Hello!
I have a question. I was surfing on the internet when suddenly a pop up appeared and started downloading MacKeeper without my approval. Since then i also got a guest user Account. What does that mean? And what do i have to do now?
MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
Do not install MacKeeper (and how to uninstall it if you have):
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6221
It contains a major security flaw, recently noted:
There is currently a class-action against MacKeeper:
(Please note that references to the original developers, Zeobit, also now refer to Kromtech Alliance Corp, who acquired MacKeeper and PCKeeper from ZeoBit LLC in early 2013.)
That's the problem with those class action suits - the attorneys get millions and the consumer may wind up with 1%......
The MacKeeper installation file is often found in most Mac users' Downloads folder, often multiple copies of it, as a consequence of loading a web page (or being redirected to one) that initiates the download immediately.
Drag the downloaded MacKeeper .dmg file or installer package to the Trash. As long as you did not install it – which requires your consent – it can have no effect.
The Guest User account is a consequence of using Find My Mac. If you don't want to use it, disable it in System Preferences > iCloud.
Or, you configured a Guest User according to OS X Yosemite: Set up users on your Mac. If you don't want it, disable it, then log out or restart your Mac.
The same thing happened to me. I had a pop-up which I couldn't get rid of by pressing Okay or Cancel, but when I clicked one or other of them I saw the file go to my Download folder. I exited Safari and went to Downloads where I can see the Mackeeper package just sitting. I have tried from there to drag it to the trash but it won't go into it, it just ends up sitting on my desktop instead. I obviously haven't installed anything by the way, but I want it gone from my Downloads folder. Any suggestions?
I eventually restarted my Macbook and was finally able to drag the Mackeepter file from my desktop into the Trash, then emptied Trash. I'd love to know how to stop that Mackeeper pop-up in future though. It was a route planner site that it appeared on and now I'm reluctant to use that site again.
It's most likely on any site that allows and makes money from advertising. MacKeeper is known to be particularly persistent.
Really worrying though, that just visiting a perfectly ordinary site can result in an unwanted download. Any way of avoiding this in the future? I'm not very tech savvy, having been a Windoze user for years and only moved to Mac about 3 years ago.
Avoidance of site that allow such garbage to be loaded on their sites is the best way to prevent that from happening in the future.
You certainly don't want to load any security or AV software on your Mac. They are worthless scam that offer you no protection at all. The only thing they do is line their develops' pocket with your money, use an inordinate amount of the resources from your computer and cause problems.
I must admit I was really surprised to see the popup on that site. It's one that I use all the time to plan my route when I need to drive to a location that I'm not familiar with. I've never seen this popup before, it was the first time. Is there a way of getting rid of the popup? Obviously, I did the wrong thing by clicking on Cancel or Okay, I can't remember which one initiated the download, but there was no X to close the popup box. Maybe I should just have exited Safari straight away?
If the popup lock Safari, the recommend procedure to get rid of it is to force quit Safari and then restart it with the Shift key depressed this usually breaks the link to the javascript that is locking Safari.
Thank you. I'll remember that for the future. 🙂
Mac keeper Suddenly in my downloads file
