OH NO!! Not a virus.

[BebeDahling]

I hope this does not show up more than once. Pardon me if it does. I am running a MacBook Pro Mojave 10.14.6. I have recently heard that a virus has penetrated the levels of Apples security and they do not know how long it has been there. Two questions.
1) Is this true?
2) If yes, what is the recommendation for a virus program to scan and delete this and keep it running now that the Mac is now not able to be hacked again?

As I have just been "compromised" by Facebook, one of the lucky 2.5M people, I am on high alert. I have been working for 4 weeks to clean that mess up.

All, my Windows desk was "compromised and I was able to get my files and the computer is dead. They were able to power it off at will. I couldn't pull multiple file to back up to external hard drive as it would it magically shut down. The even downgraded thee version that I was running after I used my system back up. There are some sick puppies out there.

I purchased a new Mac Desktop but it is not installed. If I am going have to watch for some whacko to get through the powerful anti-virus Mac has, I won't be able to sleep nights.

Also, I tried to back up my laptop and it didn't finish. I went to look at the TM program as it was still active and it had 9,700 interrupts. I had. nothing else running except Time Machine and has set the screen power down to never. What is that all about? I have backed up before without a problem. Have I gone senile and forgotten how to do it properly

I guess I asked two questions that might have needed to be on a separate string elsewhere. Just please have mercy and know that I have 4 weeks of trying to fix this breech. New bank account, new phone number, you name it. I am now off all Google products. And now my Mac could be as I am, with a target on it' back.

I appreciate any help you can give me on the "two" problems.

Respectfully,

Bebe

 

[Apple_Robert]

To my knowledge, there are no Mac viruses in the wild. There is Malware, which is not the same thing. The Mac has built-in Malware protection. If you are concerned and want to make sure you don't have any Malware, download Malwarebytes. It will take less than 30 seconds for it to scan your Mac.

If you transfer for files back and forth between Windows and Mac, a Windows virus won't be able to cause your Mac harm.

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

edited to add: I hope you deleted your FB account, Bebe.

 

[casperes1996]

Also, I tried to back up my laptop and it didn't finish. I went to look at the TM program as it was still active and it had 9,700 interrupts. I had. nothing else running except Time Machine and has set the screen power down to never. What is that all about? I have backed up before without a problem. Have I gone senile and forgotten how to do it properly

Dunno what you used to check interrupts, but if it's interrupts in the technical sense, it's very expected to have a high number of interrupts, and 9,700 is very low for a long-running process. Interrupts constantly happen for the OS to handle things or change actively running programs, etc. Every network packet is essentially an interrupt. Every tick of the clock in the system is an interrupt

If you're backing up to a network drive, I'd just say try again and don't worry about it. Could've just been a flaky connection

 

[Fishrrman]

Download MalwareBytes and run it:

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

IMPORTANT:
Select the "home" option.
It's a FREE download

IMPORTANT:
You DO NOT NEED TO BUY A SUBSCRIPTION to run MalwareBytes.
It will run FOREVER IN FREE MODE.
When you open it, IGNORE the button to "Upgrade Now" or "Activate License".
Just click "Scan".
Again, you DO NOT have to buy the pay-for version!

 

[Starfia]

Hi, Bebe,

"A virus has penetrated the levels of Apples security" sounds direr than anything I've heard reported. There have been occasional stories about vulnerabilities in Apple software. That doesn't mean any harm has been done. The worst case is that given extremely favourable situations and circumstances for an attacker, they might be able to exploit the vulnerability given the appropriate technical background and knowledge of the vulnerability. In many of those cases, the attacker needs physical possession of your computer. For almost everyone, that's just not going to happen, and a vulnerability in macOS will typically be fixed in the next system update from Apple.

None of that equals the existence of a virus. A virus is something more like an app that, when run, attempts to copy itself to other computers with the goal of being run on those too. I'm not aware of anything like that anywhere on Apple platforms.

"Malware" is like an app that works against you, disguised as an app that works for you. Malwarebytes is recommended for scanning your system to see whether you have any known malware on your system; possibly because you were tricked into downloading and installing it.

 

[Boyd01]

Perhaps this is what the OP is talking about? But as that article says: "there is no evidence to suggest the new malware has delivered a malicious payload."

Nearly 40,000 Macs infected by mysterious malware, researchers say

Mysterious malware has infected nearly 40,000 Mac devices, according to the cybersecurity firm Red Canary, which first detected the threat.

abcnews.go.com

IMPORTANT:
You DO NOT NEED TO BUY A SUBSCRIPTION to run MalwareBytes.

You have posted this frequently and obviously feel that MalwareBytes is useful. So, I'm curious as to why you are so insistent that people shouldn't pay for it? I mean, we all like free stuff and if the cost would represent some kind of hardship then it's great that you can use it for free. But if you can afford it, why not support the developer of such a useful utility?

 

[MBAir2010]

no virus, some big shot one at just Apple does not regard their software for mac
secure as they promise and boasted about these past years.

You have posted this frequently and obviously feel that MalwareBytes is useful. So, I'm curious as to why you are so insistent that people shouldn't pay for it? I mean, we all like free stuff and if the cost would represent some kind of hardship then it's great that you can use it for free. But if you can afford it, why not support the developer of such a useful utility?

why waste money on software that apple provides for free?

 

[MBAir2010]

and dont feel bad if you were hacked, even the most secure pipeline software gets infiltrated.
now THEY should use malware bytes, but them seem careless now.

 

[Fishrrman]

Boyd wrote:
"You have posted this frequently and obviously feel that MalwareBytes is useful. So, I'm curious as to why you are so insistent that people shouldn't pay for it?"

Because MalwareBytes apparently ENDORSES use of "the free version".
If they didn't, they would have a limited-time "trial period" in which to use it.

But... they didn't do that.
THEY "made it free"... not me.

THAT'S WHY I advise folks to use the free version (and will continue to post that exact message every time I see an unsophisticated user who's afraid they've "contracted a Mac virus").

Because MalwareBytes SUPPORTS it.

(If folks want to pay for the "real-time" upgrade, that's fine with me.)

 

[BebeDahling]

Thank you all for you responses. I just had my renewal for Malware bytes and went online to see ratings of the top 10 software out there. Malware bytes was #6. Any suggestions, if you fee that malware can slip through Apple's protection?

I am very, very happy I misunderstood what I had heard.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thank you all for you responses. I just had my renewal for Malware bytes and went online to see ratings of the top 10 software out there. Malware bytes was #6. Any suggestions, if you fee that malware can slip through Apple's protection?

I am very, very happy I misunderstood what I had heard.

Apple will probably actively support Mojave until the end of the year. Until that time, you have Malware protection automatically from Apple. Afterwards, it would be a good idea to run Malwarebytes once a month. There is no harm in running in now if you like. Any other program on the list you were looking at is going to be unnecessary bloatware that may cause more trouble than anything else.

 

[casperes1996]

Apple will probably actively support Mojave until the end of the year. Until that time, you have Malware protection automatically from Apple. Afterwards, it would be a good idea to run Malwarebytes once a month. There is no harm in running in now if you like. Any other program on the list you were looking at is going to be unnecessary bloatware that may cause more trouble than anything else.

Apple also passively updates the XProtect database after the OS exits its support window, and very critical security updates sometimes still get pushed to older operating systems that aren't supported anymore. The lower priority ones may be ignored though so yeah, it's still higher risk but even a few (not many, just a few) years after an OS leaves its support window I won't be that afraid of it getting any malware, even in production

 

[Apple_Robert]

Apple also passively updates the XProtect database after the OS exits its support window, and very critical security updates sometimes still get pushed to older operating systems that aren't supported anymore. The lower priority ones may be ignored though so yeah, it's still higher risk but even a few (not many, just a few) years after an OS leaves its support window I won't be that afraid of it getting any malware, even in production

Good point. I thought about saying the same thing but, didn't want to worry her over whether or not Apple had her updated enough once Mojave wasn't officially supported.

 

[mi7chy]

I hope this does not show up more than once. Pardon me if it does. I am running a MacBook Pro Mojave 10.14.6. I have recently heard that a virus has penetrated the levels of Apples security and they do not know how long it has been there. Two questions.
1) Is this true?
2) If yes, what is the recommendation for a virus program to scan and delete this and keep it running now that the Mac is now not able to be hacked again?

Probably the Solarwinds supply-chain attack that affected a lot of top level government and corporations. Probably won't hear about until the next trial when documents leak the details like with the iPhone hack leak from current Epic trial.

https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat...chain-compromises-with-sunburst-backdoor.html

https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7b...ils-about-the-biggest-iphone-hack-of-all-time

If you understand the Solarwinds attack you'll need more than Malwarebytes such as a way to deny unknown outbound network connections by default until reviewed and explicitly allowed.

 

[maternidad]

You have posted this frequently and obviously feel that Virusterabits is useful. So, I'm curious as to why you are so insistent that people shouldn't pay for it? I mean, we all like free stuff and if the cost would represent some kind of hardship then it's great that you can use it for free. But if you can afford it, why not support the developer of such a useful utility?

The purpose of the messages is evidently that people download Virusterabits (uncommon name used due to trademark concerns). Perhaps @fisherman thought that the omission of such a detail would reduce their efficacy. I believe that's a correct belief. What you criticize for being unfavorable for the developer could be, instead, beneficial. I find probable that that, as @fisherman mentioned, MalwareBytes apparently ENDORSES use of "the free version", is indicative of it being so.

@Boyd

 

[iluvmacs99]

I hope this does not show up more than once. Pardon me if it does. I am running a MacBook Pro Mojave 10.14.6. I have recently heard that a virus has penetrated the levels of Apples security and they do not know how long it has been there. Two questions.
1) Is this true?
2) If yes, what is the recommendation for a virus program to scan and delete this and keep it running now that the Mac is now not able to be hacked again?

I appreciate any help you can give me on the "two" problems.

Respectfully,

Bebe

Hi Bebe,

Any platform can be compromised by Malware or a Virus, though Apple's gatekeeper is slightly better than Windows's Defender in regards to preventing something like this from happening.

I play the devil's advocate here. Have you considered that the best virus and malware prevention is yourself?

There is no such thing as the ultimate best virus and malware protection either by Apple or anyone. Otherwise, why did Quanta Computer got compromised by Ransomware when they are the contractor of Apple Inc? And recently, Ransonware hit the Colonial Pipeline that disrupted the supply chain of gas in several US states! Why if they are protected by the best IT security experts?!? So why did they fail to protect their own intellectual property?

That's because, they relied upon a passive approach, which is relying on fortifying their defenses to repel all borders, but you see, hackers who created viruses and malware behave like a real virus, a real bacteria. They seek to find the weakest link in any defense, because there will ALWAYS be a weakest link. This is known as a vector of attack and hackers like a real virus/bacteria exploit the easiest vector of attack to infect the host by circumventing all defenses.

Mac's Gatekeeper is very good and it does what it supposed to do. But the Gatekeeper itself can't do everything. It also needs your cooperation, your vigilance and awareness that anything you do say on Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and other social media platforms are possible points of vector attacks. They are made so because hackers know you trust your friends, so if they infect your friends or close associates, they can infect you! And usually that is the trust that hackers seek in you to lower your guard down, to lower your security awareness and allow the hackers to get to you, to manipulate you to allow things to play or download by tricking you to lower the security effectiveness of Gatekeeper. And they will use your friends' files, accounts or anything to get you to lower your security effectiveness. So even if you spend so much money fortifying your machine, there is always a potential that if you still conduct activities that got you infected once, then there is a higher potential that the same activities will get you infected again! No virus/malware security system can ensure 100% protection. That isn't a possibility, not even with the vaccine we have to counter COVID19. Having said that, my advice is to examine your social media usage and how you can limit and or eliminate future infections, because if there is something in you that allowed them to get you to infect your system, then it's something in you that is allowing that.

More than 90% of the problem with security breaches is attributed to user error and no security system can prevent user error. Even the world's best alarm system can't stop a burglar from stealing things in anyone's home if the person decides to advertise his/her wealth to the world through social media.

 

[Thirio2]

I second what iluvmacs99 said. I worked for a major oil company and they were so concerned that someone would open a malicious file from some outside source that they would occasionally send clickbait by way of an external address to see who would fall victim to the temptation and click, and who would forward to IT as a suspicious email. Even though they advertised they were going to do this, there were always folks who took the bait. I have a relative who works in computer security, and he constantly emphasizes that you are the best security device.

 

[Cayenne1]

I've never had a Virus protection on any Mac beginning with my 1984 Mac. Never had a virus.

That said, there may be one that shows up in the Mac world that's serious some day. In that event, it's doubtful that any current Mac Anti-virus program will catch it until after its in the wild.

By the way, where there any Macs involved in the Colonial Pipeline fiasco? Maybe a good defense is to replace Windows machines with Macs. Just wondering.

 

[Big Bad D]

Download MalwareBytes and run it:

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

IMPORTANT:
Select the "home" option.
It's a FREE download

IMPORTANT:
You DO NOT NEED TO BUY A SUBSCRIPTION to run MalwareBytes.
It will run FOREVER IN FREE MODE.
When you open it, IGNORE the button to "Upgrade Now" or "Activate License".
Just click "Scan".
Again, you DO NOT have to buy the pay-for version!

Agreed you do not have to buy Malwarebytes subscription, and that’s great advice for occasional users of this valued app. But if recommended so much, why shouldn’t it make sense to support the developer with payment?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Someone explain to me the reasoning for suggesting people download and install and app like Malwarebytes, when MacOS already offers real time multi-level Malware threat protection etc. There is no need for redundant third party software in this situation that I can see.

Protecting against malware in macOS

In macOS, malware defenses are structured using the followingApp Store, or Gatekeeper combined with Notarization, and XProtect.

support.apple.com