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All replies
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Helpful answers
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Aug 24, 2015 3:05 AM in response to vid29by Lexiepex,Quit Safari. Then start it while holding the Shift key, then in the Safari menu "Clear History and Website Data".
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Aug 24, 2015 3:34 AM in response to Lexiepexby vid29,Hey thanks. I quit and restarted safari while holding the Shift key. Then cleared history & website data. It worked only that once!! the second time i did the same (quit & restart while holding Shift key), it didn't work....problem still persists...is there a way to remove malware/adware that may be causing this???
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Aug 24, 2015 3:56 AM in response to vid29by Lexiepex,Yes, you can download AdwareMedic (now called Anti-Malware) here:
https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/mac/
This will remove infections.
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Aug 24, 2015 11:38 AM in response to vid29by Linc Davis,You may have installed ad-injection malware ("adware").
Don't use any kind of "anti-virus" or "anti-malware" product on a Mac. There is never a need for it, and relying on it for protection makes you more vulnerable to attack, not less.
Some of the most common types of adware can be removed by following Apple's instructions. If those instructions don't work for you, or if you have trouble following them, see below.
This easy procedure will detect any kind of adware that I know of. Deactivating it is a separate, and even easier, procedure that doesn't involve downloading anything.
Some legitimate software is ad-supported and may display ads in its own windows or in a web browser while it's running. That's not malware and it may not show up. Also, some websites carry intrusive popup ads that may be mistaken for adware.
If none of your web browsers is working well enough to carry out these instructions, restart the computer in safe mode. That will disable the malware temporarily.
Step 1
Please triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
~/Library/LaunchAgents
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. Press return. Either a folder named "LaunchAgents" will open, or you'll get a notice that the folder can't be found. If the folder isn't found, go to the next step.
If the folder does open, press the key combination command-2 to select list view, if it's not already selected. Please don't skip this step.
There should be a column in the Finder window headed Date Modified. Click that heading twice to sort the contents by date with the newest at the top. If necessary, enlarge the window so that all of the contents are showing.
Follow the instructions in this support article under the heading "Take a screenshot of a window." An image file with a name beginning in "Screen Shot" should be saved to the Desktop. Open the screenshot and make sure it's readable. If not, capture a smaller part of the screen showing only what needs to be shown.
Start a reply to this message. Drag the image file into the editing window to upload it. You can also include text in the reply.
Leave the folder open for now.
Step 2
Do as in Step 1 with this line:
/Library/LaunchAgents
The folder that may open will have the same name, but is not the same, as the one in Step 1. As in that step, the folder may not exist.
Step 3
Repeat with this line:
/Library/LaunchDaemons
This time the folder will be named "LaunchDaemons."
Step 4
Open the Safari preferences window and select the Extensions tab. If any extensions are listed, post a screenshot. If there are no extensions, or if you can't launch Safari, skip this step.
Step 5
If you use the Firefox or Chrome browser, open its extension list and do as in Step 4.
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Aug 25, 2015 3:46 AM in response to Lexiepexby vid29,Thanks, I did that...seems to be working...hope the problem doesn't recur.
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Aug 26, 2015 7:48 AM in response to danielhatchby Linc Davis,A
Back up all data before making any changes.
In the folder arranged as shown in the first screenshot, please delete these items:
#1 through #3 ("InstallMac")
In the second folder:
#2 and #3 ("VSearch")
You may be prompted for your password.
In the third folder:
#1 ("VSearch")
Restart the computer.
Uninstall any Safari extensions that you don't know you need. If in doubt, remove all of them. None is needed for normal operation.
Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those.
Reset the Safari home page, if it was changed. You may need to do the same in the other browsers.
From the Applications folder (not shown in the screenshots), delete items with any of the following names:
InKeepr
InstallMac
Leperdvil
MPlayerX
Open your home folder by clicking the house icon with your name in the sidebar of a Finder window. If there is a subfolder named "Applications" (different from the main Applications folder), remove anything in it that you did not put there yourself. Never, in my experience, does a legitimate software installer put anything in that folder automatically.
These steps will permanently inactivate the malware, as long as you never reinstall it. A few small files may remain in hidden folders, but they have no effect.
The instructions above apply only to you. I'm including more general—and complete—removal instructions below for the benefit of others who may find this discussion. You can skip the remaining steps, but you should read them.
B (optional)
You have installed one or more variants of the "VSearch" ad-injection malware. Follow Apple Support's instructions to remove it.
If you have trouble following those instructions, see below.
Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. This procedure works as of now, as far as I know. It may not work in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for a more recent discussion, or start a new one.
The VSearch malware tries to hide itself by varying the names of the files it installs. To remove it, you must first identify the naming pattern.
Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
/Library/LaunchDaemons
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.
A folder named "LaunchDaemons" may open. Look inside it for two files with names of the form
com.something.daemon.plist
and
com.something.helper.plist
Here something is a variable string of characters, which can be different in each VSearch infection. So far it has always been an alphanumeric string without punctuation, such as "cloud," "dot," "highway," "submarine," or "trusteddownloads." Sometimes it's a meaningless string such as "e8dec5ae7fc75c28" rather than a word. Sometimes the string is "apple," and then you must be especially careful not to delete the wrong files, because many built-in OS X files have similar names.
You could have more than one copy of the malware, with different values of something.
If you find these files, leave the LaunchDaemons folder open, and open the following folder in the same way:
/Library/LaunchAgents
In this folder, there may be a file named
com.something.agent.plist
where the string something is the same as before.
If you feel confident that you've identified the above files, back up all data, then drag just those three files—nothing else—to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password. Close the Finder windows and restart the computer.
Don't delete the "LaunchAgents" or "LaunchDaemons" folder or anything else inside either one.
The malware is now permanently inactivated, as long as you never reinstall it. You can stop here if you like, or you can remove two remaining components for the sake of completeness.
Open this folder:
/Library/Application Support
If it has a subfolder named just
something
where something is the same string you saw before, drag that subfolder to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Application Support" folder or anything else inside it.
Finally, in this folder:
/System/Library/Frameworks
there may be an item named exactly
v.framework
or else an item named
something.framework
Again, something is the same string as before.
This item is actually a folder, though it has a different icon than usual. Drag it to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Frameworks" folder or anything else inside it.
If you didn't find the files or you're not sure about the identification, post what you found.
If in doubt, or if you have no backups, change nothing at all.
The trouble may have started when you downloaded and ran an application called "MPlayerX." That's the name of a legitimate free movie player, but the name is also used fraudulently to distribute VSearch. If there is an item with that name in the Applications folder, delete it. I don't recommend that you install the genuine "MPlayerX," because it's hosted on the rogue "SourceForge" website and is bundled with other malware.
This trojan is often found on illegal websites that traffic in pirated content such as movies. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.
In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.
Then, still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked
Install system data files and security updates (OS X 10.10 or later)
or
Download updates automatically (OS X 10.9 or earlier)
if it's not already checked.
C (optional)
You also installed one or more variants of the "InstallMac" trojan. Take the steps below to disable it.
The criminal behind this attack tries to make the malware hard to remove by varying the names of the files it installs. This procedure works as of now, as far as I know. It may not work in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for a more recent discussion, or start a new one.
Back up all data before continuing.
1. Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
~/Library/LaunchAgents
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return. A folder named "LaunchAgents" will open.
2. Inside the folder you just opened, there may files with a name of the form
something.download.plist
something.ltvbit.plist
something.update.plist
where something is usually a meaningless string, such as any of the following:
InKeepr
InstallMac
Javeview
Leperdvil
Manroling
Otwexplain
These are examples, not a complete list. The string could be anything. The point is that the same string will appear in the name of three files.
You could have more than one copy of the malware, with different values of something.
Move all such items to the Trash. There may not be any other files in the LaunchAgents folder; in that case, you can delete the folder, but otherwise don't delete it. Other files in the folder are not necessarily malicious (though they could be, if you also installed some other kind of malware.)
Log out or restart the computer. The trojan will now be inactive, but there are a few more components of it that should be cleaned up.
3. Open this folder in the same way as above:
~/Library/Application Support
and move to the Trash any subfolders named with the same something you found in Step 2.
Don't move the Application Support folder or anything else inside it.
4. Open the Applications folder. If there is an item with the same name as in Step 3, or any of the other names listed in Step 2, drag it to the Trash.
If in doubt, press the key combination option-command-4 to arrange the apps by date added. Look at the apps that have been added since you first noticed the problem. If there is one you don't recognize, drag it to the Trash.
Empty the Trash.
If you get an alert that the application is in use, force it to quit.
5. From the Safari menu bar, select
Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Extensions
Uninstall all extensions you don't know you need. If in doubt, remove all of them. None is required for normal operation. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those.
6. Reset the home page in each of your browsers, if it was changed. In Safari, first load the home page you want, then select
Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ General
and click
Set to Current Page
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Aug 26, 2015 12:45 PM in response to Linc Davisby WZZZ,★HelpfulLinc Davis wrote: Don't use any kind of "anti-virus" or "anti-malware" product on a Mac. There is never a need for it, and relying on it for protection makes you more vulnerable to attack, not less.
Since this piece of advice is appearing in the context of the suggestion to use Malwarebytes for Mac (Adware Medic), it is incumbent on you to demonstrate, with serious evidence, aka, "facts," how using that program specifically can leave you more vulnerable to attack, not less. I am certain that doing so will prove to be constructive and helpful to the OP, or anyone else happening upon this thread, who must now feel put off using said program because of what you have written.
And since you are making this claim, I must also ask if you have ever tested this program on your own system? You do know that the ToU for this site require such.
5. Test your answer. When possible, make sure your Submission works on your own computer before you post it.
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Aug 26, 2015 1:15 PM in response to WZZZby Lexiepex,Good remark WZZZ, it helps the OP decide not to follow the advice of a stranger on the web that says not to use something without any proof, which is the same as a stranger on the web who tells the OP to use a certain script/app. The Thomas Reed thing is good and proven to be helpful without humbug, and when it would be bad it would be banned by the moderators.
His scripts do the same, but are older and not up to date.
This post will probably be removed, but the participants in this thread will receive it.
Lex
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Aug 26, 2015 2:46 PM in response to Lexiepexby WZZZ,I don't see any reason why your post would be removed. That would be a new low if it happened.
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Aug 27, 2015 7:38 AM in response to WZZZby Lexiepex,WZZZ,
your finetuned message needed:
Re: i keep getting pop ups and its preventing me from using my mac.
Lex


