Cracked Mac Apps, HELP!

[Dylqn]

Hello guys I wanted to ask a few questions regarding apps in the Mac App Store that have been cracked for free versions.

This week I let my friend borrow my mac to do a research paper for school. He gave it back to me today with many new software in a way of his gratitude. I asked him how he afforded these apps and he said he downloaded them from the youtube videos linking him to media fire websites to download them. I now have Final Cut Pro, 1Password, and a few others installed on my MacBook Pro now.

- Will these cause harm to my MacBook by having sneaky viruses hiding within these apps when they were installed by my friend?
- If I decide to end up keeping them or deleting them will I still have the viruses, if there are any?
- Also is it possible for the 1Password app to monitor my passwords if I end up keeping it?

I do not like the use of piracy when it comes to applications and I want to delete these apps but as they are already on my Mac I honestly can say I wouldn't mind keeping them. I am just afraid that something bad will happen to my Mac if I kept or deleted these applications. My friend told me to keep these apps as they are already on my Mac and nothing bad will happen from keeping or deleting them.

Many people say Macs do and don't have viruses so it always makes the true answer confusing. I am running the latest version of Mac OS X 10.9.5 and am running on the late 2013 model.

If you read all of this, I honestly appreciate it, any feedback or advise is welcomed and GREATLY appreciated!

 

[simonsi]

Macs cannot be infected by true viruses but there is malware around for which such software as your friend has installed is a method used.

You should delete them.

You should never allow anyone else to install software on your Mac, nor give them access to an account with admin permissions to enable them to do so.

However even if you delete the apps any malware may stay on the machine, you also do not know if your friend granted install permission to any other software.

This is apart from the OBVIOUS that cracked Apps breach copyright and laws in many jurisdictions and should not be installed on that basis alone.

Personally I would wipe and re-install from a pre-friend backup, and follow the advice above if you lend your Mac out.

Oh and the idea of a password-related app that isn't genuine and the harm it could do (send all your passwords straight to criminals???), just fazes me, you would have to be absolutely crazy to keep that installed....

 

[EOB]

Honestly if your friend put them on their, I would just remove them.

But if your "friend" had your "permission" then why worry... lol.

 

[Dylqn]

Simonsi,

Thank you for your feedback!!! I will wipe the machine clean asap. I am still fairly new to using Macs and do not know the full extent of it's security capabilities.

As you stated that there will still be malware on the machine, does the application have to be installed for the virus to be injected or will just having the install file on the Mac do the same damage?

For example: If he only downloaded 1Password and Final Cut Pro onto my machine but did not open the downloaded file to install them on my Mac, will that still cause a virus to infect itself on my mac? I only ask this so I know the true differences of ways to obtain a virus and keep my Macs safe if this ever "some how" accidentally happened again. I just want to be informed I am trying to say.

 

[calderone]

What a great friend, giving you stolen software to show his gratitude. Classy.

 

[Weaselboy]

For example: If he only downloaded 1Password and Final Cut Pro onto my machine but did not open the downloaded file to install them on my Mac, will that still cause a virus to infect itself on my mac? I only ask this so I know the true differences of ways to obtain a virus and keep my Macs safe if this ever "some how" accidentally happened again. I just want to be informed I am trying to say.

No... if he just downloaded the installer DMG file and did nothing with it, no malware would be on your computer.

The most recent outbreak of adware/malware on Macs has been primarily from people downloading programs form what they think are legitimate sites, and those sites have bundled malware/adware along with the installers.

Two examples of sites like this are CNet's download.com and Softonic. Pretty good article about it here. Sadly, not everyone is aware of this issue people get infected by using these sites for software downloads.

 

[Dylqn]

Thank you for your excellent reply to my latest post Weaselboy,

That helped greatly! I want to be educated in this section of my mac because I think security is one of the most essential things about these computers.

My last question would be,

Will my other files be affected by this malware creeping around my Mac?
I am going to back up all of my files onto an external HDD.

 

[2984839]

Thank you for your excellent reply to my latest post Weaselboy,

That helped greatly! I want to be educated in this section of my mac because I think security is one of the most essential things about these computers.

Well, giving other people your admin account and password (or not having a password) is the worst security mistake you can make.

 

[Dylqn]

Well, giving other people your admin account and password (or not having a password) is the worst security mistake you can make.

That is true, I thought I could trust him to be more cautious with my Mac, lesson learned this time.

If anyone would know this from the answers provided above, If there was malware floating around my mac, would any of my photo, music, or another files or even passwords be in contact with the malware? I have asked this above, but I wanted to reword it. I am going to back everything up then re install Mavericks.

I haven't Used any of the new applications my friend installed.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thank you for your excellent reply to my latest post Weaselboy,

That helped greatly! I want to be educated in this section of my mac because I think security is one of the most essential things about these computers.

My last question would be,

Will my other files be affected by this malware creeping around my Mac?
I am going to back up all of my files onto an external HDD.

The malware won't embed itself in other files, but it may still be sitting in user folders. As long as you do a clean install then manually move over nothing but data files like documents, music, videos... that sort of thing, you will be okay.

 

[Dylqn]

The malware won't embed itself in other files, but it may still be sitting in user folders. As long as you do a clean install then manually move over nothing but data files like documents, music, videos... that sort of thing, you will be okay.

Thanks again!!!
This has opened my eyes more and informed me on things I have always wondered. I don't know if I have malware on my Mac as of right now due to its speed still being as fast as before but I am going to do a full wipe and drag all my files back onto it from my external HDD.

Thank you to those who replied to this thread and by not replying with negativity but information to help me in the future. I really appreciate it!

 

[ABC5S]

Help in the future OP ?

1. Don't loan out your computer

2. Don't loan out your car

3. Don't loan out your phone

Give your friend some friendly advise, and buy his own stuff.

 

[simonsi]

You don't know what he did. He must have used the admin password (or you don't have one), in order to install anything - if he hadn't then he would have just downloaded installer images and you wouldn't have any evidence of cracked apps or not.

Worst case he ripped your passwords or installed software that did, then left malware of unknown origin and intent.

Hence blowing away your installation and going to a known good backup is the only way you have now to be sure nothing remains of his helpful gift.

Then find a new friend.

----------

If there was malware floating around my mac, would any of my photo,...

I haven't Used any of the new applications my friend installed.

To the first, you don't know, probably your friends doesn't know.

Bet he fired them up to see if they worked though, you have to assume they have delivered any malware payload to you.

 

[poiihy]

No... if he just downloaded the installer DMG file and did nothing with it, no malware would be on your computer.

The most recent outbreak of adware/malware on Macs has been primarily from people downloading programs form what they think are legitimate sites, and those sites have bundled malware/adware along with the installers.

Two examples of sites like this are CNet's download.com and Softonic. Pretty good article about it here. Sadly, not everyone is aware of this issue people get infected by using these sites for software downloads.

What I really hate are those ads that are just one or two buttons. You go to download something, and there are all these buttons saying stuff like "Download Now". You think it's for what you want to download but it's not, it's just an ad.

 

[SavMBP15]

I would be more worried about the key logger your friend installed to your mbp.

 

[leman]

I'll be short

- Will these cause harm to my MacBook by having sneaky viruses hiding within these apps when they were installed by my friend?

Its certainly a possibility

- If I decide to end up keeping them or deleting them will I still have the viruses, if there are any?

Its certainly a possibility

- Also is it possible for the 1Password app to monitor my passwords if I end up keeping it?

Its certainly a possibility

Bottomline: don't borrow your laptops to your buddies. If you absolutely need to, make a new user account for them and encrypt your drive.

The only way to make absolutely sure that you don't have any malware is to completely reinstall your machine and restore your data (no apps!).

 

[MacInTO]

Thanks again!!!
This has opened my eyes more and informed me on things I have always wondered. I don't know if I have malware on my Mac as of right now due to its speed still being as fast as before but I am going to do a full wipe and drag all my files back onto it from my external HDD.

Thank you to those who replied to this thread and by not replying with negativity but information to help me in the future. I really appreciate it!

If you do have malware, it might not slow your computer down for all things. It could be slower, but if it's slower by one second for a certain task, you might not notice.

I had malware on mine and it only slowed Aperture and nothing else. Once I did a clean OS X install, Aperture loaded in about five seconds where before it took over a minute.