Q: problems with safari

Please see:

Stop pop-up ads and adware in Safari - Apple Support

and

http://www.thesafemac.com/arg/

for information that can help.

Force Quit your browsers and open them in Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key.  Then download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac.  It will search for the adware on your computer and then get rid of it.  Open up each browser's Preferences pane and go to whichever tab lists all the extensions and uninstall any that don't look familiar or you don't remember installing.  Once this is done for all browsers you use, quit them, then open them back up normally and see if the problem was resolved.

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.

Malwarebytes is not an anti-virus program.  It's a program that looks for adware on your computer, then gets rid of it.  It is recommended by Apple Support, even the people working at the Genius Bar at Apple Stores.  It's not necessary, in the sense that your computer will not be inoperable without it, but if you don't know what adware to look for in order to remove it, manual instructions might as well be written in Latin, which is why I like the program.  It does what it says it will do and nothing more.

I am hesitant to upload any anti-virus app

So you should be, since there is no good reason ever to do it.

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.

I could ask why running an A-V or Anti-Malware will, in general, make you more vulnerable to attack, a highly dubious assertion. But that's not the issue right now. (Note, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac, despite its name, is none of those; it is designed purely to scan for and remove adware). Since this advice is appearing here in the context of suggestions to run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac, a program designed to remove adware, you need to explain exactly how this program will make you more vulnerable to adware, the specific threat being discussed in this thread.

If you are going to be making this claim, you need to provide specific supporting evidence. Otherwise, anyone reading this thread should ignore what you say and use this program, which is well known to be safe and effective for its intended purpose, the removal, not the prevention, of adware.

Furthermore, you apparently haven't tested this program on your own system to see if what you say is valid or not, a requirement of the Terms of Use before providing any advice at Apple Support Communities.