Q: my mac has a virus

• Stop pop-up ads in Safari - Apple Support

You should be able to isolate the browser (quit browser, restart it per instructions)

and see about removing the items that are making you think there is a virus...

• Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up - Apple Support

Also IF there was a popup and fake a phone number on your screen, DO NOT call it.

Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popups and web pages

Some users had good results in removing adware with the information in above links.

Others not so much.  Others suggest they had some useful outcome by using the

free adware removal product, formerly known as AdwareMedic. You can read about

it from the maker's site: http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php (malwarebytes)

There's also another free utility that generates a report, that now says it can remove

various adware, from the Etrecheck maker site: http://etrecheck.com/#about

In the long run, it's best to learn how to avoid troublesome web sites, software sites,

and those where a package can be downloaded that says it may be photoshop but

it isn't; some of those high end software shared online are chock-full-of-junk.

More manual methods of removing adware and malware-like contaminants, are

available; there is a learning curve. See reference information from TheSafeMac:

• Tech Guides (Malware, Adware, Performance) -- from TheSafeMac.

http://www.thesafemac.com/tech-guides/

And yet, your computer is unlikely to actually have a virus.

Good luck & happy computing!

there is method to remove mac defender , mac keeper , mac helper malware . plz follow the steps

1. go to spotlight and enter activity monitor .

  2. choose all processes

  3.  under process name column click to select & find the malware

  4. click quit process .

  5. next quit activity monitor application

  6. open the application folder .

  7. locate the malware.

  8. drag and drop the malware to trash .

  9. also check in the users &  groups , download folder .move it to the trash folder .

  10. lastly restart the system from apple logo & empty the trash .

hope so , it may help .

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.

Back up all data first.

If you're not already running the latest version of OS X, updating or upgrading in the App Store may cause the adware to be removed automatically. If you are already running the latest version, please log out or restart the computer. Again, some kinds of malware will be removed—not all. There is no such thing as automatic removal of all possible malware, either by OS X or by third-party software. That's why you can't rely on software to protect you.

If the malware is removed in your case, you'll still need to make changes to the way you use the computer to protect yourself from further attacks. Ask if you need guidance.

If the malware is not removed automatically, see below.

This easy procedure will detect any kind of adware that I know of. Deactivating it is a separate, and even easier, procedure.

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. The malware will be disabled 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.

Download and run MalwareBytes. Malwarebytes was developed by one of our own colleagues here in ASC. It gets rave reviews and is about the most proven anti-malware software for Mac.

Hello Mariam186,

I wrote a little diagnostic program to help correct such problems. Download EtreCheck from http://www.etrecheck.com, run it, and paste the results here. EtreCheck is perfectly safe to run, does not ask for your password to install, and is signed with my Apple Developer ID.

If you have adware, and it sounds like you do, EtreCheck will identify it and allow you to easily delete it.

Disclaimer: Although EtreCheck is free, there are other links on my site that could give me some form of compensation, financial or otherwise.