Sudden UI and system glitches on M3 MacBook Pro – apps crash, settings revert, strange resolution - remorte spy or malware?

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Level 1

39 points

Sudden UI and system glitches on M3 MacBook Pro – apps crash, settings revert, strange resolution - remorte spy or malware?

Hi everyone,

Lately I’ve noticed strange behavior on my MacBook Pro M3 Max (2023, macOS Sequoia 15.5). Display settings revert themselves, apps act weird (some crash), and CPU usage spikes at random times – even when idle.

Safari settings even switched back in front of my eyes. I’ve checked for malware, but Apple’s built-in security doesn’t report anything.

I ran EtreCheckPro, and the report shows heavy CPU usage by contactsd, mds, AddressBookManager, and mdworker_shared.

Some unsigned apps (including Logic Pro) and an unused kernel extension for my MPC Live II are present, but I’m unsure if they’re the cause.

Below is the full EtreCheck report. I’d really appreciate if someone could help interpret whether anything here indicates a deeper issue (malware, corruption, hardware flaw?).

EtreCheck report

Main issues listed:

Heavy CPU usage (many Apple system services)

App crashes (Logic Pro, Photos, Mail, ChatGPT, Audio MIDI Setup, Outlook)

Several unsigned apps and kernel extensions

MacBook Pro 14″

Posted on Jul 10, 2025 1:02 AM

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Answer 1

etresoft

Level 9

57,086 points

Jul 10, 2025 4:41 AM in response to ChSDude

What is going on with that formatting? I haven't seen anything like that in years.

But regardless, I don't see any major, systemic problems. I totally agree that you should turn off the firewall. There's a long story behind that, and none of it good. Just turn it off. I expect that should correct at least some, if not all, problems.

Then, restart, leave the firewall off and use the computer as normal for a few days. Generate a new EtreCheck report and confirm that you aren't seeing any more of that funky contacts/address book CPU usage. Hopefully disabling the firewall will fix that. If not, the most likely cause would be some kind of integration with 3rd party services like Google.

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

104,467 points

Jul 10, 2025 2:12 AM in response to ChSDude

Turn Off the Firewall

See several Commercial VPNs plus PACE Anti-Piracy, Inc

What is the need ?

Firewall:\

Blocked apps:\

UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.Excel\

com.apple.dt.xcode_select.tool-shim\

com.apple.sharingd\

com.apple.syslogd\

com.apple.replicatord\

com.apple.sshd-keygen-wrapper\

com.apple.wifivelocityd\

com.apple.Sharing-Settings.extension\

com.apple.AssetCacheLocatorService\

com.apple.appkit.xpc.openAndSavePanelService\

com.apple.wifi.WiFiAgent\

com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac.FileProvider\

com.apple.rapportd\

UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac\

com.apple.studentd\

com.apple.amp.mediasharingd\

UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.Word\

com.apple.remoted\

com.apple.AddressBookSourceSync\

UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.Outlook\

com.apple.smbd\

com.apple.iBooksX\

com.apple.Maps\

com.apple.ruby\

com.apple.imtransferservices.IMTransferAgent\

com.apple.MobileSMS\

QED4VVPZWA.com.logi.optionsplus.helper\

75GAHG3SZQ.org.videolan.vlc\

com.apple.WebKit.Networking\

QED4VVPZWA.com.logi.cp-dev-mgr\

com.apple.finder\

com.apple.SafariPlatformSupport.Helper\

com.apple.mail\

com.apple.privatecloudcomputed\

com.apple.avconferenced\

com.apple.cupsd\

com.apple.cmio.ContinuityCaptureAgent\

com.apple.findmy\

BBTM5HL233.com.janandre.HomeKitTimers\

com.apple.TV\

UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.to-do-mac\

com.apple.timed\

com.apple.Passwords\

com.apple.AssetCache\

com.apple.Photos\

\

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Answer 3

Owl-53

Level 10

104,467 points

Jul 10, 2025 5:05 AM in response to ChSDude

Just to add

Size: 994.66 GB

Free: 100.47 GB

Available: 338.25 GB

You may also want keep an eye on the values from above

Not that the computer is in trouble right now but worthy to be aware of Space

Then there is Purgeable Space which is controlled by the operating system.

When the system needs more empty space, it moves some purgeable space to empty space.

There’s no user action to hasten this transition. It can take days or longer.

From another contributor @etresoft regarding Free Space and Available Space 👍

Free vs available disk space huge differe… - Apple Community

Quote >> “ The "available" storage is the amount of used storage that the operating system could automatically delete if it felt that it was really necessary. The "free" storage is the amount that you can actually use for something.

There are system processes that run in the background and automatically delete some of the "available" storage and convert it to "free". If you completely run out of storage, then those system processes will try a little harder. When you "delete" files you are just hinting to the operating system that you don't need those files anymore. The operating system will eventually remove them, but on its own schedule.

Certain tools will allow you to force the issue and manually clean up some of this storage and manually delete local snapshots. But that is only temporary. " << End Quote

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