how to remove about blank

There are no currently extant viruses affecting OS X, although the specific virus you mentioned does affect Windows PCs.

You can download a free and excellent anti-virus utiltiy called ClamXAV from MacUpdate or CNET Downloads.

Thanks for anti virus Utility but I also have an '/about/balnk' virus on my mac which 'is trying to communicate with this internet-enabled location: s0.2mdn.net' and my Adobe Flash Player Security is picking it up.

Anyone know how to get rid of it?

Thanks

I cannot find any information on the virus as it relates to OS X, only to Windows. A search in Google brings up dozens of links on how to remove the virus from Windows, but nothing as relates to OS X. Are you having this issue when running Windows or actually in OS X?

Try using ClamXAV to see if it is able to locate the files for this virus and quarantine them.

Thanks Kappa. I couldn't find any info regarding it on the mac either. I'm running only OSX 10.6.7 no Windows on an iMac 2.8GHz Intel Core i7. Adobe Flash Player Security keeps opening the dialogue box below saying that about/blank is trying to access a website. Just wanted to know to get rid of it.

I went onto the MacUpdate link you had above and downloaded ClamXAV but a someone had mentioned that the MacDefender Virus was attached when they'd downloaded it so I haven't actually installed it for fear of getting that virus too. Thanks for taking the time to look into this.

Are you downloading from the official website?

MacDefender is a trojan, btw, not a virus. Than can be removed with help here:

Trojan War

If you discover a trojan program is running on your computer then look to the following information for assistance:

1. A recent discussion on the Apple Support Communities: MacDefender Trojan.

2. An excellent site devoted to Mac Malware: Macintosh Virus Guide

3. Another site for removing MacDefende, et.al.: MAC Defender Rogue Anti-Virus analysis and Removal

4. A new removal utility - MacDefenderKiller

5. And to protect against a recent variant, MacGuard.

Before you delete anything, we need your help. Some AV folks in our community need to analyze these files in order to protect others. Before you delete anything please consider doing the following: Upload either the original .zip file or the MacGuard application to http://www.VirusTotal.com. If either is not detected by ClamXAV, then also upload it to http://cgi.clamav.net/sendvirus.cgi. If you are uncomfortable doing this for any reason and can determine the URL of the site where you got it please send the link to macdefender@mailinator.com.

Removing strange software can be a task. The following outlines various ways of uninstalling software:

Uninstalling Software: The Basics

Most OS X applications are completely self-contained "packages" that can be uninstalled by simply dragging the application to the Trash. Applications may create preference files that are stored in the /Home/Library/Preferences/ folder. Although they do nothing once you delete the associated application, they do take up some disk space. If you want you can look for them in the above location and delete them, too.

Some applications may install an uninstaller program that can be used to remove the application. In some cases the uninstaller may be part of the application's installer, and is invoked by clicking on a Customize button that will appear during the install process.

Some applications may install components in the /Home/Library/Applications Support/ folder. You can also check there to see if the application has created a folder. You can also delete the folder that's in the Applications Support folder. Again, they don't do anything but take up disk space once the application is trashed.

Some applications may install a Startup item or a Log In item. Startup items are usually installed in the /Library/StartupItems/ folder and less often in the /Home/Library/StartupItems/ folder. Log In Items are set in the Accounts preferences. Open System Preferences, click on the Accounts icon, then click on the LogIn Items tab. Locate the item in the list for the application you want to remove and click on the Delete [-] button to delete it from the list.

Some software use startup daemons or agents that are a new feature of the OS. Look for them in /Library/LaunchAgents/ and /Library/LaunchDaemons/ or in /Home/Library/LaunchAgents/.

If an application installs any other files the best way to track them down is to do a Finder search using the application name or the developer name as the search term. Unfortunately Spotlight will not look in certain folders by default. You can modify Spotlight's behavior or use a third-party search utility, Easy Find, instead. Download Easy Find at VersionTracker or MacUpdate.

Some applications install a receipt in the /Library/Receipts/ folder. Usually with the same name as the program or the developer. The item generally has a ".pkg" extension. Be sure you also delete this item as some programs use it to determine if it's already installed.

There are many utilities that can uninstall applications. Note that you must have this software installed before you install software you may need to uninstall. Uninstallers won't work if you install them after the fact. Here is a selection:

AppZapper

Automaton

Hazel

CleanApp

Yank

SuperPop

Uninstaller

Spring Cleaning

Look for them and others at VersionTracker or MacUpdate.

For more information visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on removing software and dealing with spyware and malware.

After removing all the components of the software you may have to restart the computer to fully disable the software. This will be the case when removing software that has installed a daemon. After the daemon has been removed you need to restart the computer to stop the daemon. Alternatively, you can kill the daemon process using the Terminal application or Activity Monitor.

I have the same problem, just wanted to let you know you're not the only one. It also seems to be starting to affect other things. Thank you Kappy - for all of your suggestions.

The about blank virus is indeed affecting Mac OSX, as I have it on my computer. It actually flashes in my URL box right after I open a new window. I just talked with Apple Support this morning to advise them. They were apparently unaware of it. Will have to take my computer into Genius Bar in order to get it removed, as they did not know of a manual fix.

Has there been any update to this besides hauling everything up to the Genius Bar? This is driving me crazy.

Thanks for the pointer (pun intended) to CLAMXav. I downloaded it from CNET. It has just finished a scan of my entire home directory-tree and announced "No infected files were found".

It's interesting that I also got a warning message (about /about/blank trying to communicate with my Mac) from Adobe's Flash Player (like golbalceative, above) - but from a different URL (something-or-other-media.net).

I Strongly suspect that this is a bug in Flash Media Player.

Hi all,

I got the same warning message about about blank application trying to communicate with my Mac from Adobe Flash player. I forget the url of the server It was trying to communicate with. I am running Eset virus scan to see if it picks something up. I am surprised that something like that would get downloaded when I am running mountain lion and have Eset cybersecurity running. Any ideas if Apple is aware and doing something about this. Getting really fed up with Adobe Flash Player.

Appreciate any help hate to have to lug the Mac to Apple store.