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Helpful answers
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Jul 19, 2014 2:19 PM in response to andrea from san carlosby Kappy,The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Guide
Helpful Links Regarding Malware Protection
An excellent link to read is Tom Reed's Mac Malware Guide.
Also, visit The XLab FAQs and read Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware.
See these Apple articles:
Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection
OS X Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
OS X Mountain Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using ClamXAV. (Thank you to Thomas Reed for this recommendation.)
From user Joe Bailey comes this equally useful advice:
The facts are:
1. There is no anti-malware software that can detect 100% of the malware out there.
2. There is no anti-malware that can detect anything targeting the Mac because there
is no Mac malware in the wild, and therefore, no "signatures" to detect.
3. The very best way to prevent the most attacks is for you as the user to be aware that
the most successful malware attacks rely on very sophisticated social engineering
techniques preying on human avarice, ****, and fear.
4. Internet popups saying the FBI, NSA, Microsoft, your ISP has detected malware on
your computer is intended to entice you to install their malware thinking it is a
protection against malware.
5. Some of the anti-malware products on the market are worse than the malware
from which they purport to protect you.
6. Be cautious where you go on the internet.
7. Only download anything from sites you know are safe.
8. Avoid links you receive in email, always be suspicious even if you get something
you think is from a friend, but you were not expecting.
9. If there is any question in your mind, then assume it is malware.
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Jul 19, 2014 2:40 PM in response to andrea from san carlosby MadMacs0,★HelpfulIt's not malware. Nothing was installed on your Mac. Nothing to clean up once you've stopped it. It's a JavaScript looping trick to make you think they have damaged your Mac.
Use the back button ◀︎ to get off that page.
Disable Javascript in the Safari Preferences.
Reset History and Top Sites as a precausion.
Re-enable Javascript.
If the page still comes up again, force quit Safari and hold the shift key down when you re-launch it to prevent all windows from opening.
More at FBI ransomware “virus” rampant.
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Jul 19, 2014 2:46 PM in response to Kappyby andrea from san carlos,Thanks for your suggestions but unfortunately it did not work. I have already run ClamXAV and it removed thousands of files but not this culprit. I tried the SafeMac AppleScript and it did nothing. This may or may not be adware so it's unclear how to combat it.
Advice about avoiding malware is nice but once I have an infection, the thing I need is instructions how to get rid of it!
If anyone else has a suggestion about removing the malware I will appreciate your thoughts!
Thanks
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Jul 19, 2014 2:51 PM in response to MadMacs0by andrea from san carlos,Thank you! Yes, it was a JavaScript script that was running. The text was written by an illiterate so I never thought it was legitimate but I could not regain control of my browser. It works now.
Thanks again! -
Jul 19, 2014 2:52 PM in response to andrea from san carlosby Kappy,Try MacMacs0's suggestion: FBI ransomware “virus” rampant.
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Jul 19, 2014 4:34 PM in response to MadMacs0by thomas_r.,More at FBI ransomware “virus” rampant.
Something went wrong with that link... possibly a bug in this awful forum software? Dunno.
Here's the correct link: