hvanessa

Q: How do I get rid of rootkit spyware and trojan malware?

Every time I go to open my safari browser a little grey box appears saying I am getting unauthorized access on my browsers. I believe this problem has occurred from streaming a movie.

 

The box also says this network may be infected. I then click okay and a red screen appears with a white box with writing in it saying to call a phone number immediately and that my mac has found two malicious viruses but I have read online that this isn't a virus just something attached to online streaming.

 

I don't know if I should download a program to get rid of this or to do something else. I tried to reset safari but it didn't work. Hopefully someone can help.

 

 

 

Thanks!

MacBook Pro, iOS 7.0.1

Posted on Aug 20, 2014 11:04 AM

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Q: How do I get rid of rootkit spyware and trojan malware?

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 20, 2014 11:13 AM in response to hvanessa
    Level 9 (50,493 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 20, 2014 11:13 AM in response to hvanessa

    a red screen appears with a white box with writing in it saying to call a phone number immediately and that my mac has found two malicious viruses but I have read online that this isn't a virus just something attached to online streaming.

     

    Whatever that is, it's completely bogus and should be ignored.

     

    You're mixing a lot of metaphors. Please provide a screenshot of what you're experiencing:

     


     

    Screenshots (Mac):

     

    To take a screenshot hold ⌘ Shift 4 to create a selection crosshair. Click and hold while you drag the crosshair over the area you wish to capture and then release the mouse or trackpad. You will hear a "camera shutter" sound. This will deposit a screenshot named "Screen Shot...." followed by a date and time on your Desktop.

     

     

    When you post your response, click the "camera" icon above the text field:


    ccc1d9a6bbfa2bcd11f062bbf381272e.png

     

    This will display a dialog box which enables you to choose the screenshot file (remember it's on your Desktop) and click the Insert Image button.

     

    ⌘ Shift 4 and then pressing the space bar captures the frontmost window.

     

    ⌘ Shift 3 captures the entire screen.

     

    Don't capture or upload any information you consider personal. To edit an existing screenshot, read How to edit a screenshot.

     

    Drag the screenshot to the Trash after you post your reply.




  • by sanjampet,

    sanjampet sanjampet Aug 20, 2014 11:16 AM in response to hvanessa
    Level 5 (7,881 points)
    Aug 20, 2014 11:16 AM in response to hvanessa
  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 20, 2014 11:35 AM in response to hvanessa
    Level 9 (50,493 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 20, 2014 11:35 AM in response to hvanessa

    ... I believe this problem has occurred from streaming a movie.

     

    It might not have been the movie itself, but a malicious program you installed that modified your Mac's browser settings. For an explanation or how this may have occurred, how to avoid it in the future, and for one possible solution read How to install adware.

     

    The desire to stream movies appears to be a common weakness adware creators are fond of exploiting. If you ever see an unexpected alert indicating that you need to install or upgrade your video player, just ignore it. The only exception to that rule is Adobe Flash Player. I recommend avoiding it too, because it remains a potential vector for malware intrusion. If you must use Adobe Flash Player though, always obtain it directly from Adobe, and never by clicking on a link that spontaneously appears in an unsolicited popup. Then, keep it up to date along with all your other software.

  • by hvanessa,

    hvanessa hvanessa Aug 20, 2014 11:42 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 20, 2014 11:42 AM in response to John Galt

    ?.png

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 20, 2014 11:46 AM in response to hvanessa
    Level 9 (50,493 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 20, 2014 11:46 AM in response to hvanessa

    Thanks. Rest assured the dialog box is completely fraudulent and the information in it should be ignored.

     

    If the Recovery Procedure in the How to install adware User Tip does not result in normal Safari operation, write back for additional instructions. I recommend you read the whole thing though.

  • by hvanessa,

    hvanessa hvanessa Aug 20, 2014 12:05 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 20, 2014 12:05 PM in response to John Galt

    Thank you, but unfortunately as soon as I open safari this pops up not allowing me to complete any functions on safari at all. I can quit safari but that is it.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 20, 2014 12:12 PM in response to hvanessa
    Level 9 (50,493 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 20, 2014 12:12 PM in response to hvanessa

    In that case please follow the instructions near the end:

     

    • In case you overlooked the preface of this document, this document's limitation is that adware is a constantly evolving threat, and what works today might not work tomorrow, next week, next month, or this afternoon. That's the problem with any automated means of detecting and intercepting malware of any description. In general though, you can search Apple Support Communities for recent eradication instructions, post a new question, or consult AppleCare for assistance. Just remember to contact Apple using the Contact Us link that appears on the bottom right of this page, never blindly following the results of a Google search, and never using a phone number displayed on some popup that appears. Phony "technical support" alone is one likely reason for adware's very existence. Don't compound one lapse of judgment with another.


    The User Tip addresses a popular, but very specific adware threat. I haven't personally encountered any others, so I'm reluctant to provide any particular recommendations.


    You can also try the following: hold a shift key while starting Safari again. That will force it to load only your chosen Home page.


    Then, try resetting Safari. Make it look like this


    reset safari.png

  • by hvanessa,

    hvanessa hvanessa Aug 20, 2014 12:31 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 20, 2014 12:31 PM in response to John Galt

    Okay I opened safari again and that red screen with the white box was gone and everything seemed back to normal I still reset my safari settings. Thank you for all the information. I know I didn't complete all the downloading for that specific adware but now I am much more aware about the topic.

     

    Thanks again

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 20, 2014 12:39 PM in response to hvanessa
    Level 9 (50,493 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 20, 2014 12:39 PM in response to hvanessa

    You're welcome - strictly speaking it might not even have been adware, just a scam webpage that refused to go away. That's common also.