Skype has infected Chrome like a virus, I need rid of it!!

[big_malk]

I've installed Skype, and it seems to have added some sort of extension into Chrome that replaces phone numbers in web pages with 'Click to call with Skype' links.
I'm a web developer and this is playing havoc with websites I'm working on right now, replacing text field numeric values with HTML and generally driving me up the wall.
Worst of all, I wasn't asked if I wanted this, and I can't for the life of me find a way to remove it. I can't see any option in Skype, it's not listed in the Chrome extensions page, and I can't find any reference to Skype in /Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome or ~/Libary/...

Has anyone else found a way to rid their Mac of this horrendous piece of malware?!

 

[munkery]

This Microsoft produced malware can be removed as follows:

1) Type "about: plugins” in the address bar.

2) Disable the “Skype Toolbar”.

 

[big_malk]

This Microsoft produced malware can be removed as follows:

1) Type "about: plugins” in the address bar.

2) Disable the “Skype Toolbar”.

There's no mention of Skype on that page, or on chrome://chrome/extensions/.

I've searched all the usual places, and through the actual plugins directory in Finder, and cannot find any mention of Skype at all

 

[Realistiic]

Not sure about mac's but on my windows laptop this is a programme more than a plugin I had to uninstall.

 

[big_malk]

Not sure about mac's but on my windows laptop this is a programme more than a plugin I had to uninstall.

I've just removed Skype and all the associated files AppZapper could find, restarted, and it's STILL screwing up websites. I really cannot believe how much trouble this has caused me, even if I remove Skype I can't get rid of this?!

I'm seeing the same links in Safari though, is there some other type of plugin that could be affecting both and not be showing up in Chrome?! I've checked everywhere in /Library and ~/Library that looks even remotely relevant and cannot find anything

 

[munkery]

I downloaded and searched within the Skype Click to Call for Mac installer.

The "install.sh" file lists the install location as "/Library/Application Support/Skype Click To Call"

Have you deleted that folder?

 

[GGJstudios]

I've just removed Skype and all the associated files AppZapper could find, restarted, and it's STILL screwing up websites.

In most cases, app removal software such as AppZapper doesn't do a thorough job of finding and removing files/folders related to deleted apps. For more information, read this and this. If you just want to delete the app, drag the .app file to the trash. No other software needed. If you want to completely remove all associated files/folders, no removal apps will do the job.

The most effective method for complete app removal is manual deletion:

Best way to FULLY DELETE a program​

 

[naixn]

On the Mac, Click to Call is not installed by Skype itself, so surely you must have downloaded it and installed it, or another app did. But Skype didn't.

Also, Click To Call only targets Safari (there's not Mac Chrome version as of yet), which would explain you're not seing the extension in Chrome.

Have you tried to see if the Skype Click To Call preference pane has been installed? If yes, you can uninstall it from there .

 

[munkery]

On the Mac, Click to Call is not installed by Skype itself, so surely you must have downloaded it and installed it, or another app did. But Skype didn't.

Also, Click To Call only targets Safari (there's not Mac Chrome version as of yet), which would explain you're not seing the extension in Chrome.

Have you tried to see if the Skype Click To Call preference pane has been installed? If yes, you can uninstall it from there .

I think that Click to Call also is installed silently with Skype in more recent versions. Plugins for Safari, Chrome, and Firefox are installed with Skype.

 

[colourfastt]

I think that Click to Call also is installed silently with Skype in more recent versions. Plugins for Safari, Chrome, and Firefox are installed with Skype.

Sounds like a typical Microsoft "virus".

 

[naixn]

I think that Click to Call also is installed silently with Skype in more recent versions. Plugins for Safari, Chrome, and Firefox are installed with Skype.

As a member of the Skype for Mac team, I can tell you for sure that, no, on the Mac, Click to Call is *not* installed silently with any current version of Skype.

Also, Click To Call for Mac is only compatible with Safari as of today.

 

[big_malk]

I've never manually installed the Click to call plugin, and it's folder doesnt exist in /App support. And if it doesn't work on Chrome, I guess it just can't be that.
It must be some other plugin I've installed doing it *tears hair out*

 

[jrs22]

Sounds like a typical Microsoft "virus".

Actually it's been a 'feature' of Skype for some time now. At least on the windows side it was there well before Skype was purchased by Microsoft.

 

[munkery]

As a member of the Skype for Mac team, I can tell you for sure that, no, on the Mac, Click to Call is *not* installed silently with any current version of Skype.

Also, Click To Call for Mac is only compatible with Safari as of today.

Really, "install.sh" in the Click to Call installer shows that plugins for Chrome, Safari, and Firefox are installed?

Anybody want to install Skype to test this? I read that Click to Call had begun to be included in more recent versions of Skype and that it included plugins for all major browsers. Maybe due to user complaints, Click to Call has to be installed separately.

Given that the OP didn't install it separately from Skype and has Click to Call functionality in Chrome, you seem incorrect.

______

Whoops, despite including functions to install Click to Call in Chrome and Firefox in "install.sh", no packages are included for those plugins in the installer.

Sorry

 

[r0k]

Really, "install.sh" in the Click to Call installer shows that plugins for Chrome, Safari, and Firefox are installed?

Anybody want to install Skype to test this? I read that Click to Call had begun to be included in more recent versions of Skype and that it included plugins for all major browsers. Maybe due to user complaints, Click to Call has to be installed separately.

Given that the OP didn't install it separately from Skype and has Click to Call functionality in Chrome, you seem incorrect.

No way I'm installing Skype. I had it before MS bought it and I haven't even so much as launched it since. I didn't like it much before MS bought it and when they bought Skype, it sealed the deal for me. Our home phone is voip now so I never have to bother with a computer based phone thing.

I'm sitting in front of Chrome on the WinDOS box at work and I can click all around phone numbers without it trying to dial them.

I did find something using google that should help...

There was also no permission prompt to install the Chrome Plugin, that’s not right. And the Plugin doesn’t list in the Extension settings.
Anyways, You can disable the Plugin by typing “about: plugins” in the address bar. There, disable the “Skype Toolbar”.

 

[munkery]

Did you check here:

chrome://chrome/plugins

or

chrome://plugins

@r0k

This was my first suggestion and it didn't seem to work. I think the prompt to access plugins has changed to one of the above.

There was also no permission prompt to install the Chrome Plugin, that’s not right. And the Plugin doesn’t list in the Extension settings.
Anyways, You can disable the Plugin by typing “about: plugins” in the address bar. There, disable the “Skype Toolbar”.

 

[naixn]

Really, "install.sh" in the Click to Call installer shows that plugins for Chrome, Safari, and Firefox are installed?

Anybody want to install Skype to test this? I read that Click to Call had begun to be included in more recent versions of Skype and that it included plugins for all major browsers. Maybe due to user complaints, Click to Call has to be installed separately.

Given that the OP didn't install it separately from Skype and has Click to Call functionality in Chrome, you seem incorrect.

______

Whoops, despite including functions to install Click to Call in Chrome and Firefox in "install.sh", no packages are included for those plugins in the installer.

Sorry

Indeed, the shell script is planned to work with Firefox and Chrome for the day it will be there. And there are icons of said browsers in the package. But as you've noticed, there's absolutely nothing for each of these two browsers in the package.

You might have read that Click To Call is included for Skype, but I'm pretty sure these articles/posts were targeting the Windows version.
As I said, on the Mac platform, no version currently available is able to install Click To Call

 

[munkery]

Indeed, the shell script is planned to work with Firefox and Chrome for the day it will be there. And there are icons of said browsers in the package. But as you've noticed, there's absolutely nothing for each of these two browsers in the package.

You might have read that Click To Call is included for Skype, but I'm pretty sure these articles/posts were targeting the Windows version.
As I said, on the Mac platform, no version currently available is able to install Click To Call

What third party plugins and extensions exist to provide this functionality for Mac?

 

[naixn]

What third party plugins and extensions exist to provide this functionality for Mac?

I am not sure what your question is, but Click To Call does exist for Mac, but only works on Safari. And it is only available as a separate download on the website.

What functionality were you looking for otherwise?

 

[munkery]

I am not sure what your question is, but Click To Call does exist for Mac, but only works on Safari. And it is only available as a separate download on the website.

What functionality were you looking for otherwise?

No chrome extensions?

Is the OP being a troll?

How to explain the OP's issue?