Hi so I was on a random website and a flash player.dmg file was downloaded automatically without my permission. I then proceeded to go to downloads and move it to trash and then clear my trash. I never clicked to open the file, just to move it to trash. If it was a virus of some sort does that mean it downloaded onto my computer, or did I have to open the .dmg file for my computer to get infected and am I safe?
Things have changed since you replied, Barry. I have a Macbook Pro running Sierra and when I use Chrome browser I get an annoying pop-up that eiher tells me I have a virus or my Flash player is out of date; it even auto downloads a "player.dmg" file to my computer. I trash them immediately, but all the various fixes and Norton's and Malwarebytes have not been able to get this off my Mac. It's a new day. Macs and the programs used on them are now susceptible to viruses.
Things have changed since you replied, Barry. I have a Macbook Pro running Sierra and when I use Chrome browser I get an annoying pop-up that eiher tells me I have a virus or my Flash player is out of date; it even auto downloads a "player.dmg" file to my computer. I trash them immediately, but all the various fixes and Norton's and Malwarebytes have not been able to get this off my Mac. It's a new day. Macs and the programs used on them are now susceptible to viruses.
That may simply be a Chrome settings problem. Try changing your Chrome home page settings, or if that doesn't work, reset Chrome.
Reset Chrome settings to default - Google Chrome Help
If that doesn't work, you may have a new scam Chrome extension.
Thanks for responding, Thomas. I've tried your suggestions and more, earlier, including resetting Chrome, but they don't keep the bug away. I only have four extensions in Chrome and they've been around a long time without causing trouble. I'll keep trying to find a fix. If I do, I'll post.
For now, I've shifted to Firefox. The problem's only with Chrome.
Note that it doesn't matter how long your Chrome extensions have been installed. If one of them has been acquired by adware folks, it could have been modified and updated. I'd try disabling those, and if you find one of them is causing the problem, let us know which one.
I've seen some cases where adware installers have modified the Chrome application and settings in ways that are not trivially reversed. If the problem is only affecting Chrome, and resetting Chrome's settings and disabling extensions doesn't fix the problem, then you probably need to completely delete Chrome and all of its settings, and either re-download a fresh copy or switch to another browser.
System preferences>flashplayer. Look at the options. I have mine set to notify me.
IMHO, you have no problem.
Incidentally, there are NO documented viruses that affect a Mac running OS X>
Barry
Whatever you downloaded should be regarded as a source of adware or malware if you got it anywhere except from Adobe. If it didn't get a chance to run or install anything, you are probably OK. Fake Flash upgrade links are pretty common and should never be used. If you do have Flash installed, you can use the Flash control panel in System Prefs to check for new versions and download them from Adobe.
Opening that file would have infected your machine with malware and junk apps. Since you didn't open it, you're fine.
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There is a shiny new version of Firefox available now.
flash player.dmg file downloaded automatically
