colimotl
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Unwanted pop-ups in Safari

Recently I discovered that I had some corrupted plist files as pointed out by DiskWarrior. I removed them and reinstalled a fresh copy of OS X 10.9.4 via Recovery. The computer appeared to work a little faster, but I am now encountering a new problem that I’ve never experienced before. Every time I open Safari or add a new tab I get three pop-up screens which constantly change in address. See below:

 

no app 1.png

no app 2.png

no app 3.png

 

 

 

I can’t begin to know what application they are asking for.

 

Below is a printout from EtreCheck:

 

EtreCheck version: 1.9.15 (52)

Report generated September 10, 2014 at 6:42:17 PM EDT

 

Hardware Information: ?

  iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010) (Verified)

  iMac - model: iMac11,3

  1 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 CPU: 2 cores

  16 GB RAM

 

Video Information: ?

  ATI Radeon HD 5670 - VRAM: 512 MB

  iMac 2560 x 1440

 

System Software: ?

  OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 1 day 10:46:29

 

Disk Information: ?

  WDC WD10EARX-00PASB0 disk1 : (1 TB)

  S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified

  EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB

  Hard Disk (disk1s2) /Volumes/Hard Disk: 999.86 GB (875.21 GB free)

 

  Samsung SSD 840 Series disk0 : (120.03 GB)

  S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified

  EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB

  SSD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 106.91 GB (43.89 GB free)

  Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB

  eDrive (disk0s4) <not mounted>: 12.13 GB

 

USB Information: ?

  Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

  Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

  Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

  Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

  Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

 

Gatekeeper: ?

  Mac App Store and identified developers

 

Kernel Extensions: ?

  [not loaded] com.dymo.usbprinterclassdriver.kext (1.1 - SDK 10.5) Support

 

Launch Daemons: ?

  [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support

  [not loaded] com.bombich.ccc.plist Support

  [not loaded] com.dymo.pnpd.plist Support

  [running] com.micromat.TechToolProDaemon.plist Support

 

Launch Agents: ?

  [running] com.micromat.TechToolProAgent.plist Support

 

User Launch Agents: ?

  [not loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist Support

  [not loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support

 

User Login Items: ?

  iTunesHelper

  SpeechSynthesisServer

  Mail

  xScan

  AdobeResourceSynchronizer

  InVisible

  Safari

 

Internet Plug-ins: ?

  FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 15.0.0.152 - SDK 10.6 Support

  Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9

  AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support

  AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support

  DYMO NPAPI Addin: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.6 Support

  Flash Player: Version: 15.0.0.152 - SDK 10.6 Support

  QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

  DYMO Safari Addin: Version: (null) - SDK 10.5 Support

 

Safari Extensions: ?

  iTube Studio (Disabled)

  AdBlock (Disabled)

  Awesome Screenshot (Disabled)

  MapTricks (Disabled)

  VideoCatcher

 

Audio Plug-ins: ?

  BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9

  AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9

  AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9

  iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9

 

iTunes Plug-ins: ?

  Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9

 

3rd Party Preference Panes: ?

  Flash Player  Support

  TechTool Protection  Support

 

Time Machine: ?

  Time Machine not configured!

 

Top Processes by CPU: ?

      2% WindowServer

      1% fontd

      1% xScan

      0% hidd

      0% SystemUIServer

 

Top Processes by Memory: ?

  197 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

  164 MB softwareupdated

  164 MB com.apple.IconServicesAgent

  164 MB Mail

  147 MB mds_stores

 

Virtual Memory Information: ?

  11.78 GB Free RAM

  2.71 GB Active RAM

  297 MB Inactive RAM

  1.22 GB Wired RAM

  822 MB Page-ins

  0 B Page-outs

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Sep 10, 2014 4:11 PM

by Kappy,Solvedanswer
Kappy Kappy
Level 10 (271,850 points)
Desktops
A:

Helpful Links Regarding Malware Problems

 

If you are having an immediate problem with ads popping up see The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Guide and The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Tool.

 

Open Safari, select Preferences from the Safari menu. Click on Extensions icon in the toolbar. Disable all Extensions. If this stops your problem, then re-enable them one by one until the problem returns. Now remove that extension as it is causing the problem.

 

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

  OS X Mavericks- Protect your Mac from malware

  About file quarantine in OS X

 

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 everything targeting the Mac.

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.

Posted on Sep 10, 2014 4:16 PM

Close
colimotl

Q: Unwanted pop-ups in Safari

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Niel,Helpful

    Niel Niel Sep 10, 2014 4:14 PM in response to colimotl
    Level 10 (314,533 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 10, 2014 4:14 PM in response to colimotl

    Click here and run the tool.

     

    (112417)

  • by Kappy,Solvedanswer

    Kappy Kappy Sep 10, 2014 4:16 PM in response to colimotl
    Level 10 (271,850 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 10, 2014 4:16 PM in response to colimotl

    Helpful Links Regarding Malware Problems

     

    If you are having an immediate problem with ads popping up see The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Guide and The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Tool.

     

    Open Safari, select Preferences from the Safari menu. Click on Extensions icon in the toolbar. Disable all Extensions. If this stops your problem, then re-enable them one by one until the problem returns. Now remove that extension as it is causing the problem.

     

    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

      OS X Mavericks- Protect your Mac from malware

      About file quarantine in OS X

     

    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 everything targeting the Mac.

    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.

  • by colimotl,

    colimotl colimotl Sep 10, 2014 4:42 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 10, 2014 4:42 PM in response to Niel

    Niel,

     

    Thank you for your extremely prompt reply. I did as you suggested and downloaded and ran the tool. And yes, it did find one adware, but the problem did not go away even after rebooting the computer. I did discover that I do NOT have the problem in Firefox and Google Chrome. I'm going to say that the adware software was helpful.

     

    Daniel

  • by colimotl,

    colimotl colimotl Sep 10, 2014 4:51 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 10, 2014 4:51 PM in response to Kappy

    Kappy,

     

    I also thank you for your prompt reply. Your detailed instructions SOLVED MY PROBLEM!

     

    Although I do not yet know which of four extensions caused the problem, it is only a matter of turning on one at a time in order to find out.

     

    If Apple -- with their billions in the bank -- are not compensating people like you, Niel and others, they should be.

     

    Thanks again,

     

    Daniel

  • by colimotl,

    colimotl colimotl Sep 12, 2014 8:35 AM in response to colimotl
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 12, 2014 8:35 AM in response to colimotl

    I finally discovered that a Safari Extension called VideoCatcher was the culprit. Perhaps it had become corrupted. By simply disabling the extension, my problem of popups was eliminated. In addition, Safari once again was automatically launched via Login Items upon booting up or restarting the computer.

     

    Daniel