Macs evidently CAN get viruses...

[AJMD429]

Just got a pop-up that could not be closed with any method other than a hold-the-start-button-down-for-ten-seconds method, and it told me "Your Mac runs so slow; your network and internet will get even slower unless you click here and clean your Mac..."

Nasty Mac Pop-up.png

[vancelw]

I don't believe that's a virus.
It's most likely a script on your browser.

Start the browser in safe mode and close the offending window. Stay away from those sites....

[Blaine]

I don't believe that's a virus.
It's most likely a script on your browser.

Start the browser in safe mode and close the offending window. Stay away from those sites....

^^^What he said (but, I've never heard of safe mode for a Mac)

You might want to try Chrome for Mac....Mo Betta than Safari.

[AJMD429]

[
You might want to try Chrome for Mac....Mo Betta than Safari.

I think that's a good idea...

My biggest headache with the Mac is that it is SO HOSTILE to any 'foreign' (non-Apple) software...!!!!

Whenever I try to run OpenOffice (an open-source version of the 'Microsoft Word' suite) I have to go through screens that the Mac pops up making me verify that I want to run 'outside' software, and the only way to make it smooth seems to be to "allow any outside program to run" which may open up vulnerability. Same thing happens for my ballistics program, and several others that have bonafide 'Mac' versions, but aren't available through the Apple Store.

[cas]

Yup, that's just an ad trying to get you to buy something you don't need.


But Macs do get viruses. I run anti virus software and I've found them once, maybe twice, though I don't know what they were doing or supposed to be doing, everything worked just fine. Twice in 13 years is pretty good though.

[williamranks]

Sounds like MacKeeper. They're a sneaky bunch. Somehow they attach themselves to other websites. Don't click any buttons inside the popup or you could end up downloading it.
Go to the apple symbol and select "force quit", quit the browser, then reselect the browser from the dock and continue what you were doing. No need to do a hard restart of the whole computer.

[AJMD429]

Go to the apple symbol and select "force quit", quit the browser, then reselect the browser from the dock and continue what you were doing. No need to do a hard restart of the whole computer.

Thanks. Didn't know about that option.

MacKeeper sounds like the Norton bunch...

[Blaine]

I got a phone call last week. The foreign voice that I could barely understand said "Looks like you are having computer problems" Of course I said at once "I'm a Policeman..."blank" Off."
You have to be careful these days.

[Grizz]

yes macs get viruses. it's the unix base that provides the security and resistance to attacks. what you see is a user interface that's running on unix.

Doc, I don't know if apple accomodates this, but you may be able to open and run the software as 'administrator'. I don't know how to 'right-click' an apple executeable. If the option exists it authorizes the use of the non-sanctioned software.

somehow I get a light thrill running un-sanctioned software on W10 as admin. easily amused I guess.

[AJMD429]

Found some useful info on an Apple Users Discussion Forum:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6791446

Also MalwareBytes (which has always seemed reputable and helpful for Windows) has this:

http://www.thesafemac.com/arg/

[Grizz]

that was interesting, I copied the articles for admin ref.

another way to accomplish the manual method is to boot the computer from a usb drive to linux. this allows you to roam the folders freely without os interference. make repairs. when the patient wakes up, it's as if the problem never existed.

I don't know how to set up an apple to boot from an external drive, it's routine with windoz. interrupt bootup to enter the bios setup and find the bootmenu, enable other boot devices, and select a boot order that makes your hard drive the last thing to boot.

I use the dvd drive as 1, usb drive as 2, and hard drive as 3. the computer will use the opsys it discovers first.

https://craftedflash.com/info/how-boot- ... lash-drive

http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/b/boot_menu.htm

routine maintenance but just for giggles, there are some hacks that control your computer from the bootmenu . . .

P.S. I am not recommending or endorsing craftedflash. it could be a hack itself. I recommend puppy linux, a clean dl NOT via bittorrent, imaged to dvd and then ported to a usb stick with the computer NOT connected to the internet, and with NO HARD DRIVE connected to the mach. . . that's just how I roll

[vancelw]

I don't believe that's a virus.
It's most likely a script on your browser.

Start the browser in safe mode and close the offending window. Stay away from those sites....

^^^What he said (but, I've never heard of safe mode for a Mac)

You might want to try Chrome for Mac....Mo Betta than Safari.

Most browsers will start in a safe mode (add-ons disabled, etc.) and you can avoid auto-reopening the offending window by deleting it from the history or recently opened tabs. I'm not sure if Safari has a safe mode or not.

Max OS definitely has a safe mode. I haven't used OS X much, but you used to have to boot your Mac in safe mode (extensions disabled) whenever you wanted to install something.

[williamranks]

If you want an antivirus see the reviews in the link.
Any of them will slow down operation because they scan all incoming.
I used to use Sophos but they've slipped badly for mac in the last few years.
The good ones for Mac are free because, while most won't effect the Mac, they can be passed on to microsoft machines via email.
I used Avira in the last machine and it seemed to work well, I didn't bother on this one. Hard to tell how it works because you don't see all that it's doing.
If you get one the first scan will take a while. It'll check the entire machine.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-antivi ... 588-6.html

http://www.avira.com/en/free-antivirus-mac

[Blaine]

If you want an antivirus see the reviews in the link.
Any of them will slow down operation because they scan all incoming.
I used to use Sophos but they've slipped badly for mac in the last few years.
The good ones for Mac are free because, while most won't effect the Mac, they can be passed on to microsoft machines via email.
I used Avira in the last machine and it seemed to work well, I didn't bother on this one. Hard to tell how it works because you don't see all that it's doing.
If you get one the first scan will take a while. It'll check the entire machine.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-antivi ... 588-6.html

http://www.avira.com/en/free-antivirus-mac

Thanks for the link.....My free AVG got corrupted, and I didn't want to pay for it this time around.