Help? PerformanceOptimizer just showed up in my downloads

[Drag'nGT]

Okay, 'we don't get viruses' but a program called Performance Optimizer has just downloaded itself to my downloads folder. I was visiting MySpace and it minimized Safari and gave me an offer box, kinda like a pop-up but it managed to make my Safari window a 1" square on my desktop. I hit no thanks and it maximized Safari then 30 sec later my downloads pop up came and now it's in my downloads folder.

It's an .exe file which ?? can't even work on a Mac right? I haven't noticed any program that I have installed on my Mac in an .exe format. But what do you guys think my next step is?

My google search isn't telling me if it's a PC only maleware/virus.

 

[kevo0822]

Okay, 'we don't get viruses' but a program called Performance Optimizer has just downloaded itself to my downloads folder. I was visiting MySpace and it minimized Safari and gave me an offer box, kinda like a pop-up but it managed to make my Safari window a 1" square on my desktop. I hit no thanks and it maximized Safari then 30 sec later my downloads pop up came and now it's in my downloads folder.

It's an .exe file which ?? can't even work on a Mac right? I haven't noticed any program that I have installed on my Mac in an .exe format. But what do you guys think my next step is?

My google search isn't telling me if it's a PC only maleware/virus.

I'm not really sure about the next step, but I can tell you that .exe files are Windows executable files... Windows only.

 

[vanmacguy]

Ahh, MySpace. Everything that is wrong with the Internet, all in one place.

Think yourself lucky that you're on a Mac and that the .exe won't run.

Just delete it.

Cheers.

 

[blodwyn]

Your next step is to delete the file, which wouldn't run anyway on your Mac, and relax and be happy you don't run Windows

 

[vincebio]

next step is go and do what you were going to do before you started worrying...

its a useless attempt to infect/spam a pc

 

[Drag'nGT]

Ahh, MySpace. Everything that is wrong with the Internet, all in one place.

Think yourself lucky that you're on a Mac and that the .exe won't run.

Just delete it.

Cheers.

Yeah but MySpace keeps me in touch with friends around the country very easily.

Thanks for confirming that the .exe file will not work on the Mac. I'm still unhappy that it downloaded itself anyway. I didn't know what to do to close the window because there wasn't any way to do it. It blocks it. Odd since the app is a Windows app. Anyone care to explain how or why that would happen? Afterwards I still opened and ran ClamXav just to make myself feel better. Is there a way to avoid this type of thing from happening again? How did it get around the pop-up blocker?


For future people who search for an answer to this problem: The damn program wouldn't allow me to quit Safari. You cannot restart nor turn off the Mac without quitting Safari. I neglected to remember the force quit option but I'm not sure that would even work. The window that shows up has no red, yellow, green buttons on the top left but I've read that control + w will get the window closed. You want to do that because both options "OK" and "Close" will prompt an install it seems. If it still installs, just drag it to the trash and then empty the trash.

Thanks again guys!!