Quick Flashes Of Mac Notification Indication Of Computer Being Hacked

How to remove 'Your iPhone Has Been Hacked' from Mac?

What is 'Your iPhone Has Been Hacked'?

'Your iPhone Has Been Hacked' is a scam promoted by deceptive websites. As the title implies, the scheme claims that users' devices have been compromised and were accessed without authorization. 'Your iPhone Has Been Hacked' promotes other scams, which endorse untrustworthy and possibly malicious software. Typically, users access deceptive webpages via redirects caused by intrusive adverts or by PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications), already infiltrated into the system. These apps do not need express user consent to be installed onto their devices.

When a site running this scheme is accessed, it presents visitors with a pop-up window. The text presented in the pop-up, states that users' iPhone has been hacked. Therefore, their actions are supposedly being tracked by cyber criminals. The scam informs users that they need to take immediate action. Once this window is closed, users are presented with various other scams that promote fake anti-virus software, adware, browser hijackers and other PUAs. However, it is not unlikely that the schemes may endorse trojans, ransomware, cryptominers and other malware. Therefore, trusting 'Your iPhone Has Been Hacked' and the scams it promotes - can result in system infections, financial losses, serious privacy issues and even identity theft. Additionally, users should note that no website can actually detect threats present on a device; hence, any that make such claims are scams.

Aside from force-opening deceptive/scam, sale-oriented, rogue, compromised and malicious sites, PUAs can have other/additional abilities. They can run intrusive advertisement campaigns. These ads diminish the browsing experience. Furthermore, once clicked on - they redirect to untrustworthy/malicious websites and some can even stealthily download/install unwanted software. Other types of PUAs can hijack browsers by making modifications to their settings and restricting/denying access to them - in order to promote illegitimate search engines. The latter are rarely capable of providing search results, so they redirect to Yahoo, Google, Bing and other legitimate search engines. Most PUAs can track data. They can monitor browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and gather personal information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This vulnerable data is often shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals), intent on misusing it for profit. To ensure device integrity and user safety, all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins must be removed without delay.

Apr 29, 2019 It states that the affected Mac computer's registration key is blocked for one or more of the following reasons: the registration key is illegal; there is some illegal software installed on the Mac; the computer is proliferating viruses; or; it has been hacked and being used from an undefined location. No one likes getting hacked, and it’s generally true that the quicker you can spot something has gone awry, the better your chances of minimizing the damage. These are the main warning signs to.

Threat Summary:
Name	'Your iPhone Has Been Hacked' pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus
Fake Claim	Scam claims users' iPhones have been hacked
Promoted Unwanted Application	Scam promotes various dubious apps
Symptoms	Your Mac becomes slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious websites.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers, torrent file downloads.
Damage	Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites, loss of private information.
Malware Removal (Mac)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited three days free trial available.

'Apple Rewards Program', '(3) Viruses has been detected', 'Your Apple iPhone is severely damaged by 19 viruses!' and 'Your Apple iPhone is severely damaged by (6) viruses!' are a few examples of other scams targeting iPhone users. Online schemes can use various scam models. Popular models include (but are not limited to): alerts that the device is infected or at risk, notifications concerning outdated or missing software, fake prize giveaways, ludicrous deals, etc. Regardless of what these scams state, request, offer or demand, the end-goal is the same - to generate revenue for their designers. Therefore, users are advised to exercise caution when browsing.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Some PUAs have 'official' download webpages, which are often promoted by deceptive/scam sites. These apps can also be downloaded/installed alongside other software. 'Bundling' is the term used to define this false marketing method of pre-packing ordinary products with unwanted or malicious additions. Rushed download/installation processes (e.g. ignored terms, skipped steps, etc.) - increase the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the system. Intrusive ads proliferate PUAs as well. Upon being clicked, they can execute scripts designed to download/install PUAs without user permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

All products should be researched before download/installation. It is recommended to always use official and verified download channels. Unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders - commonly offer deceptive and/or bundled content; therefore, they are advised against use. When downloading/installing, it is important to read terms, study all possible options, use the 'Custom/Advanced' settings and opt-out from supplementary apps, tools, features, and so on. Intrusive adverts typically appear legitimate and harmless, however they redirect to highly questionable pages (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating and others). Should users experience such advertisements/redirects, they must check the system and immediately remove all dubious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins from it. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in the 'Your iPhone Has Been Hacked' scam:

Your iPhone Has Been Hacked

All your actions on the device are tracked by a hacker.

Immediate Action Is Required!

To enable pop-up blocking, fraudulent website warnings, and remove web browsing data in mobile Apple devices, follow these steps:

First, go to 'Settings', and then scroll down to find and tap 'Safari'.

Check if the 'Block Pop-ups' and 'Fraudulent Website Warning' toggles are enabled. If not, enable them immediately. Then, scroll down and tap 'Advanced'.

Tap 'Website Data' and then 'Remove All Website Data'.

Instant automatic Mac malware removal:Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced computer skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Mac malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for MacBy downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited three days free trial available.

Quick menu:

STEP 1. Remove PUA related files and folders from OSX.
STEP 2. Remove rogue extensions from Safari.
STEP 3. Remove rogue add-ons from Google Chrome.
STEP 4. Remove potentially unwanted plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox.

Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:

Potentially unwanted applications removal:

Remove potentially unwanted applications from your 'Applications' folder:

Click the Finder icon. In the Finder window, select 'Applications'. In the applications folder, look for 'MPlayerX','NicePlayer', or other suspicious applications and drag them to the Trash. After removing the potentially unwanted application(s) that cause online ads, scan your Mac for any remaining unwanted components.

Combo Cleaner checks if your computer is infected with malware. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited three days free trial available.

Remove 'your iphone has been hacked' pop-up related files and folders:

Click the Finder icon, from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...

Check for adware-generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchAgents

In the “LaunchAgents” folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - “installmac.AppRemoval.plist”, “myppes.download.plist”, “mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist”, “kuklorest.update.plist”, etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the same string.

Check for adware generated files in the /Library/Application Support folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/Application Support

In the “Application Support” folder, look for any recently-added suspicious folders. For example, “MplayerX” or “NicePlayer”, and move these folders to the Trash.

Check for adware-generated files in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder:

In the Go to Folder bar, type: ~/Library/LaunchAgents

Check for adware-generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchDaemons

In the “LaunchDaemons” folder, look for recently-added suspicious files. For example “com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist”, “com.myppes.net-preferences.plist”, 'com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist”, “com.avickUpd.plist”, etc., and move them to the Trash.

Scan your Mac with Combo Cleaner:

If you have followed all the steps in the correct order you Mac should be clean of infections. To be sure your system is not infected run a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus. Download it HERE. After downloading the file double click combocleaner.dmg installer, in the opened window drag and drop Combo Cleaner icon on top of the Applications icon. Now open your launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon. Wait until Combo Cleaner updates it's virus definition database and click 'Start Combo Scan' button.

Combo Cleaner will scan your Mac for malware infections. If the antivirus scan displays 'no threats found' - this means that you can continue with the removal guide, otherwise it's recommended to remove any found infections before continuing.

After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.

'Your iPhone Has Been Hacked' pop-up removal from Internet browsers:

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Remove 'your iphone has been hacked' pop-up related Safari extensions:

Open Safari browser, from the menu bar, select 'Safari' and click 'Preferences...'.

In the preferences window, select 'Extensions' and look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions. When located, click the 'Uninstall' button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Safari browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.

If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.

Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Remove 'your iphone has been hacked' pop-up related Mozilla Firefox add-ons:

Open your Mozilla Firefox browser. At the top right corner of the screen, click the 'Open Menu' (three horizontal lines) button. From the opened menu, choose 'Add-ons'.

Choose the 'Extensions' tab and look for any recently-installed suspicious add-ons. When located, click the 'Remove' button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Mozilla Firefox browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.

If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Remove 'your iphone has been hacked' pop-up related Google Chrome add-ons:

Open Google Chrome and click the 'Chrome menu' (three horizontal lines) button located in the top-right corner of the browser window. From the drop-down menu, choose 'More Tools' and select 'Extensions'.

In the 'Extensions' window, look for any recently-installed suspicious add-ons. When located, click the 'Trash' button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Google Chrome browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.

If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

How to remove This Mac computer is BLOCKED from Mac?

What is This Mac computer is BLOCKED?

'This Mac computer is BLOCKED' is just one of many fake messages (virus alerts, errors, warnings, etc.) that appear on untrustworthy websites. Note that users do not often visit these websites intentionally - they are redirected to them by potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) that are installed inadvertently. PUAs cause redirects to untrustworthy websites (such as those that display fake messages), collect data, and deliver ads.

When arriving at this untrustworthy website, it displays a fake virus alert message, supposedly sent by Apple. It states that the affected Mac computer's registration key is blocked for one or more of the following reasons: the registration key is illegal; there is some illegal software installed on the Mac; the computer is proliferating viruses; or; it has been hacked and being used from an undefined location. The scammers claim that the computer is blocked for your safety, and to prevent data theft or other possible problems, you must contact Apple 'security support' via the the telephone number provided ('1-855-634-6777', supposedly toll free). Note that Apple has nothing to do with this scam and the number will not connect you with Apple support. These warnings and alerts of illegal registry keys and viruses are simply attempts to trick users into paying the scammers by purchasing products or services that will supposedly activate your computer or resolve other problems. In this situation, you should simply ignore the message. Close the website that caused this fake message and do not return to it. If you cannot close it, use Activity Monitor to terminate the entire browser process, or restart your computer. Do not restore the previous session when you reopen your browser, since this will also reopen the deceptive website/s that originally caused the issue.

Potentially unwanted applications often lead users to websites on which these fake messages are displayed. PUAs also deliver rogue advertisements, such as coupons, banners, surveys, and so on. Clicking them can result in redirects to untrustworthy sites, or some might execute scripts designed to download other PUAs. Furthermore, most of these ads are displayed through tools that enable placement of third party graphical content on any site and conceal underlying content. Some PUAs collect data such as IP addresses, search queries, URLs of visited websites, geo-locations, keystrokes, and so on. This information might contain personal or sensitive details that are shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse private data to generate revenue. These data tracking apps often cause privacy issues, browsing safety problems, or even identity theft.

Threat Summary:
Name	'This Mac computer is BLOCKED' virus
Threat Type	Mac malware, Mac virus
Symptoms	Your Mac became slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you get redirected to shady websites.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers, torrent file downloads.
Damage	Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites, loss of private information.
Malware Removal (Mac)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited three days free trial available.

Apple Support Alert POP-UP, VIRUS ALERT FROM APPLE POP-UP, Your Mac Might Be Infected! are just some of the many similar scams prevalent online. Most these fake messages attempt to trick users into paying for services or products that supposedly help to resolve system problems. PUAs are similar and, typically, are promoted as offering 'useful' tools or features. In this way, many users are tricked into downloading and installing them. Note, however, that PUAs provide none of the functionality promised and only cause problems.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Potentially unwanted applications can be downloaded from their official websites, however, they more commonly infiltrate systems without direct permission. Software developers proliferate them using intrusive ads and a deceptive marketing method called 'bundling' - stealth installation of unwanted applications with regular software. Developers are not honest enough to disclose information about installation of potentially unwanted apps, and thus most are concealed within 'Custom', 'Advanced' and other similar settings of the download/installation processes. Furthermore, many users click various ads and skip download or installation steps. This behaviour leads to inadvertent installation of potentially unwanted apps.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Users are responsible for their online and computer safety. To avoid PUA installations, carefully analyze each step of the download/installation processes (check the 'Advanced', 'Custom', and other similar settings) and decline offers to download or install additional (bundled) applications. You are advised to use official and trustworthy sources when downloading software. Avoid using third party downloaders, since developers monetize them by promoting rogue software. Do not use unofficial websites (or other untrustworthy sources). If you encounter ads that redirect you to untrustworthy websites (such as pornography, gambling, adult dating, and so on), check installed extensions, add-ons, and plug-ins on your browsers, and programs on your computer. Remove all unwanted/unknown extensions and programs immediately. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in 'This Mac computer is BLOCKED' scam:

VIRUS ALERT FROM APPLE

This Mac computer is BLOCKED

Apple Security Tollfree: 1-855-634-6777

Appearance of 'This Mac computer is BLOCKED' scam (GIF):

Another variant of 'This Mac computer is BLOCKED' tech support pop-up scam:

Text presented in this variant:

VIRUS ALERT FROM APPLE
This Mac computer is BLOCKED

Do not close this warning or restart your Mac
Your Mac's registration key is Blocked.
Why we blocked your Mac Computer?
The Mac's registration key is illegal.
This Mac is using pirated software.
This Mac is sending virus over the internet.
This Mac is hacked or used from undefined location.
We block this Mac for your security.
Contact Apple helpline to reactivate your Mac.
Apple Support Alert
Your System Detected Some Unusual Activity.
It might harm your Mac's data and track your financial activities.
Please report this activity to +1-877-290-1999