What is MacOS:PuAgent-AZ[PUP], a virus?

dlambie wrote:

What is MacOS:PuAgent-AZ[PUP].

PUP is a "potentially unwanted program"

I suspect you have installed adware/malware:

>System Preferences>Profiles. found next to Accessibility (click into it and then remove all the suspicious things from the list.) May or may not be present if no profiles found.

Adware Removal Guide—Manual removal of : http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-identification/

or

Try running this trusted utility https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac/

also Verify you are not using SOCKS proxy:

>System Preferences>Networks>Advanced>Proxy uncheck the box

Adware/malware launch daemons can set SOCKS proxies without user participation.

(SOCKS is an Internet protocol that exchanges network packets between a client and server through a proxy server.)

dlambie wrote:

So it is a virus. I ask because my anti virus software (AVAST) found this virus while I was running CleanMyMac, and deleted the CleanMyMacX app. That's fine, now I want to reinstall CleanMyMac, but an AVAST message pops up: We've blocked CleanMy MacX because it was infected with MacOS:PuAgent-AZ[PUP] How do I reinstall the CleanMY Mac app if AVAST keeps blocking it?

Could not agree more with babowa post above.

Uninstall both those programs and your problem will disappear.

We see it here 100 times over, issues caused by garbage apps like CleanMyMac. Excellent marketing for taking your money. Full stop.

Likewise third party Anti-Virus causes nothing but added issues on your macOS and competes directly with Apples® own built in security.

ref: macOS - Security - Apple  https://www.apple.com/macos/security/

Look for and use their respected uninstaller to clean out the garbage—reference the developers website if in doubt where these uninstaller are located in-app.

You do NOT want to install CleanMyMac. It is of absolutely no benefit - the only thing it is good at is to delete system files which should not be deleted, creating havoc on your hard drive. And, you might as well get rid of Avast - that is not helpful either.

The point is: Running Catalina includes some very robust protection such as "quarantining" your system and OS so it is not accessible for anyone to make any changes, so your apps can no longer get to that.

So, get rid of both of those.

How do I safely remove CleanMyMac and AVAST from my imac Desktop?

Use their respective uninstallation instructions.

A completely different problem usually benefits from a completely different question though.

I went to the CleanMyMac's website for uninstall instructions . It says I must open the app on my desktop to begin the uninstall process. (Finder alerted me that "The application-CleanMyMacX" can't be opened." Please, how do I resolve the uninstall issue now? Thank you.

I understand you need to remove a scam "cleaning" product, and you already tried some steps that did not succeed. Those efforts may have been complicated by having installed a similarly ill-conceived "anti-virus" product. Those actions are typical of the miseries that inevitably result from installing garbage that should never be installed on a Mac.

This Discussion is not related to removing "CleanMyMac". Please post a new Discussion. Doing so will result in eliciting replies appropriate to your concern.

To post a new Discussion, click the Post link at the above right of this page, and then choose Discussion from the dropdown menu.

But if you say "issues caused by garbage apps like CleanMyMac. Excellent marketing for taking your money.", then why does Apple sell it on the AppStore. Surely if it was no good, Apple would not endorse it or sell it. I bought CleanMyMac from the AppStore a few years ago and have been running it every week with no issues.

The Apple store is a store; there is no guarantee that every item is the right item for your device. Apple does not "endorse" any item sold in the store. They also do not sell it - the developer does and pays Apple a fee to be able to sell it in their store.

You are welcome!

I'm having exactly the same problem...

I have always found that the exact same problem usually benefits from the exact same remedy,

How do I safely remove CleanMyMac and AVAST from my imac Desktop?