I think my computer has a virus.

My mac has been running slow, freezing a lot, and not responding well. I think it may have a virus. How can I get rid of this bug? Is there a mac antivirus program that really works? Should I call a computer expert to fix my computer, or should I take my computer to a computer store for help? Your input is apreciated.
Mac OS X (10.0.x)

While we are on the subject of viruses, is it
possible for a Windows Virus to get inside Mac, and
Mac then acts as a carrier, transfering it to other
Windows computers on a network?
For some things, yes. Some MS Office macro viruses will execute at least part way on a Mac, infecting files such as the standard templates in Word and Excel. Then any Office file opened or created after the infection will have the virus, too. The virus may not intentionally do anything to the Mac, though because many are badly written they can have side effects which are annoying. In fact, one good way to detect an Office macro infestation is if Word starts to behave strangely. (More strangely than usual, that is.) If those files are sent to Windows machines, the viruses execute as they're intended to to, and many of them do things which are way beyond annoying.
Windows trojans and some other malware don't execute at all on Macs, but if the file containing them is transferred to a Windows box, they run.
It's just that my Dad has made install a virus
checker on my powerbook, which I feel is completely
unnecesary, and it has been causing problems.
Remove Norton Anti Virus immediately. It's worse than any Mac virus going back to the autostart worm. Virex has problems which can be worked around, but it takes effort. ClamXav doesn't seem to cause problems and it's free. If you have to have antivirus, you might want to look at <http://www.clamxav.com/>.
In response to the original question, have you tried
running the hardware check disk, or booting of the
install disk and repairing the hard drive permissions
etc?

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I think my computer has a virus, when I get on the Internet, ads will pop up all the time, I think it is called adware? Also pages will pop up saying something along the lines of my computer is at risk for some security issue. What should I do?

I think my computer has a virus, when I get on the Internet, ads will pop up all the time, I think it is called adware? Also pages will pop up saying something along the lines of my computer is at risk for some security issue. What should I do?

Remove Browser Pop-up Problems
     AdwareMedic
     Adblock Plus 1.8.9
     remove adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac
Helpful Links Regarding Malware Problems
If you are having an immediate problem with ads popping up see The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Guide and AdwareMedic. If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using ClamXAV. (Thank you to Thomas Reed for this recommendation.)
Open Safari, select Preferences from the Safari menu. Click on Extensions icon in the toolbar. Disable all Extensions. If this stops your problem, then re-enable them one by one until the problem returns. Now remove that extension as it is causing the problem.
The following comes from user stevejobsfan0123. I have made minor changes to adapt to this presentation.
Fix Some Browser Pop-ups That Take Over Safari.
Common pop-ups include a message saying the government has seized your computer and you must pay to have it released (often called "Moneypak"), or a phony message saying that your computer has been infected, and you need to call a tech support number (sometimes claiming to be Apple) to get it resolved. First, understand that these pop-ups are not caused by a virus and your computer has not been affected. This "hijack" is limited to your web browser. Also understand that these messages are scams, so do not pay any money, call the listed number, or provide any personal information. This article will outline the solution to dismiss the pop-up.
Quit Safari
Usually, these pop-ups will not go away by either clicking "OK" or "Cancel." Furthermore, several menus in the menu bar may become disabled and show in gray, including the option to quit Safari. You will likely have to force quit Safari. To do this, press Command + option + esc, select Safari, and press Force Quit.
Relaunch Safari
If you relaunch Safari, the page will reopen. To prevent this from happening, hold down the 'Shift' key while opening Safari. This will prevent windows from the last time Safari was running from reopening.
This will not work in all cases. The shift key must be held at the right time, and in some cases, even if done correctly, the window reappears. In these circumstances, after force quitting Safari, turn off Wi-Fi or disconnect Ethernet, depending on how you connect to the Internet. Then relaunch Safari normally. It will try to reload the malicious webpage, but without a connection, it won't be able to. Navigate away from that page by entering a different URL, i.e. www.apple.com, and trying to load it. Now you can reconnect to the Internet, and the page you entered will appear rather than the malicious one.

Is there a way of wiping ALL Safari data, i.e. restoring Safari ? I think my Safari has a virus..as every time I open it, a web page called 'search quick' comes up. Its bombarded my Safari with constant pop up adverts almost every time I click!

is there a way of wiping ALL Safari data, i.e. restoring Safari ? I think my Safari has a virus..as every time I open it, a web page called 'search quick' comes up. Its bombarded my Safari with constant pop up adverts almost every time I click!

There is no need to download anything to solve this problem. You may have installed a variant of the "VSearch" ad-injection malware. Follow Apple Support's instructions to remove it.
If you have trouble following those instructions, see below.
Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. This procedure works as of now, as far as I know. It may not work in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for a more recent discussion, or start a new one.
The VSearch malware tries to hide itself by varying the names of the files it installs. To remove it, you must first identify the naming pattern.
Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
/Library/LaunchDaemons
In the Finder, select
          Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.
A folder named "LaunchDaemons" may open. Look inside it for two files with names of the form
          com.something.daemon.plist
and
           com.something.helper.plist
Here something is a variable string of characters, which can be different in each case. So far it has always been a string of letters without punctuation, such as "cloud," "dot," "highway," "submarine," or "trusteddownloads." Sometimes it's a meaningless string such as "e8dec5ae7fc75c28" rather than a word. Sometimes the string is "apple," and then you must be especially careful not to delete the wrong files, because many built-in OS X files have similar names.
If you find these files, leave the LaunchDaemons folder open, and open the following folder in the same way:
/Library/LaunchAgents
In this folder, there may be a file named
          com.something.agent.plist
where the string something is the same as before.
If you feel confident that you've identified the above files, back up all data, then drag just those three files—nothing else—to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password. Close the Finder windows and restart the computer.
Don't delete the "LaunchAgents" or "LaunchDaemons" folder or anything else inside either one.
The malware is now permanently inactivated, as long as you never reinstall it. You can stop here if you like, or you can remove two remaining components for the sake of completeness.
Open this folder:
/Library/Application Support
If it has a subfolder named just
           something
where something is the same string you saw before, drag that subfolder to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Application Support" folder or anything else inside it.
Finally, in this folder:
/System/Library/Frameworks
there may an item named exactly
            v.framework
It's actually a folder, though it has a different icon than usual. This item always has the above name; it doesn't vary. Drag it to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Frameworks" folder or anything else inside it.
If you didn't find the files or you're not sure about the identification, post what you found.
If in doubt, or if you have no backups, change nothing at all.
The trouble may have started when you downloaded and ran an application called "MPlayerX." That's the name of a legitimate free movie player, but the name is also used fraudulently to distribute VSearch. If there is an item with that name in the Applications folder, delete it, and if you wish, replace it with the genuine article from mplayerx.org.
This trojan is often found on illegal websites that traffic in pirated content such as movies. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.
In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.
Then, still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked
          Install system data files and security updates (OS X 10.10 or later)
or
          Download updates automatically (OS X 10.9 or earlier)
if it's not already checked.

My computer has a virus what should i do?

my computer has a virus what should i do?

Hey Robbby,
What is happening on your computer that makes you think you have a virus? Its very unlikely that you have a virus. You could have an adware on your system. Check out the Mac Safe web site for information about malware, adware, and viruses on Macs. Read the article listed here( http://www.thesafemac.com/arg/) on how to find any known adware on your system. You can also use the Adware Removal tool to find and remove all known adware. The tool is locate here(http://www.thesafemac.com/art/). If you still have a problem after following these guides then please post back with the issue that you are having and we will try to figure out what is happening.

Last night, I saw my iPhone on the table in front of me and twice it made phone calls on its own. I just watched it make the outgoing call as it sat in front of me. Should I think that it has a virus? What should I do about it?

Last night, I saw my iPhone on the table in front of me and twice it made phone calls on its own. I just watched it make the outgoing call as it sat in front of me. Should I think that it has a virus? What should I do about it?
Also, it's been a little quirky lately: slow to respond to key pad touching and making it impossible to delete Apps?
Should I try wiping it and restoring it to factory settings?
Thank you.
Ben

It isn't a virus.
I would try the Restore from backup first and if that does not help try a Restore as a new iPhone.

My computer has a virus , is it safe to use iTunes?

hello
I want to do backup for my iPhone , but my computer has a virus ,is it safe to use iTunes or not ?

Yes, it is. For maximum security, uninstall and reinstall iTunes before proceeding, and make a separate backup to the iCloud.
(125720)

My computer has a virus how do i get it off

i downloaded a third part soft wear the other day , and now my computer has a virus. someone help get it off!

Describe the symptoms, not your diagnosis of the cause.
A virus is unlikely, and pursuing an "anti-virus" cure for it is almost certain to cause lost time, money, data, general abject misery or all the above.

I opened a spam e-mail, I think my phone has a virus how do I get it off? HELP!

I opened a spam e-mail, I think my phone has a virus how do I get it off? HELP!

It was an email about a video I posted on youtube. It said "the video you posted under your account has been approved and posted. Click link to see the video" but I didn't post any video so I clicked the link on my phone and it took me to a page that was not youtube so I immediately closed the window went to my settings and deleted cookies and history. Later I tried to login to one of my banking app and it kept saying loading for about 5 min before I exited the app then tried again and then it wouldn't even let me log in.

How do I know if my computer has a virus?

Hello,
When I am on netflix and click on certain buttons more windows open on my computer. It didn't used to happen so I am worried that my computer has been attacked by a virus. How do I know if it is a real virus?
Thanks!

You may have installed one of the common types of ad-injection malware. Follow the instructions on this Apple Support page to remove it.
Back up all data before making any changes.
One of the steps in the article is to remove malicious Safari extensions. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those. If Safari crashes on launch, skip that step and come back to it after you've done everything else.
If you don't find any of the files or extensions listed, or if removing them doesn't stop the ad injection, ask for further instructions.
Make sure you don't repeat the mistake that led you to install the malware. It may have come from an Internet cesspit such as "Softonic" or "CNET Download." Never visit either of those sites again. You might also have downloaded it from an ad in a page on some other site. The ad would probably have included a large green button labeled "Download" or "Download Now" in white letters. The button is designed to confuse people who intend to download something else on the same page. If you ever download a file that isn't obviously what you expected, delete it immediately.
Malware is also found on websites that traffic in pirated content such as video. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.
In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.
Still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked
Install system data files and security updates
if it's not already checked.

I think my MacBook has a virus...

I think my MacBook that runs on 10.5.08 has a virus that is allowing people to access important information like my passwords. What antivirus can I download for free for this version? Thanks in advance

Your email being hacked has nothing to do with your Mac having a virus
Hacked mail is usually done on the server. If you are using Outlook you will probably have to work that out with Microsoft.
Allan

I think my Mac has a virus. How do I get rid of it?

I was trying to watch a movie online and when I clicked on it a spam webpage came up and I immediately exited out of it and the movie website. However, I am still getting random pop ups (such as Macbook Cleaner) every time I click on something and my computer has started to be really slow. How can I fix this?

ECU15 wrote:
That didn't work...have any other suggestions?
If AdwareMedic didn't fix the problem, see:
http://www.adwaremedic.com/kb/unsolved.php
(Fair disclosure: I may receive compensation from links to my sites, TheSafeMac.com and AdwareMedic.com, in the form of buttons allowing for donations. Donations are not required to use my site or software.)

I think my computer has been hacked, help please?

Hi,
A couple of days a go, after having my laptop for nearly two years, I have started to have major issues with it. When I log on, as soon as I get on to my desktop, without any encouragement, it starts doing its own thing such as the mouse moving around in a very jagged manner and generally resisting anything I attempt to do. It is making my computer incredably slow and its so frustrating. Even worse, I am frightened I may have picked up something and that someone is controlling my machine but the issue is I know so very little about computers, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I have changed browsers (used to use Safari, now I use FireFox) and have backed up all my files on to a hard drive and am thinking about restoring the mac to it's factory settings but I am unsure whether this would mean I would lose all my applications which I desperately can't afford to do. It only happens occasionally, so at the present it is fine but it occurs out of the blue and is very unnerving. I have two anti virus programmes on here: ClamXav and iAntiVirus which suggest that there are no virus found on the computer. I have also been monitoring the activity monitor and although nothing has particularly drawn much attention, it can be fair to say I am not entirely sure what I am looking for.
Is there any way to double check to see as to whether my computer is infected and if so what would be my next move?
Muchly appreciated

The anti-virus software is not the problem. Yes, Shootist is correct that AV software can be almost as much of a problem as getting infected with malware, but ClamXav is one that is good. Having two isn't so good, though, so ditch iAntivirus at least. And see my Mac Malware Guide for more information to protect yourself from malware.
Similarly, the firewall is also not the problem. You almost certainly do not need a firewall. See Do I need a firewall? for more information on that.
Most likely, you are not being hacked. If I understand you correctly, it doesn't seem like the mouse has any purpose to its actions - is that correct? If so, my first thought would be that your battery has gone bad and is expanding, and in the process is pressing on the underside of the trackpad. That is a known cause of this kind of behavior. Though I must admit I've never seen a battery expand, it does happen. I'd advise getting the machine looked at by Apple ASAP.
If the movements do appear purposeful, someone could be playing a prank on you. Check System Preferences -> Sharing and make sure everything there is turned off. If Screen Sharing is on, someone may have been using that to access your machine, most likely someone who knows your MobileMe password (if you have MobileMe) or someone on the same local network that you're using.
(Note that my pages contain links to other pages that promote my services, and this should not be taken as an endorsement of my services by Apple.)

I think my Qosmio has a virus: please help me

Hello, I have a Toshiba Qosmio laptop, and it has worked perfectly for 2 years. But about 2-3 months ago, it started acting very strange. Random music that is NOT anything I have in my Media Player or Music Library will start playing. It just happened a few minutes ago when I was watching a DVD. Nothing else was running, just the Toshiba DVD Player. The random music also happens sometimes when I just start the machine.
Also, my computer will not go on the Internet anymore. That web tries to pull up, then it just freezes, and I have to start the task manager to end it. It's driving me crazy!
Now, I have already sent it in to Toshiba repair services, and they sent it back & said there were no problems found. So that was a big waste of time. So now I'm looking for some real help.
I had Norton Anti-Virus installed, and when I first ran it, it found a Trojan Gen 2, I believe? This was over a year ago, so I don't remember exactly what it was called. Every other time I ran Norton, all it ever found were tracking cookies. I also had Spybot Search & Destroy, but it never seemed to find anything either.
I don't know what else to do... I am NOT computer savvy at all, and what I've done above is about as good as my knowledge gets. Please help me... I really love my laptop, and want to fix it somehow.
*Edit to add: it is an X505-Q885, and has Windows 7, if that helps at all.
Thank you, AJ

MyQosmio wrote:
I don't know what else to do... I am NOT computer savvy at all, and what I've done above is about as good as my knowledge gets. Please help me... I really love my laptop, and want to fix it somehow.
*Edit to add: it is an X505-Q885, and has Windows 7, if that helps at all.
Thank you, AJ
You can always try the system restore back in time, of which is but one solution, when computer was working without problems. (Start>Control Panel>System and Security>Action Center>There are also many other options for trouble shooting your computer besides restoring to a previous time.)
There’s, of course, always one option, not a first option but I use on my Qosmio X505 many times. Program files gets corrupted, virus attacks, or conflicts in programs, after simple solutions do not work, instead of spending hours trying various remedies, I restart my computer with original factory setting. (This usually happens to my computer after updates.)
I use the recovery disk. If you use this method you have to have all files backed up, because your hard drive is going to be wiped clean. Moreover, you will be spending hours updating and putting back your programs back to the computer. You should read MY TOSHIBA program file and USER GUIDE, pg. 61, if you decide to do this.

I think my Macbook has a virus. It plays Blackbird by the beatles and I can't get rid of it. I don't even own that song on Itunes. Help!

Does my MacBook have a virus when it playe Blackbird by the beatles? I can't make it go away. It plays over music, You Tube, movies, etc. I don't own Blackbird on itunes. help!

Question. Does this happen when you open apps? Or just certain apps? Go to systempreferences and open sound. look in sound effects and see if it got put there. Does anyone else have acess to your computer? I think someone would have to get into your computer to do this. I've never hear of a virus doing that. But you could go to google type in macscan and download it. open and run it to see.

A friend just texted me and said that my computer has a virus because it is sending emails.She told me to change my passwords on my email act. (which I did) and on m Facebook acct. which I did. She said that I should run a virus scan on my computer.

I have a Macbook Air. How do I check to see if I have a virus.

The following from the User Tips section of the forum has some good advice: Viruses, Trojans, Malware - and other aspects of Internet Security
I don't know if it is discussed in there, but every case recently where I have been receiving spam emails from friends of mine has been due to the password on their email account being hacked rather than from any malware on their Mac or PC computer.

I think my computer has a virus.

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