Browser Hijacking Virus

[BernPhone]

Actually it's not just my browser - anything associated with the internet seems to be blocked. If I try to go to any website on my MacBook, it sends me to a website called "Kaplan University" and at the top of the browser it says "Welcome - liferay.com".

I have tried Safari, Chrome and Firefox and they all take me to the same site, no matter what I type into the browser. I considered installing Lion (which I was holding off on as this laptop is so slow) but Software Update is blocked: it says it is a network problem (The file "index-leopard-snowleopard.merged-1.suctalog" couldn't be found on the server "swscan.apple.com"). App store could not connect either.

I tried opening a new account and got the same problems. My iMac is running fine so the problem seems to only be on the laptop.

Does anyone have a solution for this? I can't seem to find any other incidents online where everything on the machine associated to the net is being crippled by this virus/malware.

UPDATE: One site has opened OK for me - and it's a secure website that I had bookmarked (https://).

Mac OS 10.6.8
Macbook 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Can the part titled "Why am I being redirected to other sites?" help you?

Mac Virus/Malware Info by GGJstudios
There are currently no viruses for Mac OS X in public circulation, only a handful of trojans and other malware, which have to be installed manually via entering the administrator password.
The only anti-virus you need to protect your Mac is education and common sense.​

 

[cerote]

Also maybe check your hosts file.

 

[BernPhone]

I had a look at the above link, but seemed to get lost somewhere in the midst of messing with Terminal - which can't be a good thing. The only DNS entry there was greyed out.

It's a shame there isn't an easy solution to this.

 

[ezramoore]

I had a look at the above link, but seemed to get lost somewhere in the midst of messing with Terminal. The only DNS entry there was greyed out.

It's a shame there isn't an easy solution to this.

The easy solution is to read. The link offered tells you what to do if you have greyed out entries.

 

[GGJstudios]

I had a look at the above link, but seemed to get lost somewhere in the midst of messing with Terminal

There is nothing in those instructions that references the Terminal.

The only DNS entry there was greyed out.

Read step 5 in that set of instructions.

It's a shame there isn't an easy solution to this.

The solution is quite easy, but does require you to read all the instructions.

 

[shyam09]

have you tried connecting from another wifi source, like say a coffeeshop or something?

 

[BernPhone]

There is nothing in those instructions that references the Terminal.

I read Step 5 and it refers to a link which forwards you to another link which gives you instructions to use Terminal. I tried following them but having never really used Terminal before, I couldn't finish the job. Hence the "shame there isn't an easy solution to this".

have you tried connecting from another wifi source, like say a coffeeshop or something?

I'm not sure that would work, since I am using an iMac at the moment on the same wifi without any problems? I assumed that would indicate the problem is somewhere on the laptop?

There are currently no viruses for Mac OS X in public circulation

Nice. Still, this predicament really blows.

 

[ezramoore]

If you have one greyed entry in System Preferences > Network > NETWORK ADAPTER > Advanced > DNS you should be able to add a Google Public DNS server in there (8.8.8.8, or 8.8.4.4) and hit apply. Close your browsers and open one up and try again.

 

[BernPhone]

Solution

OK, I fixed it. For anyone who has this same problem, this is the solution:

Go to System Preferences > Networks and delete the Airport Port, then recreate it. Problem solved. BOOM!

The Newbie has become the Master. Can someone change my forum title accordingly? Thanks in advance.

 

[GGJstudios]

Can someone change my forum title accordingly? Thanks in advance.

Glad you got it fixed. To change your thread title, click Edit on your original post, then "Go Advanced", then select the "Resolved" prefix for your thread title.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Can someone change my forum title accordingly? Thanks in advance.

Congratulations.
To edit your thread title, just click on the

button on the bottom right of your original post and then click the

button below your message.