Google warning in Safari prefs - help

[Fank]

One of the imacs where I work can not google search, yahoo, and other select sites in Safari or Firefox. It can go to Apple homepage and some other sites.

I looked in Safari prefs/security and where it is checked for warn me about fradulent sites, there's a yellow triangle below it with exclamation point inside and the message: The Google Safe Browsing Service is unavailable. No updates have occurred in 1 day.

Any ideas what is going on?

If I do a google search of the problem on another imac, most of the suggested answers are that the computer is infected with spyware or virus.

I've already zapped the pram, reset Safari, cleared the cache, fixed permissions etc.


The co-worker says she has not installed any programs on the mac or downloaded anything.

[GGJstudios]

Originally Posted by Fank

One of the imacs where I work can not google search, yahoo, and other select sites in Safari or Firefox. It can go to Apple homepage and some other sites.

If you haven't already done so, try changing your DNS servers on your Mac and your router to OpenDNS servers. This will show you how: Why am I being redirected to other sites?

Also clear your browser cache and cookies again and restart your browser again.

Originally Posted by Fank

I looked in Safari prefs/security and where it is checked for warn me about fradulent sites, there's a yellow triangle below it with exclamation point inside and the message: The Google Safe Browsing Service is unavailable. No updates have occurred in 1 day.

That's quite common. It's nothing to worry about. It's possible an ad-blocker you have installed is interfering with access to the service.

Originally Posted by Fank

If I do a google search of the problem on another imac, most of the suggested answers are that the computer is infected with spyware or virus.

It has nothing to do with malware. The only way to get spyware on your Mac is if you install it yourself or give someone access to your computer to install it. There has never been a Mac OS X virus in the wild. There are a few trojans, but they can be avoided by practicing safe computing, including the tips in the following link:

Mac Virus/Malware FAQ

Originally Posted by Fank

I've already zapped the pram, reset Safari, cleared the cache, fixed permissions etc.

PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with your issues. Resetting it will not help.

About NVRAM and PRAM

Repairing permissions also won't have any effect on your issue.

[Fank]

GGJ Studios:

Thanks for your reply.

There's no ad blocker running, but I will try changing DNS server to opendns on that particular imac. None of the other imacs on the network are having any trouble getting through; only difference is they are running Snow Leopard and this particular iMac is still running Leopard.

Since nothing else was working I was trying anything at all (pram, etc). Am running Techtool Pro 6 at the moment . . .

[Fank]

Techtool couldn't find anything wrong either.

I opened Firefox on that Mac; it couldn't google search either, so I checked cookies and discovered a bunch of crap sites cookies apparently due to a nephew using the computer a few weeks ago. Deleted all cookies and all of a sudden got google back. Hadn't looked at Firefox previously as it had not been used by office staff.

Next pops up an ad for "Mackeeper."


heh

[GGJstudios]

Originally Posted by Fank

T
Next pops up an ad for "Mackeeper."

Unfortunately, that's not unusual. The developer is notorious for pervasive and invasive advertising.