Pop-up window: Apple wants to make changes

The networks you connected to while on vacation, were they networks you managed and controlled?

Malware is a blanket term that spans not just viruses, which are a form of malware. You can pick up something from it being placed into a network, another infected computer already on a network, websites, ads within websites, software installed with malicious files within it. A macOS update won’t install malware but for all intents and purposes it actually scans for it and also macOS is designed that when you restart or turn on your computer it runs a scan then. I can understand not wanting to install a program however read through this and countless other threads, most of us trust it because malwarebytes is on that doesn’t go fiddling or removing important systems files like some purported cleaning programs

Some times web pages put of fake download acrobat with a fake site with the altered copy of adobe

Or they don't include the Flash Player at all. Just a simple installation screen they made to look like Adobe's installer.

Is there any way to escalate this question? I am still getting the popup once per day.

MB Pro early 2015 OS 10.13.6

this is a software problem reported in the podcast security now. see my post "speech downloader is trying to modify your system"

This is pending Apple to correct the issue.

I noticed when I click on the pop-up, Chrome is the active app, so clearly not a system function!!

... I also restarted the machine after deleting the databases.

I hope the number that you called for Apple support was 800MYAPPLE. If you use the same password on any other websites you might want to change it

You downloaded it from the adobe site? Some times web pages put of fake download acrobat with a fake site with the altered copy of adobe

Do not use cleanmymac. It's regarded as malware around these forums.

R

I'm having the same problem on my Mac Pro with High Sierra 10.13.6. It occurs every 2 or 3 days and goes away after exactly 3 pop-ups and 3 cancels. I believe that it is malware mainly because I trust that Apple would not do this. Also, the use of "Apple" vs. "Finder" or some other system component is troubling. I'm using a WatchGuard Firebox T-70 security appliance with network anti-virus and I thought that I was immune from this stuff... apparently not. I listened to the "security now" podcast suggested by macfrombrampton and although possible, that vulnerability sounds like a bit of a stretch. I would appreciate an update if anyone finds out anything else. Otherwise, I'll sit and wait for Mojave and hope that no damage is done.

This just happened to me as well. I was working in Safari and it crashed. Then the message popped up. I installed malwarebytes and it said it detected something. When Iclicked to read the results, my computer restarted. Did not want to log in again because don’t want to give my password. Any suggestions?

I had this problem. Actually, Apple support was very helpful in guiding me through the process of deleting offending extensions and turning off pop-ups in Safari's preferences. See my comment above for more info.

Very good of them to take the time to help you out with that. I took Mathew's post as more of a question of why the OS doesn't stop things like this. Apple does incorporate quite a bit of quiet protection in the background of the OS. But, like any such protection, it can only block what it knows about. Newer threats first have to be found and recognized, then the time taken to figure out how to effectively block/remove it, and then distribute those fixes.

Above I stated that Apple Support helped me correct the "Apple wants to make changes" pop-up. I take it all back. After making the changes to Safari's preferences, I had thought that the problem was solved, but it reoccured. I will call back to Apple Support once again to see if there are other fixes. I will post anything that I learn from them on this thread.

I called Apple Support today, 9/13/18. They said it's ok and to type password.

It would be interesting to know what number you called. It's hard to believe an Apple employee would say it's okay to allow a vague request for admin access.

Is this a number you found by doing a Google search for "Apple support", or the actual customer service number found on Apple's site?