What is AppYM?

You 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 may not 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 be files with a name of the form

something.AppRemoval.plist

something.download.plist

something.ltvbit.plist

something.update.plist

where something is usually a meaningless string, such as any of the following:

Epolife

InstallMac

Javeview

Kuklorest

Manroling

Otwexplain

These are examples, not a complete list. The string could be anything. The point is that the same string will usually appear in the name of three or four files.

You could have more than one copy of the malware, with different values of something.

Move all such items to the Trash. If there are any other files with a name that begin with something, move them to the Trash also. After you've done that, there may not be anything left 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, or with the name "Zip Devil," 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

I just went through your whole process, thanks!!! I had a call with Mac support last week and they didn't even see these files. I had 2 of the ones you mentioned. Dumped everything and my system is rocking now. Great forum here!

Thanks so much for this fix Linc Davis - my iMac was saying it was out of Application memory and all applications were pausing. I went to the folders you mentioned and deleted the files (they were named Javeview, Kuklorest and Manroling as you said) and no problem since. Did this on 17/11/2015.

Thank you so much for this information!! We had noticed our mac mini was totally gummed up and my husband noticed that our memory was being hogged by something called AppYM. We did the search here and found this so grateful!!

My wife had the rogue AppYM process (2, actually) each claiming 32GB of memory and freezing up the system. Linc's solution worked, and in addition to having 4 of the "somethings" he listed there were several "Zebrouss" files maliciously created as well. Hope this helps!

I am so grateful for this post. I was stumped and have had to shell out so much lately on technology I thought I was going to lose it with my macbook being so slow lately. Honestly...you are a godsend! Thank you so much! My two were kulorest and epolife

This saved my sanity ... excellent advice and it worked like a charm. I was using "activity monitor" and watched that app gobble up more and more of my Mac's working memory. Just in the nick of time ... thanks, support team!

Thanks a million Link. I may have "overdone it", to wit: I didn't write down all of the several "something.plist" and after going through your procedures for LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons I got to looking around and found dozens of other "something.plist" throughout the Application Support File (sub folders included Adobe and Apple). They were partially labeled info.....plist, manifest.....plist, TableOfContents.....plist, Version.....plist, and so on. Did I trash too many items? The good news is iMac is working like a charm! Do I need any of those items deleted? Thanks again........

I went to the Apple Store yesterday to ensure the malware didn't cause further issues on my MacBook Pro. They installed an app called Malwarebytes AntiMalware and ran some diagnostics. Found only one file still floating around out there but also gave me a tool to monitor and check on this with my other Macs and my notebook. I'd recommend this app.

Thanks a million Link. I may have "overdone it", to wit: I didn't write down all of the several "something.plist" and after going through your procedures for LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons I got to looking around and found dozens of other "something.plist" throughout the Application Support File (sub folders included Adobe and Apple). They were partially labeled info.....plist, manifest.....plist, TableOfContents.....plist, Version.....plist, and so on. Did I trash too many items? The good news is iMac is working like a charm! Do I need any of those items deleted? Thanks again........

Thanks. I found about 200 .plst and had not deleted them all, until I read your response. It so happens that about the same time I read your response, the AppYM showed up again in my activity monitor, reeking havoc on my process speed! So now ALL the .plst are deleted.......... Now comes the re-boot to see if "all is well"....

Having the same issues with YMAPP eating up memory. I followed your instructions to identify and delete files in the ~lunchagents library. I found several files there, but when I tried to move to the trash, I get the error:

"The operation cannot be completed because one or more of the required items can't be found. (euro code - 43)"

Are there any solutions for this problem?

Many thanks!

This "FIX" worked great and immediately returned functionality to my iMac which showed 0 memory available and was stalled with the color wheel of death with no apps running.

I found three of the "something" files and their sub files and deleted all. Also found Safari extensions to delete.

Would be interested if anyone know where these originated.

I guess malware has finally come to Mac Land. ****!

Thanks Linc Davis for this excellent and quick FIX, your contribution is definitely appreciated.

Another Kudo for your expertise & help!

I figured out where I picked up my copy of this computer cootie. There was a link on OOKLA's website for a free little utility for doing internet speed tests. It is called "Download Speed Test" by AB Tools.

It turns out that cnet did a review of this product and gave it 5-stars (incredibly inept, horrible advice).

**CAUTION**: The link is still alive and well at cnet for you to observe: http://download.cnet.com/Download-Speed-Test/3000-2381_4-75448535.html

Whatever you do, DON'T ACCIDENTALLY DOWNLOAD OR ATTEMPT TO INSTALL THIS APP.

Cheers!

Bob

As people are still replying to this thread, I should reiterate that the instructions I posted in November 2015 have a limited shelf life. As of now, they still seem to be working, because the attacker has been too lazy to change his MO. Eventually he will change it, and anyway there are other kinds of adware in circulation. If the instructions don't work for you, look for newer ones or start your own thread, and resist the blandishments of those who will tell you to use "anti-malware" software.