You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

After being hacked how do I get my Mac deep cleaned

I was hacked and lost money. Through my iMac and iPhone. How do I get a deep cleaning

iPhone 12 Pro Max, iOS 15

Posted on Jun 6, 2022 4:22 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 6, 2022 8:50 AM

To "deep clean" your Mac, you'll want to wipe the drive and reinstall macOS. There's no other way. Don't attempt to use apps that claim to clean up, speed up or otherwise optimize your computer. They don't work and may be what precipitated your trouble with the Mac.


In the document below you'll find the link to the reinstall process. Start with Step 7 - Erase your Mac and reinstall macOS.

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac - Apple Support


And for the iPhone, please see > How to factory reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support



5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 6, 2022 8:50 AM in response to moira266

To "deep clean" your Mac, you'll want to wipe the drive and reinstall macOS. There's no other way. Don't attempt to use apps that claim to clean up, speed up or otherwise optimize your computer. They don't work and may be what precipitated your trouble with the Mac.


In the document below you'll find the link to the reinstall process. Start with Step 7 - Erase your Mac and reinstall macOS.

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac - Apple Support


And for the iPhone, please see > How to factory reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support



Jun 6, 2022 9:29 AM in response to moira266

The overwhelming possibility is that you got ‘hacked’ by having weak passwords that were easily guessed or which you voluntarily gave out in a phishing attack. So your very first priority should be the change of ALL of your passwords. It is highly unlikely that your Mac was broken into from the outside unless you voluntarily downloaded and installed malware. There are no known hacks or viruses that can attack your Mac without your cooperation.

Jun 6, 2022 9:35 AM in response to moira266

To see what software has been surreptitiously installed on your Mac download and run Etrecheck.  Copy and paste the results into your reply. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC and recommended by Apple Support  to provide a snapshot of the system and help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.


IMPORTANT:

Before running Etrecheck assign Full Disk Access to Etrecheck in the first window that comes up so that it can get additional information from the Console and log files for the report:



Also click the About… vurron and read the info to further permit full disk access.


Copy the report



and use the Additional Text button to include the report in your reply.



Then we can examine the report an determine what was installed that is causing the problem.


After being hacked how do I get my Mac deep cleaned

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.