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Remove “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” virus (Removal Instructions) - Free Instructions

removal by Linas Kiguolis - - | Type: Malware
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“Your Apple Device Has a Virus” scam targets the “invincible” Mac OS

“Your Apple Device Has a Virus" scam samples

“Your Apple Device Has a Virus” virus spreads as a tech support scam targeting Mac and iOS community. This browser-based scam frightens users with Pegasus spyware. In order to save the data from theft, the message urges users to call +1-8333-370-777. Here is an extract from the message:

*YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS*

Apple iOS Alert!!

PEGASUS (SPYWARE) ACTIVATED

System might be infected due to unexpected error!
Please Contact Apple Care +1-8333-370-777 Immediately!
for assistance regarding how to remove it.

According to the message, the following data is under risk:

  • credit card details and banking credentials
  • email account passwords
  • Facebook, Skype, AIM, ICQ and other social network accounts
  • private photos

“Your Apple Device Has a Virus” tech support scam: fake or genuine?

The scam developers indeed did a good job. They tied in legitimate information which might persuade Apple and iPhone users that indeed their computers might have been corrupted. They mention two things: Pegasus spyware and Apple Care, which is the genuine Apple support center.

But first things first, let us assure that this notification is fake. Whether you see such notification on Windows or Mac, note that such alerts do not pop up in random pages. Secondly, genuine notifications do not include a phone number.

Thus, what you have to do is exit the page or force shut down via Activity Monitor. However, it is recommended to remove “Your Apple Device Has a Virus” scam elements by clearing the browsing data or scanning the system with the Mac version of Malwarebytes. The picture displaying “Your Apple Device Has a Virus" alertThe image displaying “Your Apple Device Has a Virus" pop-up alert. It attempts to persuade users that their devices have been compromised with Pegasus spyware.

What is this Pegasus spyware?

If you have been familiar with Pegasus spyware, you might indeed get paranoid about the security of your Apple device.
As a matter of fact, Pegasus malware, which feeds on three zero-day vulnerabilities, was devised specifically for MacOS and iOS, though it has its Android counterpart as well[1].

In 2016, United Arab Emirates citizen Ahmed Mansoor discovered an exquisite malware campaign targeting iOS. He got a couple of SMS messages with shady links.[2] They were the harbingers of the main malware payload.

Clicking on the link would download Pegasus malware which would, later on, download remaining necessary files which would allow the malware to fully monitor’s users private messages. Keylogging features enable the malware to read encrypted content as well.

Another problem is that Pegasus enables to hide its tracks professionally. It is able to self-destruct if it is deprived of connection to Command and Control server within 60 days. Interestingly, the malware only targets specific users as it was designed by an Israeli company to belong to NSO group.

If you are wondering whether you have been infected with Pegasus via “Your Apple Device Has a Virus” scam, let us assure that there is no relation between these two. As discussed below, only selected users have been affected by the original malware.

Tech support scams wander on the cyber space

“Your Apple Device Has a Virus” hijack is carried with the assistance of web scripts. In other words, if you have been browsing movie streaming sites or torrent sharing domains, you were likely to encounter “Your Apple Device Has a Virus” alerts. On the other hand, legitimate apps might also divert you to such fake sites.[3]

You only need to cancel the window to exit the web page. If you cannot do so, close the browser via the Activity Monitor. Let us move on “Your Apple Device Has a Virus” scam removal methods.

Delete “Your Apple Device Has a Virus” tech support scam scripts

If you noticed these alerts on iPhone, all you can do is exit the page, as IOS does not support security applications.
Though Apple products are hostile towards security utilities, in fact, you can install certain malware elimination tools on MacOS. Above-mentioned sample functions on the Mac as well. Thus, it will help you remove “Your Apple Device Has a Virus” web scripts.

Alternatively, below you will find guidelines which instruct how to eliminate the scripts on major browsers. If you use other than Safari browser, you will find them useful. Resetting the browser contributes to “Your Apple Device Has a Virus” removal as well.

On the final note, a widely-spread opinion that MacOS is fully immune to malware might turn out to be perilous as felons find ways to penetrate even most unbreakable systems. Other than English, Russian, French, Turkish[3] users should be vigilant of the scam.

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To remove “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” virus, follow these steps:

Remove “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” from Mac OS X system

Do not get alarmed by “Your Apple Device Has a Virus” alerts. Close the web page. If you have security tool, scan the browser.

If your macOS is displaying some infection symptoms, proceed with the following guide:

Remove “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” from Applications folder:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS”-related entries.
  3. Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)Uninstall from Mac 1

To fully remove “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS”, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
  3. In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries related to “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” and then delete them.
  4. Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS”-related entries.Uninstall from Mac 2

Uninstall “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” from Internet Explorer (IE)

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 “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” and other 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 again to complete “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” removal.Reset Internet Explorer

Eliminate “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” virus 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 “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS”-related extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click on Uninstall at the bottom.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 Privacy & security.
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Reset MS Edge if that 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

If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.

  1. Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
  2. Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
  3. Right-click on them and pick DeleteAdvanced MS Edge reset 1
  4. Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  5. When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:

    Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -VerboseAdvanced MS Edge reset 2

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 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.Reset Chromium Edge

Delete “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

  1. Remove dangerous extensions
    Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. Click on menu icon and select 'Add-ons'
  2. Here, select “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries. Select 'Extensions' and look for malicious entries. Click 'Remove' to get rid of each of them
  3. Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
    Click on the menu (top right corner), choose Options → General.
  4. Here, delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
  5. Click OK to save these changes. When in 'General' tab, delete malicious URL from 'Home Page' section or click on 'Restore to Default' button. Click 'OK' to save changes
  6. Reset Mozilla Firefox
    Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. Click on menu icon and then on '?'. Select 'Troubleshooting Information'
  7. Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” removal. Click on 'Reset Firefox' button for a couple of times

Get rid of “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” from Google Chrome

  1. Delete malicious plugins
    Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. Click on menu icon. Select 'Tools' and 'Extensions'
  2. Here, select “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries. Look for malicious entries and delete each of them by clicking on the Trash bin icon
  3. Change your homepage and default search engine if it was altered by your virus
    Click on menu icon and choose Settings.
  4. Here, look for the Open a specific page or set of pages under On startup option and click on Set pages. After clicking on menu and 'Settings', select 'Set pages'
  5. Now you should see another window. Here, delete malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage. Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
  6. Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section. When in 'Settings', select 'Manage search engines...'
  7. When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name. Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
  8. Reset Google Chrome
    Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings.
  9. Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings. When in 'Settings', scroll down to 'Reset browser settings' button and click on it
  10. Click Reset to confirm this action and complete “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” removal. Click on 'Reset' button to complete your removal

Erase “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” from Safari

  1. Remove dangerous extensions
    Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. Click on 'Safari' and select 'Preferences'
  2. Here, select Extensions and look for “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them. Go to 'Extensions' and uninstall malicious add-ons
  3. Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
    Open your Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu section. Here, select Preferences as it was displayed previously and select General.
  4. Here, look at the Homepage field. If it was altered by “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS”, remove unwanted link and enter the one that you want to use for your searches. Remember to include the "http://" before typing in the address of the page. When in 'General', delete malicious URL and enter your desired domain name
  5. Reset Safari
    Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... Click on 'Safari' and select 'Reset Safari...'
  6. Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete “YOUR APPLE DEVICE HAS A VIRUS” removal process. Select all options and click on 'Reset' button

Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are

There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.

Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.

Data backups are important – recover your lost files

Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.

While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.

About the author
Linas Kiguolis
Linas Kiguolis - Expert in social media

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This entry was posted on 2017-10-06 at 07:46 and is filed under Malware, Viruses.

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