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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Adware
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Apr 2019

How to remove Apple.com-speed-macos.live

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Olivia Morelli · Ransomware analyst

Apple.com-speed-macos.live is an unsafe website that pushes scam messages on Google Chrome or other browsers

Apple.com-speed-macos.live scam

Apple.com-speed-macos.live is a social engineering attack directed to less experienced users. Bad actors behind the site are trying to convince victims that their macOS computers are infected by 3 viruses and must be immediately fixed. Allegedly, the only way to do so is by downloading the suggested software. However, users should never install such applications, as they can damage the Mac computer instead of repairing it. While the operating system is most likely fine and not infected with treacherous viruses, persistent redirects Apple.com-speed-macos.live might indicate of adware infection. These potentially unwanted programs enter devices with the help of software bundling and heavily modify the settings of Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox or another browser. After such changes, the infected users have to deal with pop-up ads, in-text links, banners, deals, offers, and other commercial content during their web browsing sessions. To stop the intrusive activity, users will have to remove Apple.com-speed-macos.live adware from their Macs.

Name Apple.com-speed-macos.live
Category Adware/PUP
Type Scam
Related Your system is infected with 3 virusesTapsnake CronDNS, Dubfishicv, E.tre456_worm_osx
Operating system targeted macOS, iOS
Infiltration Software bundling, third-party websites
Symptoms Intrusive advertisements appear on all visited websites, redirects lead to suspicious websites
Risk factors Installation of bogus software, money loss, malware infection
Termination Use security software or take advantage of our manual removal instructions below
Recovery To recover from virus damage, scan your device with FortectIntego

Social engineering[1] is often used by crooks when trying to scam users into purchasing bogus software, subscribing to useless services, or luring out sensitive information that can be later sold to third-parties for profit. Regardless of the bad actors' motivational reasons, it definitely does not bring any benefit to the user. In fact, sites like Apple.com-speed-macos.live, Apple.com-repair-os.liveApple.com-fixing.live and many others are created to harm the user.

Note how all of the domain names are using words like “fix,” “repair,” “Apple,” and similar. This is done purposely in order to make Apple.com-speed-macos.live scam more believable. Nevertheless, we can assure you that this scheme has nothing to do with Apple or authorized technical support services.

The fake pop-up message that users encounter on Apple.com-speed-macos.live domain reads as follows:

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED

We have detected a trojan virus (e.tre456_worm_osx) on your Mac.

Press OK to begin the repair process

Users are then prompted to press “Scan Now” button that shows a loading bar – an alleged scan of the machine. Of course, nothing is being scanned, and it is merely a fake Apple.com-speed-macos.live virus alert.

After that, users will be prompted to download fake optimization software, such as Advanced Mac Cleaner, Mac Tweak, Mac Auto Fixer, and similar. Do not download these applications, as you will be shown a variety of other fake computer issues and will be prompted to buy a full version of the bogus program to allegedly fix them.

Apple.com-speed-macos.live removal can be only achieved by terminating adware embedded into your Mac system. For that, you can make use of our guide below or install automatic solutions. To keep your computer in the best shape, we recommend using FortectIntego. Also, this application is capable of removing any virus damage that the PUP caused.

Apple.com-speed-macos.live PUP

Stay away from potentially unwanted programs by installing shareware correctly

Unlike malware, potentially unwanted programs are not deemed to be as dangerous. Nevertheless, consider a PUP like a tunnel that MIGHT connect you to malware infections, as well as money loss, or even identity theft. Therefore, it is best to stay away from unwanted applications in general.

PUPs are usually delivered via software bundling – a deceptive technique used by shareware or freeware authors. It often focuses on hiding the real list of the programs inside the installation wizard. Therefore, it is vital to handle the installation process correctly.

First of all, experts[2] recommend staying away from unknown sites (no HTTPS[3] protocol) and those that offer pirated/cracked software. Malicious executables can be disguised as anything, and deliver not only PUPs but also malware, such as ransomware. For example, many of the recent STOP ransomware variants were distributed via the illegal program site Crackithub[.]com.

Once you launch the installation wizard, make sure the app provides required documentation – Privacy Policy and Terms of service. When prompted, opt for Advanced/Custom installation settings instead of Recommended ones, and terminate all unwanted apps by removing ticks from pre-selected boxes.

Remove Apple.com-speed-macos.live redirects by deleting adware from your device

To remove Apple.com-speed-macos.live redirects and pop-ups, you will have to terminate adware that is hidden inside your system. Note that if you encountered the scam website accidentally, it does not mean you are infected with anything. It simply means that you got redirected to a phishing site from another one. Nevertheless, a scan with security software can confirm whether or not your device is dealing with any type of computer infections.

Alternatively, you can take care of Apple.com-speed-macos.live removal with the help of our manual instructions below. These steps are straightforward to perform. However, once you detect the unwanted app, make sure you check these folders for any leftovers of the PUP: /Library/LaunchAgents and  /Library/Application Support. After that, reset each of the installed browsers to make sure no redirects continue.

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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