goatie666

Q: Urgent: What to do about suspicious dialogue box

My desktop has just started having a box pop up with the words:

 

"An application requires your immediate attention. To access it an take appropriate action click etc..."

 

I did not click and simply closed it. Shd I take further action?

Posted on Jun 7, 2014 7:54 AM

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Q: Urgent: What to do about suspicious dialogue box

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  • by Klaus1,

    Klaus1 Klaus1 Jun 7, 2014 10:15 AM in response to goatie666
    Level 8 (48,821 points)
    Jun 7, 2014 10:15 AM in response to goatie666

    On what Mac running what version of OS X?

     

    Any hint as to what application?

  • by goatie666,

    goatie666 goatie666 Jun 8, 2014 8:11 AM in response to Klaus1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 8, 2014 8:11 AM in response to Klaus1

    Os 10.9.3

    No hint as to what application it is pointing to.

    d

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Jun 8, 2014 8:53 AM in response to goatie666
    Level 7 (30,889 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 8, 2014 8:53 AM in response to goatie666

    Can you provide a screenshot of this pop-up? Please include the entire screen so we can see the full context.

     

    Make a screenshot by following the directions here:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5775

     

    Be sure no sensitive personal information is displayed. To add that image to a post here, click the camera icon in the post editor toolbar.

  • by CT,

    CT CT Jun 8, 2014 9:03 AM in response to goatie666
    Level 6 (17,882 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 8, 2014 9:03 AM in response to goatie666

    Were you web browsing at the time?

     

    It sounds like a lame attempt by something on a website to trick you into downloading/buying something you don't want or need.

  • by goatie666,

    goatie666 goatie666 Jun 8, 2014 3:10 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 8, 2014 3:10 PM in response to thomas_r.

    Afraid I didnt take the screen shot.

    But it was a simple dialogue box  -not in normal Mac font and it said pretty much what I described:

    "An application requires your immediate attention. To access it and to take appropriate action click below."

    It then had the click button.

    Nothing else. Was in the centre of the screen.

  • by goatie666,

    goatie666 goatie666 Jun 8, 2014 3:12 PM in response to CT
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 8, 2014 3:12 PM in response to CT

    I had been browsing and then saw it there after I had closed the browser.

    Interestingly it also appeared on my laptop which I had used to browse same/similar websites that day. all legit sites.

  • by kddevos,

    kddevos kddevos Jul 16, 2014 2:54 PM in response to thomas_r.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 16, 2014 2:54 PM in response to thomas_r.

    Screen Shot 2014-07-16 at 4.49.28 PM.pngThis is what the alert looks like. I search for reasons as to why this popped up and found this discussion. Hope someone is able to help. Thank you! 

  • by Tommy197944,

    Tommy197944 Tommy197944 Jul 16, 2014 2:56 PM in response to goatie666
    Level 2 (185 points)
    Jul 16, 2014 2:56 PM in response to goatie666

    Do you have any 3rd party applications installed? Also, do you have a web browser open when you see this message?

  • by kddevos,

    kddevos kddevos Jul 16, 2014 3:15 PM in response to Tommy197944
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 16, 2014 3:15 PM in response to Tommy197944

    3rd party applications? and I had a web browser open when the message appeared…. I am applying for jobs so I thought it may be a "application" job related I still haven't clicked the Access the application button picture in the attached picture above and the Alert is still on my laptop….. should I exit out of it?

  • by Tommy197944,

    Tommy197944 Tommy197944 Jul 16, 2014 3:37 PM in response to kddevos
    Level 2 (185 points)
    Jul 16, 2014 3:37 PM in response to kddevos

    Yes, definitely exit out of it. 3rd party applications are non-apple made applications.

     

    Also, do you have more than one web browser installed? If so, does it happen in other web browsers?

  • by thomas_r.,

    thomas_r. thomas_r. Jul 16, 2014 3:48 PM in response to kddevos
    Level 7 (30,889 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 16, 2014 3:48 PM in response to kddevos

    That is not a legitimate alert displayed by Mac OS X. It looks to me like a web page made to look like an alert window, probably displayed via a JavaScript in a pop-up window at a custom size. It's hard to say for sure without more context (such as a look at the rest of the screen, especially the menu bar, when that window is displayed).

     

    If the window is displayed in your web browser, as it sounds like it is, and it hides if you hide your web browser (Safari -> Hide Safari, if you're using Safari, otherwise replace "Safari" with the appropriate menus for your browser), then you just need to close the window and ignore it. Do not open anything that is downloaded as a result of this. If the window keeps popping up, you're probably on a site that is malicious or has been hacked, and should stop visiting whatever site you were on at the time the  window appeared. If it appears on all sites, there's a bigger issue.

  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Jul 16, 2014 3:49 PM in response to kddevos
    Level 5 (7,490 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 16, 2014 3:49 PM in response to kddevos

    That does not look like a normal dialog to my eyes. It looks more like a browser or application window with no toolbars (dialogs generally don't have full screen icons in the corner).

     

    If the dialog is still open…

    Look at your Dock, see what Applications are running (they should have a little light under them) quit them one by one. See if the 'dialog' disappears. Note which app made the dialog go away. If it remains with all apps quit let us know.

     

    A browser may re-open the last closed windows making this 'dialog' reappear - let us know the app it should be simple to reset the restore windows if we can figure out which app is involved.

  • by mattjray,

    mattjray mattjray Oct 16, 2014 7:06 PM in response to Tommy197944
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 16, 2014 7:06 PM in response to Tommy197944

    I had the same box pop up, and I was also doing a job search!   I right clicked and chose "Show Page Source" which revealed it was from taleo.com which is a job site used by the global bank I was looking at earlier.

  • by Peter Mueller1,

    Peter Mueller1 Peter Mueller1 Aug 11, 2016 9:39 PM in response to goatie666
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 11, 2016 9:39 PM in response to goatie666

    Taleo.com is a job-application website.  Usually you are scarcely aware Taleo exists because, for instance, you'll interact with Apple.Taleo.Com  Taleo seem to have some astoundingly astounding programmers. Thus:

    If you leave the Taleo window open and go do something else, it times out and logs you out (which is quite reasonable).

    The astounding programmers decided to alert you of the fact that your session timed out with the aforementioned message.

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