Q: i upgraded to El captain and now i have a pop up saying system scan is recommended, how do i get rid of this i think it is a virus ... more
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Dec 21, 2015 6:45 AMby JimmyCMPIT,No, for chrome it's a different procedure.
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/3296214?hl=en
I stopped using Chrome when I went to 10.11 and I no longer use it on my windows build either, it's a bulky browser that devours RAM like most 3D apps which they could. IMHO unless your social media and choice of App is Gdrive, Gmail, G+ it's really obtrusive IMHO and Safari appears to have come a long way from it's clumsy beginnings.
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by Linc Davis,Dec 21, 2015 10:20 AM
Linc Davis
Dec 21, 2015 10:20 AM
in response to not_MAC_savvy
Level 10
(207,931 points)
ApplicationsA
You may have installed one or more variants of the "VSearch" ad-injection malware. Please back up all data, then follow Apple Support's instructions to remove it.
If you have trouble following those instructions, or if they don't work, 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.
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/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 may not 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 any of these forms:
com.something.daemon.plist
com.something.helper.plist
com.something.net-preferences.plist
com.something.preferences.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.
There may also be one or more files with a name of this form:
com.somethingUpd.plist
where something may be a different meaningless string than in the other files. Again, there may be more than one such file, with different values of something.
Here's a specific example of a VSearch infection:
com.disbalance.daemon.plist
com.disbalance.helper.plist
com.thunderbearerUpd.plist
You will have files with names similar, but probably not identical, to these.
2. If you find such 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 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.
3. 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
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.
4. This step is optional. Open this folder:
/Library
It may have subfolders named as follows
something
somethingUpd
where something is any of the strings you saw before. Drag any such subfolders to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Library" folder or anything else inside it.
5. This step doesn't apply to OS X 10.11 ("El Capitan") or later, and is optional if you're running an older version of OS X.
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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
B
You may also have installed "MacKeeper."
"MacKeeper" is a scam with only one useful feature: it deletes itself.
If you have incompletely removed MacKeeper—for example, by dragging the application to the Trash and immediately emptying—then you'll have to reinstall it and start over.
Note: These instructions apply to the version of the product that I downloaded and tested in early 2012. I can't be sure that they apply to other versions.
IMPORTANT: "MacKeeper" has what the developer calls an “encryption” feature. In my tests, I didn't try to verify what this feature really does. If you used it to “encrypt” any of your files, “decrypt” them before you uninstall, or (preferably) restore the files from backups made before they were “encrypted.” As the developer is not trustworthy, you should assume that the "decrypted" files are corrupt unless proven otherwise.
Please back up all data before making any changes.
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Applications
from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-A. The "MacKeeper" application is in the folder that opens. Quit it if it's running, then drag it to the Trash. You'll be prompted for your login password. Click the Uninstall MacKeeper button in the dialog that appears. All the other functional components of the software will be deleted. Restart the computer and empty the Trash.
☞ Quit MacKeeper before dragging it to the Trash.
☞ Let MacKeeper delete its other components before you empty the Trash.
☞ Don't try to drag MacKeeper from the Dock or the Launchpad to the Trash.
☞ Don't try to remove MacKeeper while running in safe mode.
