Suspicious Pop-Up After Opening DMG File on Mac
(Mac OS Sonoma 14.5)
Hi,
I recently downloaded a DMG file and tried to open it. Shortly after, I got a pop-up saying:
“Required application helper. Please enter password for continue.”
There was no cancel or close option, and the pop-up kept reappearing until I restarted my Mac. I didn’t enter my password, but I’m worried my system might still be compromised.
I didn’t capture a screenshot of the pop-up, but I found articles online describing similar pop ups with a slightly different wording used by macOS malware, including:
1. Cthulhu Stealer malware: https://www.cadosecurity.com/blog/from-the-depths-analyzing-the-cthulhu-stealer-malware-for-macos
2. AppleScript & Osascript prompts to steal credentials: https://www.picussecurity.com/resource/blog/sub-techniques-of-command-and-scripting-interpreter-explained-mitre-attck-t1059
Both articles show examples of deceptive prompts similar to what I experienced. I also found a similar pop-up image shared by another user in the Apple Discussions forum. I’ll attach it for reference:
Strange pop up showed up. - Apple Community
What I’ve Done So Far:
• Deleted the DMG file.
• Ran scans with Malwarebytes and Avast.
My Questions:
1. Could my Mac be infected even though I didn’t enter my password?
2. Are there additional steps I should take to ensure my system is secure?
3. How can I raise awareness to help others avoid this issue?
Thanks in advance for any advice or insights!
MacBook Pro 13″
