Weird Black/Screen Sleep issue

When I leave my computer for some time, not using it, something weird happens.
The screen goes black, just like a regular screen sleep, but it won't turn back on again. The interesting part then is, that expose and dashboard works. When I press F3, it zooms out and I see open windows, but when I click them, it zooms back on a black screen.
I haven't really done any testing yet, planning on doing it tomorrow. So far I have only adjusted Screen Sleep time in Prefferences to 3 min, and trying to wake the screen right after it dims out - that was not a problem.
Also I did a PRAM and SMC reset and Repair Disc Permissions - but I intent to try them again.
I intend to test in another user tomorrow as the first thing and then maybe removing p-lists.
If any knows this problem and have a kbase article on it, it would be much appreciated.
//Chris

first to set the screen not to go to sleep click on the battery sign in the top toolbar.
then click on 'open energy saver...' if you can only see two different setting boxes (setting for... and optimization) click on the 'show details' button and change the slider to when you want the screen to turn off, and the computer to sleep...
now change the screen saver by clicking on 'system preferences' > 'desktop and screen saver' > screen saver, now change the slider to when you want the screen saver to come on.
hope this helps!

Similar Messages

HT3529 Message Notifications show up in lock mode when screen is on, but not showing on black screen (sleep mode).

My texts show up on my lock screen, but not on my black screen (sleep mode). They used to, but not anymore. I have "show messages in lock screen" turned on, but I don't see any options for sleep mode. I have banners turned on. All settings seem to be correct, but in order to see my messages I need to turn on my screen, which is frustrating b/c then I don't see messages when they are first sent. Any advice? Thanks.

Thanks for the response, but I've tried that and it doesn't work. I have friends and family who have their settings exactly the same as mine (including banner) and they get notifications in their sleep screen. It's all very odd.

Weird Black Box/Cursor Issue

Greetings,
I fell asleep watching a movie last night and when I wkoe up I had this weird Black Box issue that I can't get rid of. Normally I can come up with search terms to find an answer to the problem but I'm not even sure how to describe this. There is a Black Box outline, generally where the cursor was last, and, in the lower left corner, a black text box with a white outline and white text. At the moment the Black Box is around the Close Button for Firefox and the Black Text Box says "close button". Sometimes it will give a "command-shift-whatever" needed to activate that button. WHen I shift to a finder window it will tell me I am Currently on a Browser etc. Ad Nauseum. As I shift around it will highlight (with the black outline) whereever I am and continute to give me useless advice!!! How do I get rid of this?!?!?!?!???
Thanks for the time!!!
Geezer

BINGO!!! That solved the problem!!! Course there remains the mystery of *HOW* those button got pushed while I was sleeping.
Thanks Dominic!!!
Cheers,
Geezer

[Solved] Black screen - Installation issues on Dell Inspiron 1720

Hi,
I'm new to Archlinux, and i want to post my experience/issues of my first installation:
I performance the core installation (base + devel packages and wireless tools as extra package)
relevant hardware/drivers used:
b44 for broadcom nic (wired)
iwl3945 for my wireless nic
intel g965 graphics card (intel GM965 express chipset - xf86-video-intel driver)
Installation went ok till i had to upgrade the system:
pacman -Suy (after package synchronization)
glibc: /usr/bin/tzselect exists in filesystem
glibc: /usr/sbin/zdump exists in filesystem
glibc: /usr/sbin/zic exists in filesystem
After some research on the wiki i found that i had to query the packages to know if those files are owned by a program or not (if no pakcage owns those i could remove them, but it was not the case)
pacman -Qo tzselect
pacman -Qo zdump
pacman -Qo zic
All were owned by the package tzdata:
so i reinstalled the package tzdata:
pacman -S tzdata
Has this to be filed as a bug or is this a stupid newbie error? (did the installation on a virtual machine, on a laptop (twice) and always got this error)
After that i was able to upgrade the system.
Following that i installed the video card drivers:
pacman -S xf86-video-intel and i rebooted the system.
After reboot i got the grub screen, booted the system and got a black screen (last thing i saw as something like loading udevevents..)
Googling again and looking the forums here, i read that i had to chroot my environment and update the system again (pacman -Suy -> which did not help).
Soo after some more searching i found 2 things:
- https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/KM … odesetting : i added this in menu.lst: nomodeset
- i blacklisted the intel driver
Rebooted and i my graphics were working again.
So later on i'll test if the parameter solved my problem, or blacklisting the driver.
- i'll unblacklist the driver and reboot -> if it works then i know it's that parameter
- if not ok, i'll blacklist the driver and remove the parameter from the menu.lst
I hope to find what's causing the issue.
Anyone having issues with the intel driver?
Thanks for sharing your experience/info.
Last edited by Manuuz (2012-05-12 13:12:54)

Getting a little bit further, it requires a lot of configuration to get what you want..
- I just installed fluxbox
- added my user to the sudo group (allowing to reboot)
- installed Slim
What's i've noticed also is that when you select an interface in etc/rc.conf, for example, eth0, and it's not connected at bootup, you lose like 10 seconds before the boot process proceeds.
If you out-comment that line, you get a red line (error) saying that no interface is definded.
I guess i'll just have to disable the network daemon at startup and install some kind of network connection manager for my wireless at logon.

MSI R9 290 Gaming 4GB Black Screen/Freeze Issue

Hello All,
I just received my new MSI Radeon R9 290 Gaming. 4GB. It freezes/locks up upon booting into windows. If I do not install the drivers. It does not lock up. As soon as I install any driver, it goes to a black screen, and locks up. I have read the forums, and see a few other people have reported this issue. I have tried the following AMD Catalyst drivers 14.7(beta), 14.1, 13.2. All still have the same issue. I have tried installing the driver manually(via device manager) with out the CCC. I have also tried the native drivers from MSI's website. still same issue. Not sure what else to do here. I am using a CoolerMaster RS-850Watt power supply. Windows 8.1 Pro. Here are the rest of the details of my setup. Anyone know of a fix for this issue?

Hey guys, thanks for trying to help. I ended up going back to the retailer. memory express. They determined that the card was DOA. They exchanged it and provided me a new card. New card has no issues. thank you for the help.

Mac Pro weirdness, black screen on startup

2009 Macpro with Mavericks.
Running the machine off an ssd with a bootcamp partition, 3 other drives mostly for storage and time machine.
Sometimes, not often, when I restart into OS X after using win 7 in bootcamp the mac stalls on the apple screen, pressing the power button and restarting fixes this. Annoying.
Today we had a new one it just statred up onto a black screen, fans going, but no picture.
I did this a couple of times to no avail.
I pressed the power button to restart once more and just as I pressed it the screen came back to life.
So maybe a faulty power button or maybe a loose video card, I'll reseat the video card and see if it happens again.
So if you are having this problem, look into this.

Thanks for the replies. I'm on vacation at the moment and don't have the proper tools to remove the aluminum cover to get at the RAM.
Upon startup I hear a beep folowed by the optical (DVD) drive making some noise as if it wants to read a DVD but there is nothing in the drive. Then I get another beep followed by the optical drive noise. This happens cyclically like this indefinitely. I am using the laptop to charge my iphone. While it's beeping/cd drive is making noise I can still charge my iphone, so I think the battery is ok.
Thanks again for you help!

MacBook Pro (late 2011) black screen, resolution issue.

Hi. Please excuse my spelling and grammar as I'm asking this on my phone.
I have a pretty big issue regarding my Late 2011 MacBook Pro (15inch). Every time I start it up, it shows the apple logo with the pinwheel fine, but after that it just goes black, but the computer is still on and functioning, but no matter what I press it remains black. However, if I plug it into an external monitor (via my thunderbolt to HDMI) the screen turns blue for a second and then comes on, and it works. If I pull it out the screen goes blue and then goes black. Also, if I open photobooth, the screen works on its own without the external monitor, and if I close it, it stops working again. I've found out by taking a screenshot when the screen is black that the resolution is 2048x1536 (when it's black), but when it'a plugged into an external monitor, the resolution is as it should be.
I have tried many things, such as restoring, using disk utility, replacing the harddrive with a spare, resetting the PRAM. I haven't come across anyone who has had a similar issue yet. Could you help me out?

Hi. Please excuse my spelling and grammar as I'm asking this on my phone.
I have a pretty big issue regarding my Late 2011 MacBook Pro (15inch). Every time I start it up, it shows the apple logo with the pinwheel fine, but after that it just goes black, but the computer is still on and functioning, but no matter what I press it remains black. However, if I plug it into an external monitor (via my thunderbolt to HDMI) the screen turns blue for a second and then comes on, and it works. If I pull it out the screen goes blue and then goes black. Also, if I open photobooth, the screen works on its own without the external monitor, and if I close it, it stops working again. I've found out by taking a screenshot when the screen is black that the resolution is 2048x1536 (when it's black), but when it'a plugged into an external monitor, the resolution is as it should be.
I have tried many things, such as restoring, using disk utility, replacing the harddrive with a spare, resetting the PRAM. I haven't come across anyone who has had a similar issue yet. Could you help me out?

Nvidia drivers black screen blink

I use nouveau drivers because at first install, nvidia ones didn't allow X to start at all. They work fine, compiz included.
Now, I thought on giving nvidia ones a new oportunity, and they seemed to work fine, except for a weird black screen "blink" from time to time: when I log in, I see desktop background, then screen turns black for a second, then desktop and compiz load. When I load some web sites with flash in it, black screen for a second. It even happened once at nautilus open o_0
I am pretty sure I correctly configured xorg.conf, 10-monitor.conf and 20-nvidia.conf, is this a common issue or did I missed something?
BTW, video card is a Geforce 8400GS.

Maybe this is related.
Last edited by karol (2011-03-29 23:18:04)

Safari with 10.7.3 -Still no Screen Sleep Fix on HTML5 Video

Yesterdday 10.7.3 was released with new Safari and there is still NO fix for the Full Screen Sleep issue with HTML5 Video, whats wrong with you Apple, this bug is since Lion released with Safari,5.1 now 3 Versions later this small bug is still not fixed, but already known, i dont want to use Caffeine or such stuff, while Apple sugggests the Web to use HTML5 why is the support for basic Features so bad?

Solved!
A Workaround:
Get the Webkit Nightly Build , download and add to your App Folder, make it the Default browser, follow the instructions to show your homepage, after this you almost done, than download
RCDefaultApp, open System Preferences launch RCDefaultApp, go under Apps, search for Webkit and mark all all associations, Safari is no more dfeault for something, after this, go to Extensions Pane and search for the safariextz Extension, now set it to Webkit as well, now you are most up to date and Webkit updates more often than Safari ever did ^^
Enjoy

N97 camera won't start(just a black screen)

My N97 camera won't start just a black screen this issue since the update to the new firmware

ooooooooops so sorry about this, here it goes and start with the first code.
With all these operations I recommend you TAKE OUT MEMORY CARD and DO A BACK UP OF YOUR STUFF!!!
1. *#7780# - Restore factory settings - resets all the settings to the default ( you will not lose any data)
Make sure you back up your data as you will lose all of it when you perform option 2 or 3 on this list. The default code for ALL operations listed here is 12345
2. *#7370# - Reformat your phone (out of the box, tho keep in mind that most newer nokia phones at least n series, e series and s60 based phones have udp - user data preservation so not ALL data may be lost. still it is a good idea to always do a back up of your stuff.)
3. This you perform as a last resort. Nothing else is working.If the phone is not showing any activity, proceed with hard formatting , turn off your phone, hold the following buttons while pressing the power button. (the default code is 12345)
hard reset - hold the following buttons *, 3 (number button) and talk/green key. turn on the phone and do not release those buttons until you see the Nokia boot up screen. once you feel the phone power up you can let go off the power button while still holding all three buttons ( for Nokia 5800XM - use the following buttons to do a hard reset, GREEN/RED/CAMERA keys pressed all at once on power up. this will only work on 5800's that have firmware version 20... and up. ) For Nokia N97 (unofficial version but works) is SHIFT /SPACE BAR / BACKSPACE while holding the power button. Again do not let go until you see the handshake screen.
If these codes are not working the only thing for you to do is contact your Nokia Care Center/Service for assistance.
You know what I love about you the most, the fact that you are not me ! In love with technology and all that it can offer. Join me in discovery....

W520 random sleeping and black screens - videos of issue attached

Btw my mobo,cpu,memory i believe were all replaced last time i took it in with this issue...
Still getting it consistantly:
Random Black Screens and Random Sleeping:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvWl9ck26xI
Black Screen:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A3NqnC80iU
I thought before maybe its Bluetooth related as sometimes when screen would turn black and then come back, I would get a 'Bluetooth Device Not Discoverable'. So turned off Bluetooth in the BIOS, but still having display/sleep issues.
I removed hte Lenovo Power Manager/PM Driver, and turned off sleeping in the Windows power settings (in every setting including if Low Battery Action). Any ideas?
I just upgraded to a 3 year warranty (the more expensive one), should i just ask to replace mobo/cpu/memory again or will Lenovo actually test it for other issues?
Thanks,
Ari
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Well my issue wasn't an external monitor... it would goto sleep by itself when Im trying to write code/programming... then randomly wake and go back to sleep up constantly ruining workflow (or wait a few hours Im sleeping at odd times in the morning lol). or the monitor would turn black suddenly. I think I tested via external monitor but didn't matter what result was, the random sleeping issues indicated a larger issue.
It was a crimped connector the 1st time it went back to Lenovo. the past 4/5 times its gone back i think they are stumped. For me, Im honestly not sure... it might be the OS is on a mSATA instead of the regular hard drive and Windows doesnt know how to handle that hardware.
Their newer W540 manual seems to indicate do an OS on mSATA at your expense.
Do you have an mSATA OS? Anyway, thats a very small chance. not sure.

Sometimes when I open my laptop back from sleep, I get a black screen with the cursor showing.

Recently I've been getting this weird problem where my macbook air will show a black screen with only the cursor visible that I can move around but nothing else can be done to get to the desktop. The only way is to close the lid and wait for around 10 or more seconds and then open the lid again to bring the laptop back from sleep and hope that the laptop goes to the lock screen and then to the desktop. This works often but sometimes the only solution seems to be to restart the laptop. This also happens when I tilt the lid to the point where it is almost closed and when I tilt it back the screen presents the above state. Theis has been happening often now and it is almost impossible for the above not to happen atleast 2 to 3 times a day. iThis is a relatively new problem that has been occuring since the past two weeks or so and never happened to me on my Macbook Pro 15 2011. My current system is a Macbook Air 11" 2013 Haswell 1.3 Ghz 4GB RAM 256 GB SSD. Now I dont want to have to send in my laptop if I dont have to if there is a way I can solve this myself. Anybody else have this problem?

Hello tseten,
I would be concerned too if my MacBook Air was not waking from sleep appropriately. For an issue like this, I recommend resetting your System Management Controller (SMC) and NVRAM.
Resetting the SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own
Note: Portable computers that have a battery you should not remove on your own include MacBook Pro (Early 2009) and later, all models of MacBook Air, and MacBook (Late 2009).
Shut down the computer.
Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if its not already connected.
On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time.
Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.
Press the power button to turn on the computer.
Note: The LED on the MagSafe power adapter may change states or temporarily turn off when you reset the SMC.
You can find the full article here:
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964
Resetting NVRAM / PRAM
Shut down your Mac.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
Turn on the computer.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys before the gray screen appears.
Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
Release the keys.
You can find the full article here:
About NVRAM and PRAM
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Sheila M.

My Ipad (4?) screen went black but I can hear it. I tried hitting both the sstart button and sleep button for 10 seconds and the apple icon comes up, my screen saver shows for 1 second and it returns to black screen again. I can hear SIRI. How do I fix?

I had been using the IPAD and all of a sudden it started talking back to me and when swiping apps to close them they would not close. She (the IPAD) kept talking back to me such as "use three fingers" etc. Then the screen went blank and if I touched it I could get it to beep at various touch points. SIRI would also communicate, but the screen stayed black.
As was suggested here, I tried getting a reboot by holding the sleep key with the home key and after 10 seconds the apple logo shows and 5 seconds later my screen saver comes on for just one second, and then it goes back to a black screen. SIRI tells me shes not available and someone else, must be her sister, says things like 90%, 85%, 80% if I continually swipe the screen. Can anyone help me?

Hello, Juniorjr2.
Thank you for visiting Apple Support Communities.
This sounds like screen curtain may be enabled. Screen curtain is a feature that allows display privacy. To disable screen curtain while VoiceOver is enabled, you can three finger triple tap the screen to disable this feature. You may need to press the home button once in order to process these steps. If you wish to disable VoiceOver, see the link in the article below.
iOS: Configuring accessibility features
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5018
If the issue persists, try reaching out to us here.
Cheers,
Jason H.

Macbook Pro Early 2009 Randomly Sleeps / Black Screen While In use

My macbook pro Early 2009, randomly goes to sleep while I am using the computer, I first noticed it occuring while I was using the mini display adapter to a computer monitor, and using a second monitor and watching a movie, the screen would go blank and I would have to wake it from sleep for it to come back on, sometimes closing the lid, sometimes pressing the trackpad, or keyboard to get it to work again, sometimes it would go back to sleep within 1 minute of waking.
I assume the problem could have been from perhaps water damage, as I recently used a wet paper towel to clean my keyboard, and perhaps the paper towel was a little to moist, not overly but perhaps just enough to damage the sleep sensor. I am still unsure where that is located, the only other problem I have noticed with the computer is my [battery service indicator] notification has been on for the last year, but since I never used the battery, I always have it plugged in at the desk I never bothered getting it serviced. So
I'm assuming its the Sleep Sensor? but here is what I hace done, just to make sure its not software. I was orignaly running 10.8, and after being frustrated while watching a movie and having my computer sleep every 2 minutes, I whipped my hardrive, put 10.9 developers preview on a usb and installed that.
On 10.9 I can swipe with 3 fingers on the trackpad and the display appears but if i let go of the swipe it goes back to black screen.
I can see Icons like, brightness, and sound, when adjusting the levels, but screen is black behind the icons
The mouse pointer cursor is visible but the screen is black
I can move the mouse and hear system sounds, but screen is black. Now I have to actually restart the computer because It seems like I cannot wake it up at all.
So I formatted the hardrive again and
I tried reinstalling Leopard OSX , as that was the disc that came with the mac,
but have Same problems in 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8 I upgraged to developer 10.9 to see if the problem would fix, but still occurs.
I ran hardware diagnostic off the leopard disc 2, by pressing the D key on startup with disc in drive, extended hardware test reported no problems.
I SMC reset and PRAM reset, [control]+[option]+[shift]+[powerbutton] while computer is turned off with power plugged in
and after that failed I tried pressing [Option]+[Command]+[P]+[R] before startup chime, chime repeat let go of keys and it booted normally.
Then computer randomly sleeps while in use, while using safari and it has happened 3 times within 2 minutes of typing this.
I have downloaded a program called InsomniaX, and activated the disable sleep for Lid and Idle, but now the screen will randomly just go black and then turn back on, sometimes it will just black screen for 10 seconds and come back on, altho after changing some more of the settings It appears to be not as frequent. It hasen't gone to sleep since writing this entire paragraph, so thats a good sign.
I was going to take it into the apple store, and have them run diagnostics, but I hate going into those stores because of all the iphone people, crowding the place.
Well my screen just blacked and came back within 10 seconds on while I typing this line so InsomniaX didn't work. I hope having the sleep sensor replaced isn't too expensive, or if my model even has such a sensor.
I read on another topic that this problem can be replicated by users putting a magnet on their laptop, something like an iphone or a money clip or even having one of these in their pocket while using the macbook on their lap. I have not had anything near the computer, so I have a different problem.
Just thought Id document this, will let you know what happens after the diagnostic, I tried apple support, and they said I did more than they would have done, so he couldn't really tell me anything besides take it into genius bar, (is that what its still called) and have them run diagnostic, [note its different than the hardware test on the cd]
and my computer screen goes black again, wow..

Hi pictureswithPS, welcome to Apple Discussions!
1. I have an original late-2008 unibody MBP that was purchased a week after the introduction. I have never had a single "black screen of death" ever, and I do some gaming under OS X on my machine. The heat issues are, in my humble opinion, greatly exaggerated. Does the machine get warm? Yes. However, any computer with this much power in this thin of an enclosure is going to get warm. Mine has never crashed, frozen, black screened, etc. once.
2. I don't think PS is particularly intensive on the graphics card. It may use the graphics card, yes, but I don't think it will be quite as intensive as a 3D modeling application or 3D games. I would doubt you would ever run into problems anyway.
3. Lastly I am aware that their are tools to manage fan speed behavior - as a workaround to cool down temperatures. Using this software would it void the warranty that is provided by Apple?
No, it wouldn't likely void the warranty. However, if your fans die prematurely as a result of running them at high speeds for extended periods of time, I doubt Apple would be especially happy about replacing them. I do not use any 3rd party tools to manage my fans, and never will. It is simply not necessary.
--Travis

Black screen after login / after sleep

Hoping somebody can help, I've spent like the last two days straight at the genius bar without success. When I boot up I see my profile and the guest, it boots as normal (not the delayed boot with black screen others have mentioned), but then I log in, see my desktop, icons, and then the screen goes black.
If I let it sleep for a few hours, when I wake it up the screen is also black and there's nothing I can do except hold the power till it shuts down.
In both cases I can tell the computer is still on because the backlit keyboard stays lit.
I've tried resetting nvram, smc, deleting the library cache file, doing a is reinstall without wipe, and I only have one partition/HD so it's definitely the default boot disc.
I can boot into safe mode, and occasionally boot up regularly after being in safe mode for a bit.
I had the display replaced due to a physical defect just before this happened, but I also got 10.10.3, which I know has caused graphics glitches for other people.
Hope you guys have some ideas! Thank you!

Mac users often ask whether they should install "anti-virus" (AV) software. The usual answer is "no." That answer is right, but it may give the wrong impression that there is no threat from what are loosely called "viruses." There is a threat, and you need to educate yourself about it.
1. This is a comment on what you should—and should not—do to protect yourself from malicious software ("malware") that circulates on the Internet and gets onto a computer as an unintended consequence of the user's actions.
It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the computer, or who has been able to take control of it remotely. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. AV software is not intended to, and does not, defend against such attacks.
The comment is long because the issue is complex. The key points are in sections 5, 6, and 10.
OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user. Internally Apple calls it "XProtect."
The malware recognition database used by XProtect is automatically updated; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
The following caveats apply to XProtect:
☞ It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
☞ It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
As new versions of OS X are released, it's not clear whether Apple will indefinitely continue to maintain the XProtect database of older versions such as 10.6. The security of obsolete system versions may eventually be degraded. Security updates to the code of obsolete systems will stop being released at some point, and that may leave them open to other kinds of attack besides malware.
3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been a second layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't been checked for security by Apple unless it comes from the App Store, but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. That may not mean much if the developer lives in a country with a weak legal system (see below.)
Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
☞ It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
☞ A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
☞ An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.
Apple has taken far too long to revoke the codesigning certificates of some known abusers, thereby diluting the value of Gatekeeper and the Developer ID program. Those lapses don't involve App Store products, however.
For the reasons given, App Store products, and—to a lesser extent—other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. Sandbox security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.
4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is effective against known threats, but not against unknown ones. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.
5. The built-in security features of OS X reduce the risk of malware attack, but they are not, and never will be, complete protection. Malware is a problem of human behavior, not machine behavior, and no technological fix alone is going to solve it. Trusting software to protect you will only make you more vulnerable.
The best defense is always going to be your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "Trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and Internet criminals. If you're better informed than they think you are, you'll win. That means, in practice, that you always stay within a safe harbor of computing practices. How do you know when you're leaving the safe harbor? Below are some warning signs of danger.
Software from an untrustworthy source
☞ Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, doesn't come directly from the developer’s website. Do not trust an alert from any website to update Flash, or your browser, or any other software. A genuine alert that Flash is outdated and blocked is shown on this support page. Follow the instructions on the support page in that case. Otherwise, assume that the alert is fake and someone is trying to scam you into installing malware. If you see such alerts on more than one website, ask for instructions.
☞ Software of any kind is distributed via BitTorrent, or Usenet, or on a website that also distributes pirated music or movies.
☞ Rogue websites such as Softonic, Soft32, and CNET Download distribute free applications that have been packaged in a superfluous "installer."
☞ The software is advertised by means of spam or intrusive web ads. Any ad, on any site, that includes a direct link to a download should be ignored.
Software that is plainly illegal or does something illegal
☞ High-priced commercial software such as Photoshop is "cracked" or "free."
☞ An application helps you to infringe copyright, for instance by circumventing the copy protection on commercial software, or saving streamed media for reuse without permission. All "YouTube downloaders" are in this category, though not all are necessarily malicious.
Conditional or unsolicited offers from strangers
☞ A telephone caller or a web page tells you that you have a “virus” and offers to help you remove it. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
☞ A web site offers free content such as video or music, but to use it you must install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "downloader," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one.
☞ You win a prize in a contest you never entered.
☞ Someone on a message board such as this one is eager to help you, but only if you download an application of his choosing.
☞ A "FREE WI-FI !!!" network advertises itself in a public place such as an airport, but is not provided by the management.
☞ Anything online that you would expect to pay for is "free."
Unexpected events
☞ A file is downloaded automatically when you visit a web page, with no other action on your part. Delete any such file without opening it.
☞ You open what you think is a document and get an alert that it's "an application downloaded from the Internet." Click Cancel and delete the file. Even if you don't get the alert, you should still delete any file that isn't what you expected it to be.
☞ An application does something you don't expect, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
☞ Software is attached to email that you didn't request, even if it comes (or seems to come) from someone you trust.
I don't say that leaving the safe harbor just once will necessarily result in disaster, but making a habit of it will weaken your defenses against malware attack. Any of the above scenarios should, at the very least, make you uncomfortable.
6. Java on the Web (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style virus affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful.
Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.
Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it—not JavaScript—in your browsers.
Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a padlock icon in the address bar when visiting a secure site.
Stay within the safe harbor, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself.
7. Never install any commercial AV or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they are all worse than useless. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free security apps in the Mac App Store—nothing else.
Why shouldn't you use commercial AV products?
☞ To recognize malware, the software depends on a database of known threats, which is always at least a day out of date. This technique is a proven failure, as a major AV software vendor has admitted. Most attacks are "zero-day"—that is, previously unknown. Recognition-based AV does not defend against such attacks, and the enterprise IT industry is coming to the realization that traditional AV software is worthless.
☞ Its design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere. In order to meet that nonexistent threat, commercial AV software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
☞ By modifying the operating system, the software may also create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
☞ Most importantly, a false sense of security is dangerous.
8. An AV product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," has the same drawback as the commercial suites of being always out of date, but it does not inject low-level code into the operating system. That doesn't mean it's entirely harmless. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
An AV app is not needed, and cannot be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful, if at all, only for detecting Windows malware, and even for that use it's not really effective, because new Windows malware is emerging much faster than OS X malware.
Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else. A malicious attachment in email is usually easy to recognize by the name alone. An actual example:
London Terror Moovie.avi [124 spaces] Checked By Norton Antivirus.exe
You don't need software to tell you that's a Windows trojan. Software may be able to tell you which trojan it is, but who cares? In practice, there's no reason to use recognition software unless an organizational policy requires it. Windows malware is so widespread that you should assume it's in every email attachment until proven otherwise. Nevertheless, ClamXav or a similar product from the App Store may serve a purpose if it satisfies an ill-informed network administrator who says you must run some kind of AV application. It's free and it won't handicap the system.
The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have all the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.
9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.
10. As a Mac user, you don't have to live in fear that your computer may be infected every time you install software, read email, or visit a web page. But neither can you assume that you will always be safe from exploitation, no matter what you do. Navigating the Internet is like walking the streets of a big city. It can be as safe or as dangerous as you choose to make it. The greatest harm done by security software is precisely its selling point: it makes people feel safe. They may then feel safe enough to take risks from which the software doesn't protect them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.

Weird Black/Screen Sleep issue

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for