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URGENT! Do I have malware???

Dekema2

Dekema2

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 27, 2012
858
450
WNY or Utica
So I just was using my rMBP as usual and all of a sudden Safari opens a new tab with this link, "http://fqtag.com/pixel.cgi?s=i3t40e7t-08d317bc." I wouldn't click on it, but this is what it looks like:

631633bd2356207759194efc21c466cf.png


It keeps opening these tabs. Even when you close out of Safari, it reopens and displays these tabs!!! I'm scared, what's wrong???
 
As long as you did not enter your password to allow anything to install, you should be okay for malware.

What happened is you hit a skeevy web site that used Javascript to hijack the page. Now when you restart the Safari "resume" feature is taking you back to that same page and the problem repeats.

Try quitting Safari then hold the shift key as you relaunch Safari and that should stop it from going back to that page and all will be well.
 
Weaselboy said:
As long as you did not enter your password to allow anything to install, you should be okay for malware.

What happened is you hit a skeevy web site that used Javascript to hijack the page. Now when you restart the Safari "resume" feature is taking you back to that same page and the problem repeats.

Try quitting Safari then hold the shift key as you relaunch Safari and that should stop it from going back to that page and all will be well.
Click to expand...

Interesting explanation. That seemed to work, thanks.
 
Weaselboy said:
As long as you did not enter your password to allow anything to install, you should be okay for malware.

What happened is you hit a skeevy web site that used Javascript to hijack the page. Now when you restart the Safari "resume" feature is taking you back to that same page and the problem repeats.

Try quitting Safari then hold the shift key as you relaunch Safari and that should stop it from going back to that page and all will be well.
Click to expand...

Great explanation! :)
 
Disable Java (not Javascript) if you visit shady sites... Install an Ad-blocker on your browser to... block adds... :D And have good common sense... If you think a site will bring you problems, don't go to that site. :)
 
No you don't have malware

Actually, the issue is due to your Flash plugin for your Dashboard client. Whenever your browser opens the new tab to fqtag.com, open up your Activity Monitor and you will see that the process called "Flash Player (DashboardClient Internet plug-in) is chewing up a lot of CPU time. If you force quit this process the tabs will no longer open. (see attached screenshot).
 

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Count Blah said:
Stop visiting pron sites ;)
Click to expand...

Or, don't run your mac as an Admin, use OpenDNS to block malware and other known evils, uninstall Java from your Mac, install Google Chrome, enable "click-to-play" for all plugins, use Ad Block and Ghostery extensions, and use Chrome's "Incognito" mode.
 
Admin Account?

GGJstudios said:
There is no real-world disadvantage in running an Admin account.
Click to expand...

Admitted newbie here.

I thought the whole premise of not running in an account with Admin privileges was to prevent malicious code from making changes to your machine without your permission. Is this not the case?
 
Fredn3ck said:
Admitted newbie here.

I thought the whole premise of not running in an account with Admin privileges was to prevent malicious code from making changes to your machine without your permission. Is this not the case?
Click to expand...
That isn't the case. Any attempt by malware to modify system files would require entering the Admin password, even if logged in as an Admin. Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released over 12 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided by practicing safe computing (see below). 3rd party antivirus apps are not necessary to keep a Mac malware-free, as long as a user practices safe computing, as described in the following link.
​
Read the What security steps should I take? section of the Mac Virus/Malware FAQ for tips on practicing safe computing.
 
Fredn3ck said:
Some of this is probably dated material as the OS is Snow Leopard but yet still kind of interesting for us tin foil hat types
Click to expand...
If you'll notice in that article, as in so many other places where the non-admin account is recommended, they state no factual basis for that recommendation. There is, in fact, no advantage or disadvantage to an average Mac user in running an admin or non-admin account.
 
IHelpId10t5 said:
Or, don't run your mac as an Admin, use OpenDNS to block malware and other known evils, uninstall Java from your Mac, install Google Chrome, enable "click-to-play" for all plugins, use Ad Block and Ghostery extensions, and use Chrome's "Incognito" mode.
Click to expand...

All fine and dandy, except for all your browser activity being entered into the big goolgle repository. I try to avoid chrome if at all possible.

But very sound advise. Thanks.
 
IHelpId10t5 said:
Or, don't run your mac as an Admin, use OpenDNS to block malware and other known evils, uninstall Java from your Mac, install Google Chrome, enable "click-to-play" for all plugins, use Ad Block and Ghostery extensions, and use Chrome's "Incognito" mode.
Click to expand...

I find it kind of funny you go through all this then use a poorly coded resource hog of a browser that essentially spies on you.
 
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