how to remove 'stags.bluekai.com' pop up

I had the same issue for the last few days, and finally resolved it. I am also running Safari 9.1.3, and was experiencing the issue after visiting eBay. My first obvious approach was to reset Safari, but this did not resolve the issue. My second thought was to see if something snuck into my Chrome browser when I last used it, but nothing was there. Finally I found the best solution thus far, and is pretty simple. In Safari choose > Preferences, then click on the Privacy tab. Under the Privacy tab you will see "cookies and other website data", a few lines lower you will see "details...". Click on "details..." and go see if anything with "Bluekai" label appears in there, if so delete it. After you do that, quit Safari and relaunch.

I found a partial solution. Installing and using the privacy extension Disconnect, the drop down box stops appearing.

Certain websites consistently cause the drop down, for example a certain site that mainly concerns Mac rumors. When using Disconnect, it does show that it is blocking a connection to BlueKai.

Upgrading the OS is not an option for me due to the extensive software and hardware I am using. Clearing cookies does not fix this issue. This obviously just recently cropped up, and seemingly could just be fixed properly if BlueKai sorted out their certificate.

I've installed Disconnect which has cured the problem for me. There have been one or two issues in Safari, but emptying caches or quit / relaunch resolves them, and they may not be related to Disconnect anyway.

When you visit sites that host ads, sometimes you get redirected to other sites where the ads are hosted. The certificates used on those sites are supposed to have all the correct host site names so that they can be used for the current URL.

There is a certificate problem somewhere in Bluekai, that has yet to be resolved, that puts up a certificate that does not list the current URL as a possible user of the certificate being proffered. Your Mac objects, and puts up an error box, essentially, "certificate proffered does not match the URL you entered, it may be an imposter site".

This is not a pop-up. Nor is it a problem on your computer. It is a correct indication that there is a certificate issue somewhere in that chain. Bluekai needs to fix broken their certificates before it will go away.

Because the browsers shipped in 10.9.5 work a little differently, the problem shows up more often in 10.9.5. You can get away from it if you decide to run a later browser in a later MacOS. You are Not required to upgrade.

Eventually Bluekai will either fix this problem or go out of business.

I tried all the same advice offered elsewhere. I cannot update my OS due to other dependent software. The only thing that worked for me was to install the Disconnect privacy tracker. I signed up for their basic service which asks for a one-time donation.

Choose History > Clear History, click the pop-up menu, then choose how far back you want your browsing history cleared.

BlueKai is a service provider to sites like eBay.

This problem affects mainly macOS Mavericks 10.9.5 users.

Upgrading macOS to macOS High Sierra 10.13 will help.

8GB RAM installed will work.

macOS High Sierra technical specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP765?locale=en_US

For checking the compatibility of applications already installed on your Mac: https://roaringapps.com

Note: Newer versions Apple applications may work a little different.

Some older peripherals may not work.

Backup your Mac before installing the upgrade.

This is not a malware or adware issue.

This is a certificate issue associated with visiting eBay in most cases.

To the best of my knowledge and from feedback I received, upgrading macOS resolves the issue.

I am just sharing the information I have.

https://www.apple.com/macos/how-to-upgrade/#hardware-requirements

https://support.apple.com/macos/high-sierra

The extension "Disconnect" is the only thing that has worked for me. It does have the side-effect of blocking other more benign pages from loading but you just need to turn it off but remember reload it afterwards.

Good luck!

I now have this pesky, buggy issue too. It definitely seems to have started after I went to ebay, although I suppose it could have happened at any website. I first saw it when trying to navigate to ESPN.com yesterday. As soon as ESPN loaded, the popup certificate warning came up: "Safari can't verify the identity of the website tags.bluekai.com. The certificate for this website is invalid. You might be connecting to a website that is pretending to be tags.bluekai.com, which could put your confidential information at risk. Would you like to connect to the website anyway?" Crazy. I'm at Espn.com not bluekai. So it wants to redirect...I guess? Not sure because I simply leave ESPN when it happens.

I spent the better part of yesterday attempting to fix this. Read a lot. I'm unable to find a working solution aside from "use Firefox." True. It doesn't happen on Firefox but Firefox upgrades their browser and Apple no longer updates Safari for older systems. I prefer Safari as my default browser and I find it hard to comprehend -- no one has figured out a fix.

Yes, I have tried everything suggested on the Apple forums and other trustworthy sites. Nothing has succeeded in making this 'bluekai certificate warning' go away.

What I am also seeing is this issue had a lot of traction in early-mid February 2018. After late February, I don't see additional reports or complaints. That leads me to thinking there IS a solution and I have not located it.

I also noticed if I disable Java from Safari, the tags.bluekai.com certificate popup disappears. (Is this thing even considered a "popup?) However, once I disable Java, I cannot see the content at Espn.com so certainly not a fix but makes me wonder about Java issues. Why is any site still using Java? Rhetorical question.

Machine specs: MBP 17" 2011

1TB SSD/2.8GHz Intel Core i7/8 GB RAM

OSX 10.9.5/Safari v.9.1.3

Other: No virus or adblocking software installed on machine

** I don't want to turn this into an off topic discussion about those of us who LOVE our 17" MBPs and why we are unwilling to upgrade to High Sierra. Suffice it to say, as long as I can keep this machine going, I need it for work purposes. I don't want to install High Sierra unless/until Apple makes another 17" laptop...which I realize probably won't happen. There are a lot of us who are hoarding and protecting these "vintage" machines because there are no alternatives on the market. Just trying to explain why the simple solution of "upgrading the OS" isn't viable to a certain population of Mac users. Truly don't want/need to get into an off topic discussion of pros/cons of newer machines.

I also ran the Etre check. Didn't want to create an even longer post if there is a simple fix I am not seeing. I'd happily post the results if anyone thinks that would be helpful. Or -- if there is anything else I can tell you about the computer or pesky bluekai issue, ask away and I'll answer. I'm certainly no programmer but do know my way around Macs. I've been using them for 25+ years.

Thanks, all. Appreciate any help or suggestions, in advance.

Not actually a pop-up. I keep getting a drop-down window regarding identity of the web site "stags.bluekai.com" Happens with every new tab or website loaded. Clearing browser history definitely does not work. Seems a little too easy to get rid of a redirection malware...

Feb 6, 2018 4:58 PM

It's not actually a pop-up, so this response is not helpful. Please provide a valid response. The issue just started on my computer as well, and it's a certificate issue caused by a redirect malware (according to the popular consensus).

Yes, me too. It's only started happening in the past week, and seems to be more closely associated with eBay than anything else; however it's the prevalence of it on other random sites that's the most annoying thing.

I'm running Mavericks AND DO NOT WISH TO UPGRADE. (Do NOT suggest this as the 'only solution'). I prefer Safari to other browsers but will switch to Chrome or Firefox if this is not resolved. It's very very annoying.

A temporary fix is to Empty Caches which seems to work until I visit eBay.

Well I have settled this issue for myself after hours of agony this will become more of the norm from apple support that there is none they have no passion to resolve this issue.

What will work is to in the Safari settings Preferences, set cookies and website data tracking to Never.

And as you come across websites that you use that will not respond as usual move them to Firefox and this will end the drop down issue.

The majority of your bookmarks and visited site's will be just fine with Safari and you will have stopped the issue.

I can only guess this problem is going to grow but having to split your viewing between the two platforms will get you

thru it, and Firefox is showing not to be buggy with 98% of site's visited.

Hope this will be the fix that will work for all......

This is not your problem.

It is caused by poor attention to detail on an advertiser site. You do not have any issues on your computer, and there is nothing you can change that will eliminate the message. The problem is in the web ads from this incredibly sloppy web-advertiser.