malware alert

[ghanwani]

Today I visited a website after a long time (many months) and I got the attached error. It seems to think my computer is infected with malware. Doing a search, I came across this page at Apple:
https://support.apple.com/guide/security/protecting-against-malware-sec469d47bd8/web
which seems to suggest I don't need to be concerned about malware.

I am running the latest version of macOS Big Sur and Google Chrome.

Do I need to take the warning from the website seriously? If so, is there a recommended tool for scanning for malware?

Thanks.

 

[KaliYoni]

is there a recommended tool for scanning for malware?

I use the free version of Malwarebytes. I learned about it several years ago on a Mac troubleshooting website, MacInTouch, which used to have a very active and knowledgeable user community (the site owner recently turned it into a blog, due to revenue problems).

Cyber Security Software and Anti-Malware | Malwarebytes

Protect your home and business PCs, Macs, iOS and Android devices from the latest cyber threats and malware, including ransomware.

www.malwarebytes.com

And a related thread here:

Security Protection on Mac. How?

There are indications Apple may be ending support of two anti-malware components of macOS, XProtect and MRT, that are critical parts of pre-Monterey OS's: "If I were still reliant on Big Sur or any previous version of macOS, I think I’d use that time to try out some third-party protection, just...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[yitwail]

I am running the latest version of macOS Big Sur and Google Chrome.

Do I need to take the warning from the website seriously? If so, is there a recommended tool for scanning for malware?

I'm running Big Sur 11.6.1 and Chrome 96.0.4664.55 and did not see the warning you received. But assuming you didn't click I'm not a robot, you might try visiting the site in another browser, such as Safari, and if you don't get the warning, it might be something like a Chrome extension that's triggering the warning. FYI, I visited the site in Safari also, and again received no warning.

 

[ghanwani]

I'm running Big Sur 11.6.1 and Chrome 96.0.4664.55 and did not see the warning you received. But assuming you didn't click I'm not a robot, you might try visiting the site in another browser, such as Safari, and if you don't get the warning, it might be something like a Chrome extension that's triggering the warning. FYI, I visited the site in Safari also, and again received no warning.

I tried it incognito and indeed, it let me in without a warning. I think I will clear my cache and see if it fixes the problem.

Edit: Actually, after trying it incognito, it seems to be working even with the regular browser now with no warning. Weird.

 

[Ruggy]

For some reason it wants to check that you are really a human. This can happen for example if you are on a VPN or if your ISP provider is for some reason bouncing you from a site that doesn't match with your ISP address (I don't know where you are but say you were in Manhattan and for some reason your provider is today using servers in New Jersey because local ones are under maintenance). Something like that. Or you could be blocking cookies even.
Or, it could be just a random check
So it wants you to prove you are a person rather than a bot for some reason. It has no idea at all if your machine has malware and it isn't really suggesting that you have just that something simple it is looking for doesn't quite match.
I wouldn't worry about it- not for that reason anyway.