Q: Virus

You do not have virus.

Your Mac is probably infected with adware.

Try download and installing from https://www.malwarebytes.org/mac-download/

You may have installed ad-injection malware ("adware").

This easy procedure will detect any kind of adware that I know of. Deactivating it is a separate, and even easier, procedure that doesn't involve downloading anything.

Some legitimate software is ad-supported and may display ads in its own windows or in a web browser while it's running. That's not malware and it may not show up.

Step 1

Please 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/LaunchAgents

In the Finder, select

          Go ▹ Go to Folder...

from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. Press return. Either a folder named "LaunchAgents" will open, or you'll get a notice that the folder can't be found. If the folder isn't found, go to the next step.

If the folder does open, press the key combination command-2 to select list view, if it's not already selected. There should be a column in the Finder window headed Date Modified. Click that heading twice to sort the contents by date with the newest at the top. If necessary, enlarge the window so that all of the contents are showing.

Follow the instructions in this support article under the heading "Take a screenshot of a window." An image file with a name beginning in "Screen Shot" should be saved to the Desktop. Open the screenshot and make sure it's readable. If not, capture a smaller part of the screen showing only what needs to be shown.

Start a reply to this message. Drag the image file into the editing window to upload it. You can also include text in the reply.

Leave the folder open for now.

Step 2

Do as in Step 1 with this line:

/Library/LaunchAgents

The folder that may open will have the same name, but is not the same, as the one in Step 1. As in that step, the folder may not exist.

Step 3

Repeat with this line:

/Library/LaunchDaemons

This time the folder will be named "LaunchDaemons."

Step 4

Open the Safari preferences window and select the Extensions tab. If any extensions are listed, post a screenshot. If there are no extensions, or if you can't launch Safari, skip this step.

Step 5

If you use the Firefox or Chrome browser, open its extension list and do as in Step 4.

It's not a virus. Read Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popups and web pages.

Don't use any kind of "anti-virus" or "anti-malware" product on a Mac. There is never a need for it, and relying on it for protection makes you more vulnerable to attack, not less.

Your system is loaded with several different kinds of malware. If you torrent software, you'll be among the first to be infected with every new kind of malware that comes along, and the consequences will eventually be a lot worse than mere ad injection.

A

Back up all data before making any changes.

In the folder arranged as shown in the first screenshot, please delete these items:

          #1 through #4 ("InstallMac") and #6 ("Spigot")

In the second folder:

          #2 and #3 ("VSearch")

You may be prompted for your password.

In the third folder:

          #2 through #5 ("VSearch")

Restart the computer.

Reset the Safari home page, if it was changed. You may need to do the same in other browsers.

From the Applications folder (not shown in the screenshots), delete items with any of the following names:

          InstallMac

          Otwexplain

          Manroling

These steps will permanently inactivate the malware, as long as you never reinstall it. A few small files may remain in hidden folders, but they have no effect.

The instructions above apply only to you. I'm including more general—and complete—removal instructions below for the benefit of others who may find this discussion. You can skip the remaining steps, but you should read them.

B

You 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 VSearch infection. So far it has always been an alphanumeric string 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 be an item named exactly

            v.framework

or else an item named

            something.framework

Again, something is the same string as before.

This item is actually a folder, though it has a different icon than usual. 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. I don't recommend that you install the genuine "MPlayerX," because it's hosted on the rogue "SourceForge" website and is bundled with other malware.

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.

C

You installed one or more variants of the "InstallMac" trojan. Take the steps below to disable it.

The criminal behind this attack tries to make the malware hard to remove by varying the names of the files it installs. 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.

Back up all data before continuing.

1. 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/LaunchAgents

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 "LaunchAgents" will open.

2. Inside the folder you just opened, there may files with a name of the form

          something.download.plist

          something.ltvbit.plist

          something.update.plist

where something is usually a meaningless string, such as any of the following:

          InKeepr

          InstallMac

          Javeview

          Leperdvil

          Listchack

          Otwexplain

          Texiday

These are examples, not a complete list. The string could be anything. The point is that the same string will appear in the name of three files.

You could have more than one copy of the malware, with different values of something.

Move all such items to the Trash. There may not be any other files in the LaunchAgents folder; in that case, you can delete the folder, but otherwise don't delete it. Other files in the folder are not necessarily malicious (though they could be, if you also installed some other kind of malware.)

Log out or restart the computer. The trojan will now be inactive, but there are a few more components of it that should be cleaned up.

3. Open this folder in the same way as above:

~/Library/Application Support

and move to the Trash any subfolders named with the same something you found in Step 2.

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

4. Open the Applications folder. If there is an item with the same name as in Step 3, or any of the other names listed in Step 2, drag it to the Trash.

If in doubt, press the key combination option-command-4 to arrange the apps by date added. Look at the apps that have been added since you first noticed the problem. If there is one you don't recognize, drag it to the Trash.

Empty the Trash.

If you get an alert that the application is in use, force it to quit.

5. From the Safari menu bar, select

          Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Extensions

Uninstall all extensions you don't know you need. If in doubt, remove all of them. None is required for normal operation. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those.

6. Reset the home page in each of your browsers, if it was changed. In Safari, first load the home page you want, then select

          Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ General

and click

          Set to Current Page

D

You installed the "Spigot" ad-injection malware. Take the steps below to disable it.

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.

Back up all data before continuing.

1. 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/LaunchAgents

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 "LaunchAgents" will open.

2. Inside the folder you just opened, there may be one or more files with a name beginning as follows:

           com.spigot

Move all such items to the Trash.

Log out or restart the computer. The trojan will now be inactive, but there are a few more components of it that should be cleaned up.

3. Do as in Step 1 with this line:

~/Library/Application Support

and remove an item named

            Spigot

If it's present.

Empty the Trash.

4. From the Safari menu bar, select

          Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Extensions

Uninstall all extensions you don't know you need, including any with the word "Spigot" in the description. If in doubt, remove all of them. None is required for normal operation. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those.

Make sure you don't repeat the mistake that led you to install the malware. Chances are you got it from an Internet cesspit such as "Softonic," "CNET Download," or "SourceForge." Never visit any of those sites again. You might also have downloaded it from an ad in a page on some other site. The ad would probably have included a large green button labeled "Download" or "Download Now" in white letters. The button is designed to confuse people who intend to download something else on the same page. If you ever download a file that isn't obviously what you expected, delete it immediately.

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.

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.

go to Safari>Clear History

go to Safari>Preferences

click advanced

select show develop bar in the menu

select empty caches in the "Develop" menu

quit out of Safari then re-open Safari while holding down the SHIFT key

in your launch agents none of them are necessary, you can move them to the desktop.

Citrix will run without that file and the other 4 I have no idea where they came from

if you keep the shortcuts in an folder elsewhere you can put them back in the event you must try them again.

The google plugins are a matter of speculation depending on who you talk to. The feeling of some of us here is Google has been making a problematic suite of tools that cause problems, others disagree and thats fine. My advice, remove them and test, if no difference simply put them back.