File named "photosupgrade.aapbz" on my MacBook Pro, Now sure with what it is?

epsilon-11 wrote:

its completely encrypted, and it is in my log files. seems malicious, and i put it in my AV quarintine

There are no known Windows-like Viruses in the wild that self replicate and affect macOS, because of the underling UNIX  Foundation and Permission Limitation. 

The Operating System resides in a Sealed and Read Only Volume that cannot be opened by the User nor by Third Party Applications.

The only Entity that can open and modify or alter this Volume is Apple.

Any of the below should be removed as per Developers Instructions 

Third Party Security Software 

Avast AntiVirus

FTC Order Will Ban Avast from Selling Browsing Data for Advertising Purposes, Require It to Pay $16.5 Million Over Charges the Firm Sold Browsing Data After Claiming Its Products Would Block Online Tracking 

FTC says despite its promises to protect consumers from online tracking, Avast sold consumers' browsing data to third parties

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/02/ftc-order-will-ban-avast-selling-browsing-data-advertising-purposes-require-it-pay-165-million-over

There is the right way and then there is the Ultra right way

No matter how hard your try to get ALL the Leftovers of this software

There will always elements lurking around and will cause some abnormal behaviours on this computer

The steps in #1 below is predicated on the Offending  Application has been Removed as per the Developers Specific Instruction 

# 1 Some Contributors suggest restarting in Recovery Mode and choosing to Reinstall the Operating System over the existing installation. 

This may or may not replace elements of the  Home Folder ( User Account )  and replace any corrupted or removed elements and make things right.

#2 - Then there are Other Contributors ( like myself ) would suggest  from this link Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon.

For Intel computer >> Use Disk Utility to erase an Intel-based Mac followed by How to reinstall macOS

Thereafter to start from scratch and install all Required Applications directly from the Apple Apps Store or Directly from the Developer.

If going this route - I suggest Not using Startup Assist to migrate things back as this will probably Re-Introduce the existing  issue at the time TM Backup was made 

Not a hack, I have it in Sonoma & Ventura.