The times may change, but scams will be around forever.

     

    Woz even called the Vatican once, and would have spoken to the Pope had he not been asleep.