Malware Spyware : MagicJack I Need Help

If you have a TM backup, simply revert to the OS you had before installing the malware.
If you do not have a backup prior to your installation of the malware, then you might scan your computer at
http://macscan.securemac.com/
You might also look into
http://www.freemacsoft.net/AppCleaner/

After reading the not-so-fine print about this product, I am surprised anyone gets it.

I've never heard of Magicjack before but a simple google search shows that it's a totally legit program. there appears to be one guy posting totally idiotic and unsubstantiated claims that it infected his computer with spyware and a keylogger.
see this link
http://askbobrankin.com/magicjack_good_orevil.html
in any case that guy is a PC user and unless you are running windows none of that stuff can possibly infect your mac, period.
how is was the program installed? was there an installer or was it installed by a drag and drop?

I was looking at the MagicJack EULA which purportedly states:
"You also understand and agree that use of the magicJack device and Software will include advertisements and that these advertisements are necessary for the magicJack device to work ... Our computers may analyze the phone numbers you call in order to improve the relevance of the ads..."
Not a reliable reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MagicJack
Whether or not "snooping" on the dialed numbers in order to tweak ads for the user is spyware or malware is probably an individual decision. I would consider it an invasion of privacy.

Also, any software that does not include an uninstall script or removal instructions, is, IMO, not something I would install.

nerowolfe wrote:
I was looking at the MagicJack EULA which purportedly states:
"You also understand and agree that use of the magicJack device and Software will include advertisements and that these advertisements are necessary for the magicJack device to work ... Our computers may analyze the phone numbers you call in order to improve the relevance of the ads..."
Not a reliable reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MagicJack
Whether or not "snooping" on the dialed numbers in order to tweak ads for the user is spyware or malware is probably an individual decision. I would consider it an invasion of privacy.

this is a far far cry from calling it spyware or malware or talking about keyloggers etc.

Also, any software that does not include an uninstall script or removal instructions, is, IMO, not something I would install.

yes, I generally have the same opinion and try to stay away from programs that use installers but don't provide uninstallers.

I'm still completely sure that there is nothing like spyware and/or keyloggers installed by magicjack on your computer so running something like macscan would be totally useless. what you do need to do is uninstall magicjack itself. that should be all that's necessary. the fact that they don't provide an uninstaller is quite outrageous so it would have to be a slow manual process. I'm somewhat confused about your description of the install process. was there an installer? did you have to provide an admin password?

do the following. first unplug that magicjackbox. then enter command+f in finder to bring up a search window. click on "kind", scroll and click on "other". in the resulting popup select 'system files" and change the search parameters to include them in the search. repeat and select 'file visibility" and set to search both visible and invisible files. enter MagicJack in the search field. delete anything it finds. next look in /library/startupitems, /library/launchdaemons and /library/launchagents and delete anything magicjack related. if you are not sure about a particular item there, post here. also, look in system preferences->accounts->login items. delete anything magicjack related from there too. reboot and see what happens.

It's named "File invisible" under Other, not File Visibility. It's easy to find. See my screenshot.
!http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a173/hameesh/misc/fileivisible.png!

BTW, while the product may not "qualify" using the normal definitions of malware and spyware, any software that makes itself difficult to remove has done that on purpose or out of ignorance in writing good code. That, IMO, makes it malware.
If it really does spy on your phone calls in order to force ads on you, then, again IMO, that qualifies as a type of spyware. Just a broader set of definitions, but this sounds like something I could never recommend anyone to install or use.

Message was edited by: nerowolfe

Wana1:

Thanks for your post. I have been considering trying MagicJack, myself. Now, thanks to your topic, I know better.

In terms of uninstalling you could try one of the uninstall utilities like:
AppDelete
AppZapper
CleanApp
Deinstaller
I have used the first one on the list and found it quite effective. If it does not work, or if it does, when you are finished then try the search and destroy method to see if there are any remnants.

😉 cornelius

I've experimented with AppZapper quite a bit in the past and found its performance very shoddy. I wouldn't rely on any 3rd party uninstallers exclusively which is why I didn't mention them.

you should set file visibility to "visible or invisible" as we want to find both types of files. also, it would REALLY help if you could find the installer that was used to install MagicJack. it contains the list of ALL the files that the installer touches during the installation and it would help getting rid of all the traces of magicJack.

V.K.

As I noted, I have used AppDelete and have found it very effective. It may or may not be in this situation. However, one never knows unless one tries. The reason I suggested this approach is that even if it located some, if not most or all of the associated files it would save some of the tedious manual search. The manual search would then not have to be so extensive and can be implemented to clean up any recalcitrant files. I may be all wet, but that is my two cents worth to the cause.

😉 cornelius