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Safari is opening many duplicate windows of a URL--out of control!

Suddenly, Safari explodes with duplicate window and/or tabs for a single URL. If I click on a tab, I get the message that tabs must be closed to go to a new page. I approve this action, the windows disappear, only to have the next page appear with another pile of duplicates.


Is this a virus? If so, is there a downloadable software solution?


Thanks for any help.


Barbara

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on May 22, 2012 10:00 AM

Reply
17 replies

May 22, 2012 11:25 AM in response to bhart758

Force Quit Safari if need be...


Disable Java in your Browser settings, not JavaScript.


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5241?viewlocale=en_US

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en-GB&answer=142064

http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/How%20to%20turn%20off%20Java%20applets


Flashback - Detect and remove the uprising Mac OS X Trojan...


http://www.mac-and-i.net/2012/04/flashback-detect-and-remove-uprising.html


In order to avoid detection, the installer will first look for the presence of some antivirus tools and other utilities that might be present on a power user's system, which according to F-Secure include the following:


/Library/Little Snitch

/Developer/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/MacOS/Xcode

/Applications/VirusBarrier X6.app

/Applications/iAntiVirus/iAntiVirus.app

/Applications/avast!.app

/Applications/ClamXav.app

/Applications/HTTPScoop.app

/Applications/Packet Peeper.app


If these tools are found, then the malware deletes itself in an attempt to prevent detection by those who have the means and capability to do so. Many malware programs use this behavior, as was seen in others such as the Tsunami malware bot.


http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57410096-263/how-to-remove-the-flashback-ma lware-from-os-x/


http://x704.net/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5844&p=70660#p70660


The most current flashback removal instructions are F-Secure's Trojan-Downloader:OSX/Flashback.K.


https://www.securelist.com/en/blog/208193454/Flashfake_Removal_Tool_and_online_c hecking_site


More bad news...


https://www.securelist.com/en/blog/208193467/SabPub_Mac_OS_X_Backdoor_Java_Explo its_Targeted_Attacks_and_Possible_APT_link


Removal for 10.5...


http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1534

May 23, 2012 11:35 AM in response to bhart758

Jumping in, hoping this helps. Since the issue is specific to your original user account, you can proceed in two ways. One is to log into your new account, make a list of the preference files (plists) located in /username/Library/Preferences/, including any in the ByHost subfolder, log back into the original account, move everything on that other account's list from the original account's Preferences folder into a newly created folder on the Desktop, log out and back in, and see if the problem goes away. If so, you can copy the ones in the Desktop folder (one at time) back into /Preferences/, restart, and see if the problem returns. If so, you've identified the corrupt/conflicting one. Continue with all of them until isolating the bad ones. That'll save you the trouble of resetting preferences.


The second way is much more detailed and I'll not burden you with the steps unless the above doesn't fix the issue.

Safari is opening many duplicate windows of a URL--out of control!

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