User profile for user: Twiztidd
Twiztidd Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Possible spyware /virus.. Maybe Malware?

So I recently was in desperate need of some cash to make my rent for the new month. I brought my Macbook to a local pawn shop and pawned it for some quick cash. About 15 days later I got my next check and went to go get my Macbook out of pawn. I got it home, and I immediately noticed that I started getting the colored spinning wheel instead of my mouse pointer at the weirdest times. Even if I wasn't doing ANYTHING at all, the pinwheel would pop up for a good 30 seconds preventing me from doing anything, then disappear. Then I'd open a new tab and there would be the pinwheel again. I quickly realized that my mac book was for all intensive purposes, UN-usable....


Before I brought it into the pawn shop, it ran flawlessly, lightning fast. I'd ever seen the pinwheel a single time during the whole period I owned the thing. Then it "supposedly" sits in a laptop bag, powered off for two weeks at the pawn shop, and when i get it back, it is so slow and bogged down that it takes me 20 min to check my email on a lightning fast internet connection.


I'm not sure what to think at this point, I know the Manager at this particular pawn shop quite well, and I"d like to think that he'd never do anything malicious. But there are also other employees who work there that I have to keep in mind. I have since put a piece of tape over the webcam, and powered down the laptop.


Does anybody have any recommendations as to how I would go about finding out what the cause of this night and day transformation is? Any good scanners to check for spyware /malware? And then if none is found, what to try next to figure out the cause?


I'd greatly appreciate any input you may have.


Thanks in advance!

John

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Apr 19, 2018 7:47 PM

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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
362,007 points

Posted on Apr 19, 2018 7:56 PM

  1. Malwarebytes
  2. DetectX Swift


Both can detect existing malware. But good spyware can hide in places such software will not find. Your best bet is to wipe the drive, reinstall OS X from scratch, and restore third-party software from original sources.


Internet/Network Recovery of El Capitan or Later on a Clean Disk

If possible backup your files before proceeding.


  1. Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the (Command-Option-Shift-R) keys until a globe appears.
  2. The Utility Menu will appear in from 5-20 minutes. Be patient.
  3. Select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
  4. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (usually, the out-dented entry) from the side list.
  5. Click on the Erase tab in Disk Utility's main window. A panel will drop down.
  6. Set the partition scheme to GUID.
  7. Set the Format type to APFS (SSDs only) or Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
  8. Click on the Apply button, then click on the Done button when it activates.
  9. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
  10. Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Continue button.


Note:

1. To install the version of OS X that was currently installed use Command-Option-R.

2. To install the original factory version when the computer was new use Command-Option-Shift-R.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
362,007 points

Apr 19, 2018 7:56 PM in response to Twiztidd

  1. Malwarebytes
  2. DetectX Swift


Both can detect existing malware. But good spyware can hide in places such software will not find. Your best bet is to wipe the drive, reinstall OS X from scratch, and restore third-party software from original sources.


Internet/Network Recovery of El Capitan or Later on a Clean Disk

If possible backup your files before proceeding.


  1. Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the (Command-Option-Shift-R) keys until a globe appears.
  2. The Utility Menu will appear in from 5-20 minutes. Be patient.
  3. Select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
  4. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (usually, the out-dented entry) from the side list.
  5. Click on the Erase tab in Disk Utility's main window. A panel will drop down.
  6. Set the partition scheme to GUID.
  7. Set the Format type to APFS (SSDs only) or Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
  8. Click on the Apply button, then click on the Done button when it activates.
  9. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
  10. Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Continue button.


Note:

1. To install the version of OS X that was currently installed use Command-Option-R.

2. To install the original factory version when the computer was new use Command-Option-Shift-R.

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Possible spyware /virus.. Maybe Malware?

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