Reviewed the three launch agent and launch daemon folders (MacBook Pro Big Sur) and noted that 1) the plist file com.Cross2.plist is the most recent LaunchAgent plist file and is time correlated with my Search Marquis issue and 2) it keeps returning to the launch agent folder after putting in the trash.
Is com.Cross2 malware?
MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.7
If you intended to include screenshots they are not appearing for me.
Please read Removing "Search Marquis" / "Search Baron" / etc on your own - Apple Community, and post the three screenshots it describes in a reply to this Discussion.
If you intended to include screenshots they are not appearing for me.
Please read Removing "Search Marquis" / "Search Baron" / etc on your own - Apple Community, and post the three screenshots it describes in a reply to this Discussion.
BTW am not sure if it is possible but would be helpful if there were a maintained list of all suspect plist files ...
That's a great idea but it's impracticable. Certain variants recycle the dozen or so examples listed in that User Tip, or they attempt to leverage legitimate file names but with creative misspellings. Others use randomly chosen dictionary words, or just a bunch of randomly generated alphanumeric characters. Some generate literally hundreds of such files in a desperate, pathetic attempt to overwhelm the client.
If there is any key "takeaway" it's that Mac users should have at least a passing familiarity with the contents of those three folders. That should not be a difficult task since they normally contain very few files, if they contain any at all.
And it just goes without saying, "think before you click". Nothing gets installed on a Mac without your consent. Adware gets installed by leveraging the desire to get something for nothing. Click here, it's free! That's how it works.
Nothing is free. This site is "free" only because you already paid for it by purchasing a Mac.
FYI for anyone reading this - figured out how to trash the noted Cross 2 plist file (it continued to reappear in the launch agent folder after moving it to trash until I trashed two other strange (to me) plist files) and the search marquis issue has apparently been resolved - will see how long it lasts...cheers.
Didn't include the screenshots but did use the excellent information from the cited post as it was the best info I could find - as the Marquis issue was only resident in one of my older MacBooks I am content with the outcome. BTW am not sure if it is possible but would be helpful if there were a maintained list of all suspect plist files for those of us who are not experts in the detailed inner workings of Mac OSystems, the myriad of high and low level OS execution codes/file locations/malware development strategies and processes/etc.
Search Marquis Removal Issue
